Chloe’s face turned an ugly, mottled shade of crimson. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she scrambled desperately for a comeback, her mind racing to find a weapon sharp enough to pierce Roxana’s armor."At least...at least I didn't have to prostitute myself to a glorified street dog just to stay relevant!" Chloe shrieked, her voice echoing off the walls with vicious satisfaction. "Everyone in the capital is laughing at you, Roxana! You're clinging to a stray dog because you're too weak to run an empire on your own!"Roxana’s expression didn't even flicker. She had anticipated every single predictable, pathetic insult Chloe was capable of throwing. She had prepared for this exact moment.Slowly, Roxana stood up from her desk. She smoothed down her trousers, walked around the mahogany wood, and stopped just two feet away from Chloe, towering over her with an aura of absolute, untouchable supremacy."Is that really the best your hollow little brain can conjure?" Ro

He paused, staring out across the dark surface of the lake, his eyes shadowed by the ghosts of his past."Back then...when I woke up on this bank, I was disoriented, bleeding, and running for my life," Lorenzo whispered. "Before you slipped away into the night, I left you with a silver braided bracelet. I held onto that hope like a lifeline. I was desperate to find the girl who had saved my life—the girl who had risked everything for a stranger."He turned back, locking his dark, unwavering gaze directly into her eyes."But someone else took it and wore it," Lorenzo said, his voice hardening with bitter regret. "Chloe. She somehow intercepted the story, claimed the bracelet was hers. I was blinded by a sense of misplaced loyalty. I endured two years with her, playing the devoted, loyal partner, ignoring every toxic red flag, every cruel insult, and every way she manipulated me—all because I believed she was the one who had saved my life."Roxana’s breath caught in her throat. She star

Roxana stared at him, her dark eyes shining with a deep, profound clarity.She squeezed his hand back, her fingers wrapping around his calloused palm with surprising strength."Don't you dare apologize, Lorenzo," Roxana whispered softly, a weak but radiant smile touching her pale lips. "Don't ever blame yourself for this."She paused, taking a slow, shaky breath as a stray tear slipped down her cheek."I remember," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Because of you...because you brought me back there, because you made me walk through the shadows...I remember everything. I remember the freezing water. I remember pulling you ashore. I remember the bracelet."Lorenzo’s breath caught in his throat. He stared at her, stunned, his heart hammering against his ribs. He didn't want to push her, didn't want to force her to relive the terror of that night if it was too much, but the words were already tumbling from her heart."I remember it all, Lorenzo," she continued, her voice s

Lorenzo raised a single dark eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest as a slow, infuriatingly handsome smirk broke across his face."You survived a psychogenic trauma trigger today. Your nervous system is fried," Lorenzo pointed out reasonably. "A bath will relax your tensed muscles. The soup will restore your energy. Once you are comfortable, I will answer every single question you have. Not a second before."Roxana glared at him, torn between wanting to strangle him and wanting to melt into the floor from how unbearably attractive he looked when he was being completely bossy. She crossed her arms, mimicking his posture, and narrowed her eyes."You're lucky I am in a good mood, because otherwise I would walk right out those front doors," she muttered under her breath.Lorenzo’s dark eyes softened instantly at her words, a tender warmth flooding his expression. He stepped a fraction closer, his voice dropping into a low rumble. "I know. Now go take your bath. I'll be waiting right o

He squeezed her hands tighter, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made the air feel electrified."And it was the best thing that ever happened to me, Roxana. Because if I had been wearing my true identity—if I had walked around as the billionaire heir to Vanguard Apex—people wouldn't love me for who I am. They would love me for what I have to offer. They would want the power, the money, the name, not the man underneath."Roxana stopped breathing. The fierce, defensive anger in her chest dissolved instantly, replaced by a sudden, overwhelming wave of emotion as his words sank deep into her soul."You didn't know who I was," Lorenzo whispered, his voice cracking with a raw vulnerability. "You didn't care about my bank accounts, my family, or my empire. You saw me bleeding in the dirt, and you risked your life to save me. And even when we met again, even when Chloe paraded me around and humiliated me, even when you thought I was just a broke security guy...you stood by me.