“I was actually working on it before your call came in,” Kyle said, settling deeper into the chair as he glanced at the open files spread across the desk. The quarterly projections stared back at him like unblinking eyes, numbers and footnotes demanding attention he had only just begun to give.Dora’s voice brightened with playful surprise. “Oh. That means I’m interrupting you then.”“No, no, no.” Kyle rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand, a short, frustrated laugh escaping him. “Gosh, that came out wrong. Like… how the hell would I say my CEO was interrupting me?”She laughed lightly, the sound soft and unbothered. “It’s fine. It wasn’t as if I’d hang the call even if you said I was distracting you. I’d simply reschedule the board meeting.”Kyle laughed, the earlier tension in his shoulders easing. “Do I smell power play somewhere?”“Of course you do,” Dora replied, and they both laughed lightly again, the shared amusement warm and easy across the line. When it settled, her tone

“Good morning," Dora greeted as she settled down on the head seat. She wore a striking charcoal suit.A low chorus of replies moved around the table. Kyle’s own answer was quiet, almost lost beneath the others. He kept his gaze on the numbers in front of him, though the figures had already blurred into something secondary.Dora opened a slim folder and rested one hand lightly on its edge. “Since we last met, Transcorp has continued to perform above projections in every major sector. Investor interest has broadened, particularly from European and East Asian funds that previously watched from a distance. Quarterly profits across logistics, energy, and the new materials division have exceeded the upper range of our internal forecasts. The company is, in short, standing firmly to its name.”Adrian was the first to bring his hands together. The sound was sharp in the quiet room. Others followed—measured applause that lasted long enough to acknowledge the numbers without tipping into celebr

Vivian’s eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned back in her chair. “What...'little' plan?”James smiled, an easy curve of his mouth that always carried a hint of mischief. He reached across and tapped her head lightly with two fingers, the gesture teasing yet affectionate. “Our little plan, of course. The one we’ve been weaving around Transcorp.”A slow smile spread across Vivian’s face. It started small, then grew, brightening the cool flatness that had lingered there moments earlier. “Oh...that. It’s coming along quite well,” she said. Her smile widened further, something sharper glinting beneath the warmth. “I’ve even employed more means on getting a second fiery dart against Transcorp.”James tilted his head, curiosity sharpening. “What means, my dear?”Vivian’s fingers stilled on the edge of the desk. She met his gaze fully now, voice steady and low. “I employed my brother Raymond to seduce Dora’s personal secretary. The woman has access to files that never leave the executive floo

Dora headed hurriedly toward the spot where her car was parked. Adrian had scared the shit out of her. She wondered how long she had simply been standing there, eyes locked on Kyle. Oh, he always had that effect on her. One look, one stretch of silence that lasted a heartbeat too long, and the rest of the world receded. She found it funny how easily it happened, even funnier that she welcomes it. Her heels clicked faster across the warm concrete as she forced her mind back to practical things—keys, ignition, the drive home, anything that did not involve the way Kyle’s gaze had lingered after she said goodbye. She reached her car, unlocked it, and was just folding herself into the driver’s seat when a soft female giggle drifted from two rows away. Dora shook her head, intending to ignore it. Then a low male voice answered, quieter, almost intimate. “I love you more.” Now she was invested. She shut her door gently, careful not to let it latch with a sound, and stepped back ou

"Kyle, can you hear me?" Olivia's voice cut through the quiet of the car. Kyle had been quiet for a moment, frozen in surprise at the caller."Kyle?""Yeah...yeah," he finally replied, blinking hard and forcing air into his lungs. Then he cleared his throat. "Olivia, wh-what's up?"There was a soft, almost amused pause on the other end. "I'm cool," she replied.Kyle's eyebrows climbed. Cool? Olivia–cool with him? In this lifetime?He almost laughed at the absurdity of it. So crazy.He pulled into the driveway of the Morgan Estate and shut off his car's engine. Then he stepped out and closed the car door with a quiet thunk.Another pause settled between them before Olivia broke it."Look, I know this must come as a surprise to you. The whole phone call and...everything."Kyle cleared his throat again, already walking up the short path toward the front door. "Yeah. Yeah it does. It really does."Olivia chuckled lightly. "Yeah. And I guess more surprises are bound to come your way."He