The next morning arrived without mercy.Victoria barely remembered how she had made it through the night. Sleep had not come gently—it had taken her in fragments, in restless intervals filled with echoes of Damian’s voice, his pleas, his accusations… and her own words, sharp and final, replaying like a verdict she refused to reconsider.But beneath all of that, deeper than the anger, deeper than the betrayal, there was something else.Ethan.His name alone steadied her.By the time the pale light of dawn stretched across her apartment walls, Victoria was already awake, standing before her mirror, her expression composed into something cold, controlled… almost regal. The woman staring back at her was not the one who had once trembled over Damian’s affection.No.That version of her was gone.Today, she would move forward.And that meant Ethan.—His office tower rose high above the city like a monument to power—glass and steel reflecting the morning sun in sharp, blinding angles. Victo

Damian could hardly comprehend the weight of the consequences bearing down on him. The betrayal—the deceit, the years spent weaving a web of lies around Victoria, the one woman he had claimed to love—was no longer a secret. It had become a weapon, a force that now threatened to crush everything he had built.The knock at his apartment door came without warning. Sharp. Insistent. Damian’s pulse quickened. He knew who it would be before he even opened it.The door swung open to reveal Marcus. Victoria’s father. A man whose presence alone could command attention in any room. Tonight, however, Marcus didn’t just command attention—he radiated controlled fury, a storm that had been gathering for years finally breaking. Without a word, Marcus pushed past Damian, filling the apartment with his imposing figure. Damian stumbled slightly, catching himself against the edge of the wall, as Marcus’s gaze cut through him like a knife.“So,” Marcus began slowly, each word deliberate and heavy, “this

Marcus sat in his study long after Damian had been sent away, the papers of betrayal still scattered across the polished mahogany desk. Each document, each message, each ledger entry was a testament to Damian’s deception. Marcus had orchestrated Damian’s exposure perfectly, but now a more pressing concern gnawed at him. Victoria. If she lingered too long in reflection, if she let anger and grief fester, she might begin digging into Damian’s secrets herself. And if she shared them with Ethan, their careful plans would unravel entirely. Marcus could not allow that—not now, not ever.He leaned back, steepling his fingers, and spoke aloud as if rehearsing for the conversation to come. “Victoria must see reason. She must understand. She cannot allow her feelings to cloud judgment. If she focuses on Damian for even a moment longer, the consequences will be catastrophic.”He picked up the phone and dialed her number. The line rang once, twice, and then her voice came, wary, defensive:“Father

Ethan couldn’t stay still. He kept pacing the small room, running his hands through his hair over and over like he could physically force the fear out of his head. His breathing was uneven, sharp, and every few seconds he would stop and stare at Stephen as if expecting a new answer to appear on his face.“I don’t believe Grace can just be kidnapped without a trace,” Ethan said again, his voice breaking slightly. “Something is wrong. This doesn’t make sense.”Stephen sat in front of his laptop, eyes fixed on the screen, but his expression was tighter now. Focused. Calculating. “Nothing about this is normal,” he replied calmly. “But panic won’t help her.”Ethan stopped pacing instantly. “Panic? My girlfriend is missing, Stephen.”Stephen finally looked up. “And that’s exactly why you need to think, not break down.”Ethan exhaled sharply and shook his head. “Did you have any issue in business? Anyone you’ve confronted before? Damian? The Marcus family?”Stephen leaned back slightly. “Tho

Clouded by a storm of thoughts that refused to settle, Damian moved through the corridor with a controlled but heavy stride, every step echoing the unrest inside him. The air itself seemed tense, as though it recognized the confrontation that was about to unfold. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable, but beneath that hardened exterior was a mind racing faster than he could contain.Victoria stood near the tall window at the far end of the room, her posture composed, her gaze distant yet alert. She had sensed his presence before he spoke, but she did not turn immediately. Instead, she let the silence stretch, as if testing how long he could hold himself together before breaking it.“You know what happened to her.”The words cut through the stillness like a blade, sharp and deliberate. Damian did not ease into the conversation. He did not pretend. He went straight for the accusation, and the weight behind his voice made it impossible to ignore.Victoria turned slowly, her eyes s