She bit her lip so hard it nearly bled. When she had asked to buy shares from some of them, none had agreed to sell. Now Slayde had secured them effortlessly, even though they barely knew him.The board members sitting around the room shifted in their seats, their expressions turning bitter."Watch your language, Miss Harlyn," an older shareholder on the left said sharply, frowning in heavy disgust. "We are board members of Delyas, not your servants. We don't appreciate being insulted in our own conference room.""He's right," another woman added, crossing her arms with a cold look. "You don't own us, Harlyn. If people are selling, it's because they no longer trust how you and Dominic are running this company."Harlyn whirled back around, her eyes fixed on Slayde with pure venom."How did you do it?" Harlyn demanded, her voice shaking with rage. "How did you get Vaco to sell his shares to you? What kind of dirty tricks did you use on him?"Slayde didn't even shift in his seat. He l

"It isn't a technicality, Harlyn," Slayde replied, his dark eyes fixing onto her with coldness. "It's a trade. Your shares for your freedom. You have ten seconds to sign, or the officers waiting outside will choose for you."Dominic stared at the paper in front of him, his hand trembling as his fingers hovered over the sleek black pen. A wave of panic washed over him, but he hesitated. He couldn't just sign away his entire life's work.If he went to jail, it might only be for a few days before his high-priced lawyers found a loophole to get him out. He could survive a brief lockup. However, a criminal record was a completely different story. A permanent mark on his name would destroy his standing in the business world forever. He would never be allowed to sit on another corporate board, manage an investment fund, or secure a bank loan again. His status would vanish overnight.He swallowed hard, his mind searching for another way out. He wanted to stall, to offer Slayde cash, o

Harlyn's eyes widened slightly as she remembered the call she made and the alert she sent from her smartwatch right before Slayde ruined the meeting."Your boss?" Harlyn whispered, a dark smile creeping back onto her face. "He got it?""He got it," the man replied, turning around and telling them to follow him down the corridor toward the exit. "And he asked me to give you both a message."Dominic hurried behind him, desperate to get into the fresh air. "What message?"The man pushed open the heavy steel doors leading to the private parking lot outside, where a black SUV was idling near the curb. He turned his head, his scarred face lit up by the streetlights."He said Slayde Burgess has played his last hand," the man said simply. "We are going to deal with him as we did a year ago. You just have to follow our instructions.""Keep your mouths shut, don't talk to the news, and go straight home," the scarred man said, holding open the back door of the SUV. "My boss will contact you wh

"Keep talking, Raina," Ezra growled, his voice dropping into a harsh whisper. "Keep acting tough. But I saw how you looked at him at the docks. You knew what he could do. You brought him there to humiliate me in front of Uncle's crew."He stepped closer, his cold eyes locking onto hers."Uncle Malta's enforcers are already searching the city," Ezra sneered, leaning in close enough for her to smell the cheap liquor on his breath. "It won't take them long to drag that bastard into our basement.”“Once he's tied to a chair and begging for his life, I'm telling your father every detail of your betrayal. When he's done with you... you and I are going to have a long talk about your place in this family."Raina felt her skin crawl. He was the arrogant son of an influential business partner, a man her father was forcing her to marry to seal a corporate deal. Ezra was using the upcoming wedding to control her and force his way into her father's inner circle."You really think you're getting

Raina jumped slightly, turning to see a middle-aged woman in a clean maid's uniform standing near the hallway.The woman offered a warm, polite smile.She did not judge Raina's messy hair, bare feet, or oversized hoodie."Mr. Burgess is expecting you upstairs," the maid said softly, pointing toward a glass elevator at the end of the hall. "Please follow me. I will take you to him."Raina swallowed hard, trying to smooth down her hair. "Thank you," she whispered. Her heart beat fast as she followed the maid across the warm floor and stepped into the elevator.The elevator glided up without a sound, stopping at the penthouse with a soft chime.The maid led Raina down a bright hall into a small, cozy waiting room. A soft cream sofa sat in the middle of the room. Large glass windows gave a clear view of the city, making the space feel bright and open."Please, make yourself comfortable," the maid said warmly. "I will bring you something to warm up."A few minutes later, the woman retu