Chloe rose slowly. Her voice, when it came, was calm but carried enough weight to make even the most hardened director look up. “We need to call this meeting back to order,” she said. “Handling big problems begins now.” No one dared move at first. The suited representatives from Ascendant Holdings had left, but their presence still lingered.Papers lay scattered across the polished table, and every phone within reach buzzed with news alerts that only confirmed the disaster. Within minutes, every financial outlet in the city would know that Jason Miller had destroyed his fortune and surrendered the family’s influence. Her father’s older cousin, Harold, cleared his throat. “Miss Miller, technically the chair was scheduled to rotate to Jason this period. With him… removed from consideration, we will need to—” “You will need to face the reality that there’s only one person left who can lead,” Chloe interrupted, her tone sharp yet controlled. “The company’s reputation has just been

Sarah Jenkins stared at the eviction notice taped to the glossy white door of her luxury apartment. The golden letters of The Palladium Residences just above the doorway looked dull now that the doormen wouldn’t even meet her eyes. Her makeup had smudged from crying. The woman who once bragged about champagne breakfasts was now standing in yesterday’s clothes, holding a broken designer purse and three unpaid rent warnings.Her landlord, a round man in a gray vest, stood by the elevator with two uniformed movers. He looked nervous, but not sympathetic. “Miss Jenkins, we’ve been patient,” he said. “Mr. Miller’s bank transfers have stopped for six weeks. We gave him every chance, but the balance keeps growing. The building has rules, and—”“I told you Jason would fix it!” Sarah shouted, her voice cracking. “He’s just having a temporary issue. The market turned, but he’s Jason Miller. He’s coming back!”The landlord sighed. “Even if he does, the debt is in your name. You’re four months b

The auction had already been going on for half an hour. Art pieces had sold for small fortunes. A painting of the skyline had gone for half a million, mostly because two oil company heads had tried to one-up each other. People clapped politely each time the gavel fell. Chloe had kept her voice soft, chatting with investors and board members, selling calm strength with every look and smile. Alex stood beside her, quiet, watchful, his eyes scanning the room rather than the stage. He looked more like someone studying a puzzle than enjoying a fancy evening. The glass of champagne in his hand had hardly been touched. From the corner of his eye, he could see Jason and Sarah lingering near the side tables, pretending to belong but looking restless. The auctioneer’s voice carried above the chatter. “Our next item is a unique opportunity, donated by the city council. A full fifty acres of land in the eastern district. Locally known as the Blue Water site.” At once the room filled with li

For the first time, Blaine hesitated. The aide shook his head quickly. “Sir, you’ll send our board into a panic. It’s a waste.” The older man stared at Alex long and hard. Something in those calm eyes unsettled him more than the rising price ever could. Finally, with a slow sigh, he lowered his placard. The auctioneer waited a few seconds, glancing between them nervously. Then he lifted the gavel. “Nineteen million, going once. Going twice…” He raised his hand for the final strike. “Ten million!” Alex’s voice cut through before the gavel met the block. The crowd gasped again, this time confused. The auctioneer froze, bewildered. “Sir, forgive me, but your previous offer was nineteen. Are you—” Alex stepped forward just enough for everyone to hear clearly. “It’s ten million, straight through a shell company that will transfer the remaining gift back as an anonymous donation to the event. Check the confirmation email from the city council ledger. The auction’s rules allow an

Alex stayed quiet. He looked at the fountain for a moment, the sunlight glimmering off the water’s surface. Then he met her eyes. “That’s good news then, isn’t it?” She stared at him, completely thrown off by the casual tone. “Good news? The ten million I paid you for this whole husband arrangement turned into a gold mine overnight, and you’re sitting there acting like it’s nothing. Who even gets that kind of luck?”He smiled faintly but didn’t correct her. It wasn’t the money she had paid him for the contract, and he never intended to use a single cent of it. For now, though, he kept that truth to himself. She didn’t need to know just how wealthy he really was yet, so he simply said—“Maybe luck just likes me.” “Don’t joke,” she snapped. “This isn’t normal. No one could have known. Not even the developers or the city board. They kept this secret for months.” He sipped his tea quietly and didn’t answer. Chloe ran a hand through her hair, pacing a few steps. “Do you realize wha