“Come here,” Kyle muttered, his voice low and rough with feeling as he stepped forward and opened his arms. Olivia didn’t hesitate to collapse against him, her face burying itself in the solid warmth of his chest. Her shoulders shook hard, the sobs coming in broken waves that seemed to tear something loose inside her. “I can’t live with it,” she choked out against the fabric of his shirt, the words muffled and wet. “Kyle… I can’t. She’s gone and I keep seeing her face and I can’t—”He tightened his hold, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other rubbed slow, steady circles between her shoulder blades. “Shh. I’ve got you. Just breathe.” His own throat felt tight, but he kept his tone gentle, almost a murmur against her hair. The hallway light painted soft shadows across them as he carefully guided her inside, the door clicking shut behind them with a quiet finality. He led her through the living room and into her sitting room without rushing, one arm still steady aro

Kyle bit his lower lip and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He stood there a moment longer then turned and pushed back through the bar door.The warm amber light and low murmur of conversation washed over him again and his eyes found them immediately.Nathan and Olivia now sat close, angled toward each other like people who had known one another for years. Olivia’s earlier withdrawal had melted away. Her posture was open, one elbow resting on the bar, the damp ends of her hair brushing her collarbone as she laughed at something Nathan had said. Nathan’s solid frame leaned in, his grin easy and unguarded, one hand gesturing as he spoke. The space between them had vanished. Even the stools had shifted—Nathan now occupied the one Kyle had left, his broad shoulders filling the space as if it had always belonged to him.Kyle shook his head once, a small motion of quiet amazement, and walked over. He claimed the empty stool Nathan had abandoned, the wood still faintly warm. When

Dora turned toward Kyle the moment he stepped fully into the room, her face still drawn.“Eleanor called for me,” she said softly.Kyle’s lips parted, a question already forming, but before he could ask, Eleanor spoke from the bed.“Have a seat, Kyle.”Her voice was gentle, but the authority behind it made him pause. Kyle glanced at Dora before looking back at his mother. Eleanor lay propped against the pillows, her face pale and tired, yet there was a deliberate steadiness in her gaze.Without a word, he pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. Then he reached for Eleanor’s hand and carefully wrapped his fingers around hers.Something wasn't right, and he could already feel it.“What’s going on?” he asked.Eleanor let out a slow, weary sigh. For a moment, she said nothing. Her thumb moved gently across the back of Kyle’s hand, almost absentmindedly, before she finally looked at him.“You know that Harlan Voss has incorporated Vivian Group into his holdings, right?”Kyle’s eyebr

“How are you feeling?” Kyle asked.Olivia closed the door behind her and offered him a small, tired smile. “Better than yesterday. I just finished speaking with my brother—Juliet’s father. It helped a lot.”Kyle smiled. “That’s good. I’m glad.”She nodded once, then crossed the room and settled into one of the visitor chairs. The restraint she had carried into the room seemed to loosen, replaced by a faint spark of energy.“Zintech sent an email.”Kyle’s brow furrowed at the name. He leaned back slightly, his fingers still resting on the keyboard. “What did they say?”Olivia’s voice grew more animated as she continued. “They apologized for pulling out of the silicon deal. And they asked whether Transcorp is still willing to do business with them.”Kyle rubbed his jaw, his expression turning thoughtful. “Well, we can’t make that decision on the spot. We’ll need to run it by Dora first.”Olivia nodded, understanding the caution. “But does that mean there’s still a chance? Could we still

“What? Why would you do that? James trusted you enough to confide in you.”Nathan’s voice sharpened with disbelief. Kyle could almost picture his friend’s furrowed brows, the familiar crease that appeared whenever he thought Kyle was making a reckless decision.Kyle leaned back against the headrest, his gaze fixed on the dark warehouses outside. “James has always been the real problem,” he said flatly. “Harlan isn’t the only threat we need to worry about. James sells information to whoever pays him. Tonight, it was me. Tomorrow, it could be someone else. I’m not leaving that loose end unattended.”Nathan fell silent for a moment before exhaling slowly. “I understand what you mean, but exposing that recording could create more problems than it solves. You’d be giving Harlan proof that one of his own people betrayed him. You know what he does to people who talk.”Kyle tightened his grip on the phone. “I know the risks,” he said. “But I don’t see another way.”“What do you mean?”Kyle