The Magnate Who Claimed My Heart

re tears. No more begging silently for his affection. If he wanted a pe

voice clear and strong despite the tremor in my hands. "Let's not waste time with individual toasts. Bottoms up!

l while maintaining a facade of elegant control. These powerful men, these titans of industry, often underestimated women. They saw a pretty face, a compliant smile, and assumed weakness. They never expect

ckled, impressed. "Now tha

, a glint of amusement in his jaded eyes. "Well, well. It seems Christian has himself

allenge passing between us.

etrayal. I felt a strange detachment, watching myself from afar, a puppet with a new master. My head s

lf against the table. Christian was there instantly, his arm around my waist, his face a m

ng slightly. "One more question, Christian," I slurred, my voice thick with alcohol. "If I can't... hold my l

flicker of something almost... protective? "Kimberli?" he scoffed, his voice laced with disdain. "That little ama

t irreplaceable. The irony was a cruel twist of the knife. I looked up at him, my ey

passed over his face, as if he almost understood. But

" I slurred, grabbing the last full bottle of vodka. "Let's finish this." I chugged

gh echoing through the room. "The deal is done! Christian,

le, my head spinning. "Thank you, gent

per, a sudden sobriety piercing through the alcohol ha

emetery, dear? We're talking about the new resort

. Again. The bottle slipped from my trembling fingers, crash

aze desperate. Christian. Kimberli. They were gone. The table was emp

legs like jelly. I stumbled towards the restroom, the wo

s from one of the private stalls. Kimberli's swe

" Kimberli whined. "I could have closed the deal. Why di

e old men like Annie's 'veteran' charm. Besides, it's good for her. Ke

er at the wedding?" Kimberli asked,

she was just a means to an end. Now it's o

e. No more Annie. He said it with such casual cruelty.

ed, a cold, relentless drizzle that matched the storm raging inside me. I pushed through the heavy doors of the club, the cool nigh

formance for his twisted ambition? I had given him everything, and he had repai

ating betrayal – it was all too much. I swayed, my vision blurring, the world spinning into a dizzying vortex. My legs ga

around my fading consciousness. No one saw me. No one

gainst my face, wiping away the rain and tears. My eyelids fluttered open, barely. I saw a dark silhouet

is expensive jacket, a dark, plush material, and carefully draped it over my shivering body. H

ay, his voice a low, commanding tone. "An

a driver's, asked, clearly surpr

still fixed on me. And then, t