2025-04-23 17:26:11Three days had passed since Rowan dropped the divorce papers and left.
No calls. No messages. Not even a ghost of a presence in the apartment they once shared. Lena didn’t care. At least that’s what she told herself every time she slipped off her heels and stepped into the silence of their—no, her condo.
Lena did not sign the divorce papers, or rather, she had no time to sit down to sign some papers which were practically useless. She believed Rowan would eventually come to his senses and return to her on his knees, begging for her to accept him back. The world was cruel to poor losers like him. As for her, she would eventually drop the dead weight. She just needed to clear her head first.
She had her promotion. She had respect. She had Dominic Voss—the silver-tongued exec whose gaze always lingered too long.
And yet…
“Ma’am,” her assistant called from the doorway, a tight expression on her face. “The CFO from QuantumBridge just canceled the meeting. They said they'll be ‘shifting their partnerships elsewhere.’”
Lena’s brow creased. “What? We were this close to signing that merger.”
“I know,” the assistant said. “They didn’t give a reason.”
Lena waved her off and sat back. Her heels ached. Her head was pounding.
Just a bad day, she thought. Everyone has one.
But then the emails started flooding in.
Subject: Urgent – Redacted Funds
Subject: Supplier Contracts PulledSubject: Delays on Delivery. Immediate Action RequiredBy noon, three major accounts had gone cold. Clients who’d practically begged to work with her just last week now refused to take her calls. Her mother, the manager of her department, walked into her office in the afternoon, her face pale.
“They're saying there's a leak,” she whispered. “Legal’s involved. And the regional director… he’s looking into your projects personally. What is going on, Lena?”
Lena blinked. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Her mother hesitated, eyes flickering with doubt. “Are you sure you didn’t mess with the numbers? All this progress… it came too fast, Lena. You were top of the board for months. You don’t fail me, girl.”
The words stung deeper than she expected.
**************
Lena’s heels hit the sidewalk in rushed, clipped steps. Her driver had called out sick—again—so she was left navigating the madness of evening traffic like any other ordinary person. She hated being late. Especially tonight.
The Obsidian Tech gala was the biggest corporate gathering of the quarter. Every major player in the city would be there—investors, CEOs, partners, the press, and most importantly, Echelon Eight Group, the biggest firm in the world. She was going not just as a guest, but as the newly celebrated golden girl of the company. The woman who closed two of the most difficult partnerships in the last six months.
Except now... both of those deals had just fallen through. She’d barely reached her building when her phone started ringing.
Unknown Number.
She picked it up.
“Miss Aston,” came the voice of Mr. Granger—one of the key investors at Apex Holdings, one of Obsidian’s biggest partners. “I assume you’ll be attending the gala?”
“Yes, of course.” She tried to steady her tone. “Why?”
“There will be a follow-up meeting afterward. The board wants to have a word. Some questions have come up. I’d advise you to be there. Promptly.”
Her stomach dropped. “Is something wrong?”
There was a long pause. Then: “Just... be prepared.” The line clicked off.
Lena stood frozen on the curb, phone still pressed to her ear as the wind blew past her.
Prepared for what? Bad? Good?
As the elevator took her up to the 14th floor, her inbox was already stacking with red flags.
Subject: Termination of MOU – Westline Digital
Subject: Urgent – Delay in Fund ReleaseSubject: Notice of Compliance ReviewEach ping was like a pin to her spine.
Inside her condo, the walls felt too quiet again. She kicked off her shoes and paced, biting down on her bottom lip. She opened her laptop, pulling up the latest numbers. The math didn’t add up. None of it did.
She called Calvin—the firm’s junior financial analyst, who always double-checked her files.
“Did something change with the QuantumBridge account?” she asked, trying to sound composed.
“No, I mean... it did, but I thought you knew. All the backend assistance we used to get—like the algorithm targeting and optimization systems we used for the pitches—those were handled by your private partner, weren’t they?”
Lena paused. “My what?”
Calvin cleared his throat awkwardly. “Rowan. I mean... I assumed you guys worked together.” Her mind reeled.
Those pitch decks... the perfect presentations... the data insights that somehow got them in rooms no one else could.
Rowan.
She sank onto the couch, fingers pressing into her temple.
She remembered now. The late nights he’d be tapping away on his laptop, casually asking her about her client list. He always claimed he just liked helping. She thought he was just messing around, playing pretend businessman while she carried the real weight.
