Her right hand dropped down to her side, sliding quietly beneath the flap of her leather briefcase.Her fingers wrapped around the cold metal of a sleek silver voice recorder, a high-end device she kept for recording leverage during negotiations. Her knuckles turned white, her thumb hovering directly over the record button.She stared at the back of Slayde's heavy coat, her eyes burning with a deep glare. If this brute was trying to strip Edyals Holdings right out of her hands, she would record every word and use it to drag him to court.Slayde did not turn his head, yet a subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lips."Press the record button if it makes you feel safe, Ms. Harlyn," Slayde said softly, his voice cutting through her thoughts like a cold knife. "It won't change a single number on the contract."Harlyn's hand froze inside her briefcase. Cold sweat broke out across her palms, and she quickly pulled her hand back out, snapping the bag shut with an awkward clatter.The do

Slayde didn't even blink at her outburst. He leaned back in his chair, tapping a finger against the table as he stared at her with indifference."Are you getting it or not?" Slayde asked flatly.He didn't care about the tea. He just wanted to push her over the edge, and it worked.Harlyn’s jaw trembled with fury. Her chest heaved as she glared at him, her eyes burning with hatred. Realizing everyone in the room was watching her degrade herself, she stood up, pushed her chair back with a loud scrape, and stormed out of the boardroom.That was exactly what Slayde wanted. With Harlyn gone, he turned his cold gaze back to the terrified board members, completely free to handle the server files and financial records without her interference.Half an hour later, Harlyn arrived at her penthouse. She slammed the front door open, sending a sharp echo through the foyer.Her husband, Dominic, stepped into the hallway, cradling their ten-month-old daughter, Ava, in his arms. He had been walk

She reached for a glass on a side table, completely unaware of who was watching her from the dark balcony above.Slayde's jaw tightened.The sight of her swimming comfortably, as if she hadn't just lost her life's work, ruined his mood. His calm face hardened into a cold frown.Without taking another sip, Slayde stepped back inside and slid the glass door shut.He set the teacup down on his desk, his good mood gone. He was not going to spend his evening staring at the woman who had tried to destroy him, acting like she did not have a care in the world.A quiet knock sounded at the door before Viktor stepped into the room, holding a silver tray with a sealed black envelope on it."Pardon the interruption, Master Slayde," Viktor said quietly. "A message just arrived from the security team watching the house next door."Slayde glanced at the envelope. "What is it?""Ms. Harlyn and Mr. Dominic are not just relaxing tonight," Viktor explained, his sharp blue eyes looking at his master. "O

"The pleasure is mine, Slayde," Sebastian said warmly, shaking Slayde's hand again. "I was wondering when the main man of the evening would show up. Nash speaks highly of you. He told me you were the one person in this room I needed to pay attention to tonight."Slayde smiled smoothly, adjusting the cuff of his suit. "Nash is kind with his words. But I let my work speak for itself.""And great work it is," Sebastian laughed, taking a sip from his glass. He leaned in slightly, his voice turning to business. "Look, Slayde, if you have a few minutes later, I'd love to sit down in the private room. I think we could work together on a few major shipping contracts."Slayde looked past Sebastian's shoulder for a second. His dark eyes caught Harlyn and Dominic standing frozen behind him, looking like two statues trapped in a nightmare."I'd be happy to, Sebastian," Slayde replied calmly. "Though I wouldn't want to ruin your schedule. I heard a few other people were hoping to talk to you t

After finishing his drink with Sebastian, Slayde walked out of the VIP room toward the large marble stairs that led down to the main floor.He stayed calm as he walked down the carpeted steps, taking his time.Halfway down, a figure came around the corner below and moved quickly up the stairs.It was Dominic.Seeing Slayde coming down, Dominic stopped on the wide landing, blocking the path. He looked around quickly to make sure no guests were nearby, then stepped right in front of Slayde, refusing to move.Slayde did not stop walking until he stood two steps above Dominic, looking down at him with a calm face.Dominic leaned in slightly, his face tight with anger, keeping his voice low so only the two of them could hear."Why did you really show up tonight, Slayde?" Dominic whispered, his eyes moving across Slayde’s calm face. "A year ago, you were locked in a cell with nothing. Now you walk in here as the main owner of the Burgess Group, turning Hawthorne and the whole board against