But now... without him...
It felt like the scaffolding had been ripped from under her success. And no one was coming to catch her.
Still, she shook her head. No. She’d fix this. She just needed to look sharp tonight. Smile. Keep it all together. Rowan was nothing but a loser, and really, Dominic or any other person could do what he did and more. Or she could simply hire her own PA.
She moved to her wardrobe and pulled out her black velvet gown—the one that screamed “power” and “untouchable.” Her hair was quickly swept up, and makeup was applied with precise hands. As she added the final touch—diamond earrings she bought herself—her phone buzzed again.
A message from her mother:
“Be careful tonight. The board isn’t happy. Something about tampered projections.”Her pulse quickened. Then another ping.
Dominic Voss: “Car’s waiting downstairs. Let’s not keep the sharks waiting, superstar”
She stared at the screen for a moment longer, then turned off her phone and grabbed her clutch.
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Chapter 10: Shadows Behind the Spotlight
The sudden burst of activity in Lena's office had its own rhythm. Emails flooded in, calls stacked one after another, and for the first time in days, the air felt breathable and the Air Conditioning seemed to cool her off. She leaned back in her chair, watching the phone screen buzz with the kind of energy she hadn't seen in weeks—green lights, responses, follow-ups. Movement. Dominic strolled in with that devil-may-care smile of his, a portfolio tucked under his arm. He set it down gently in front of her. "Asset recovery from the Morgenthal proposal. They agreed to revisit the terms," he said. “And the tech sector wing of Dorne Ventures just confirmed their pitch appointment. You’re on fire, Lena.” She didn’t smile. Just nodded, thumbing through the paperwork. “This doesn’t mean we’ve won,” she said. Dominic chuckled. “No, but it means we’re not bleeding anymore.” A soft knock came at the door. Her assistant peeked in, holding a sealed envelope and a coffee. “From Mr. Granger
Chapter 9: The Weight Of Silence
The elevator doors slid open with a dull chime, and Lena stepped out, her heels clicking against the polished floor of Obsidian Tech’s headquarters. The morning light filtering through the tall windows did nothing to soften the pounding in her head. She adjusted her coat, forcing her spine to straighten, smoothing away any trace of the mess she felt inside. There was no room for weakness here. Not today. Especially not now. The office buzzed with the usual Monday morning rhythm — phones ringing, keyboards clattering, voices weaving together in muted conversations — but to Lena, it all sounded like static. Background noise. Her world was unraveling too fast for her to care about anyone else’s deadlines. She walked into her corner office, shut the glass door behind her, and slumped into the chair. The city skyline stared back at her, indifferent. She reached for her phone and began dialing — no time for pride, no room for fear. She was not ready to be a failure. The praises from her
Chapter 8: A White-Collar Strumpet
The following morning, Lena was up early. She dashed into the bathroom quickly, water cascading down her body, and then she dressed in the most exquisite dress she had in her wardrobe. “Looks like someone is about to kick some ass this morning.” a voice from her bed echoed in her ear. She quickly startled in extreme shock. “Who.. who’s that?” she asked, almost stammering. The guy rose up. Naked. His abs and muscles all over the place. It was Dominic. For a moment, Lena was quickly drawn in and enticed by his build, his muscles, and most especially, his big black wood, staring right at her with a smug, knowing glint. “You don’t remember, do you?” Dominic stretched, his voice smooth as silk, but laced with mischief. “You were a mess last night. One too many glasses, a cab ride home... and well, here we are.” Lena’s heart raced, her mind scrambling through the blurry fragments of the night before. Bits and pieces came rushing back — the drinks, the humiliation, the silent drive
Chapter 7: Echelon Eight
Lena slowed her steps, instinctively drawing back, her curiosity piqued.. Her eyes flickered to the men he was now conversing with. They were important. City movers. Influencers. She didn’t know them by name, but she could see the look of reverence in their eyes, how they leaned in when Rowan spoke, how they laughed at his words, nodding in agreement like he held the key to their futures. Wait… was this the same man who had been her dead weight? Lena's breath caught in her throat. It was. The realization hit her like a tidal wave. She thought she had left Rowan behind, thought she was moving up in the world—thought she was finally free of him, out from under his shadow. But now? He had risen to become someone she could no longer ignore, someone whose very presence could shape her future. Suddenly, the murmur of the crowd reached her again. The voices of those who had once ignored her were now softened, respectful. It wasn’t her that they were admiring. It was him. And that reali
Chapter 6: The Shift
He wasn’t the same. His clothes? Impeccable. His suit was tailored to perfection, not the modest, understated style he had once worn. It was dark—almost black—but with a sheen that caught the light in a way that suggested wealth, refinement. His shoes—polished, perfectly cut—shone under the soft lighting of the ballroom. Everything about him screamed power. The subtle details of his appearance, his cold but assured demeanor, made him stand out among the crowd like a predator among prey. He was no longer the man she had dismissed. And then there was his aura. There was a gravity around him now, a subtle force that made the air feel thicker whenever he moved through it. He wasn’t just another face in the crowd anymore. Rowan had become something more—a man who commanded attention without saying a word. But what really caught Lena’s attention was the way the people around him treated him. She had been walking toward the bar when she saw him. At first, she thought it was just someone
Chapter 5: "Remember, Voss!"
The moment hung in the air, as cold as ice, after Megan’s challenge. Her words, sharp and defiant, echoed through the whispers of the crowd. "I dare you," she had said, looking Rowan up and down like he was just another loser, an insignificant nobody. But Rowan didn’t flinch. His eyes, dark and calm, never left hers. His smile was faint, like a shadow of something sinister, something deeper than the facade she so arrogantly assumed she understood. But before he could respond, the announcer’s voice sliced through the tension, the loudspeaker crackling with authority. "Ladies and gentlemen, the program is about to begin! Please take your seats." The buzz of the crowd shifted, and people began to move toward the ballroom, the grand event unfolding in full swing. Rowan stood there for a moment, letting the noise of the crowd wash over him. There was something about this moment that felt... surreal. Like it was only the beginning of something far bigger than anyone realized. With a s
Chapter 4: Rowan Kane -A Secret
The venue was nothing short of breathtaking, its towering glass walls glistening under the dusky city lights. The grand event was being held in one of the most coveted locations in the city—a building owned by Echelon Eight, the empire whose shadow loomed over the business world like a storm. In the heart of this architectural masterpiece was the Echelon Tower, an exclusive establishment where world leaders, corporate giants, and the wealthiest elites gathered for affairs of power and wealth. The building itself symbolized the epitome of success. Echelon Eight had its hands in every major industry—finance, technology, real estate, and even covert operations. If you wanted to change the world, you made a deal with them. If you wanted to stay on top, you stayed in their good graces.************** Inside Echelon Tower, Rowan Kane sat in a lavish office, bathed in the warm golden light of sunset. Around him were ten servants—dressed in black, each holding garments and accessories
Chapter 3: The Crack Beneath The Crown
Three days had passed since Rowan dropped the divorce papers and left. No calls. No messages. Not even a ghost of a presence in the apartment they once shared. Lena didn’t care. At least that’s what she told herself every time she slipped off her heels and stepped into the silence of their—no, her condo. Lena did not sign the divorce papers, or rather, she had no time to sit down to sign some papers which were practically useless. She believed Rowan would eventually come to his senses and return to her on his knees, begging for her to accept him back. The world was cruel to poor losers like him. As for her, she would eventually drop the dead weight. She just needed to clear her head first. She had her promotion. She had respect. She had Dominic Voss—the silver-tongued exec whose gaze always lingered too long. And yet… “Ma’am,” her assistant called from the doorway, a tight expression on her face. “The CFO from QuantumBridge just canceled the meeting. They said they'll be ‘shift
Chapter 2: The Day He Walked Away
The sun hit Obsidian Tech's glass facade like it was made of diamonds. Lena stepped out of the car, her heels sharp against the pavement, and for a moment, it felt like the world stopped to watch her walk. As she entered the lobby, a wave of applause erupted. “Lena!” “She did it again!” “You’re amazing!” Cameras flashed. Faces beamed. The hallway echoed with the sound of hands clapping and voices cheering. It felt like a dream—no, a vindication. Behind her smile was a cocktail of pride and satisfaction. All those nights burning through coffee and contracts, second-guessing herself, getting help from random anonymous persons... This made it worth it. Obsidian Tech had signed a deal. A real one. High seven-figures in licensing fees for their software solution—and she had landed it. What no one knew, what even she didn’t fully realize, was that the seed money for her first startup office, the marketing boost that gave her early traction, the quiet emails from "an anonymous invest
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