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THE LAST SHOOTING STAR

Chapter 3 A Challenge Worth Pursuing

Word Count: 1552    |    Released on: 19/03/2025

ttention of the one man who doesn't b

closed. "Ryan Wint

. "You sure

d. "I'm no

hrough the rearview mi

she wa

she knew it. She just

the business world. I.V.

m Hollywood to Paris, from Dubai to Tokyo, the elite fought to be the first to own an I.V.Y collection. E

it from the gr

That's wha

was already shaking the fashion wor

behind the empire that set

And her two childhood

red her more th

hion mogul. She was the secret weapon of the corporate world, a highly

aped the benefits of her genius. And yet, no one in those companies not the employees

eve. And she did it in the shadows, never stepping into the sp

atching as she gazed out the window,

. Cold. U

s ridi

ected her more t

in, his voice lighter now, teasing. "You

rted. "Ex

loth cold, powerful, and ruthless when it comes to your empires. You dominate

er eyes. "Oh,

u'd either destroy each other or rule the world together." He glanced at he

hed a bro

dened. "He was

hich elite does

esigner he's unknowingly obsessed with is the same woman rejecting h

there was something dange

is teasing, she turned her head to him, a s

n the car's armrest, chin propped against her palm. "If

stif

need someone on my level, didn't you?" Her voice dropped

d the steeri

e conversation, he was t

sweat slid do

ly walked i

eyes fixed on the road. "What's wrong, Louis?" she dra

easured breath, nostril

ike you want to throw y

itted hi

mn

wn better. Irene n

eback sharp, dangero

elf to relax. "Yo

She placed a hand over her chest. "How cruel

d his jaw. "S

d." She sighed, shaking her head. "If only I

ng the wheel even tig

so soon? I thought you were se

le, one that barely hid his frust

g utterly pleased with he

y cursing himself for ever te

new one thin

ever let him

THE

t, the lingering echo of her presence refusing to fade. He didn't move

something

ing. And it wasn'

like he was nothing. Like he di

s dang

way most

was dangerous beca

him. Not a

was irritatin

ought she had dismi

Lanc

adn't just shown up to the ball

ulat

scattering of early arrivals meaning fewer eyes had been on her. And when she left? The party was in full

ev

t she had minimized attention, kept her pre

was

ome people turned toward them when they

t he knew some ha

nfirm it. A man like him, a woman like her i

y picture what tomo

her. Plastered all

op and Iren

billionaire final

is s

tness the star

peculatio

destroyed headlines before, made articles disappear, ensured tha

this

smirk crept o

ldn't

pread. Let it circula

anted to see

she

Would she be irritate

erase herself f

ting here toni

was

smirk d

rned back toward the ballroom. The moment

ough the crowd,

straightened their postures, their eyes lighting up

ut in hushed voices, admired from afar. C

onight, h

uls attempted

p, I was won

n a long time!

p, we should

less side before shivered an

dn't

n't sl

even glanc

them like the

ed for him lik

one destinat

event, stood near the VIP lounge, deep in conversation with a business associate. He was leaning s

appro

ontinued speaking. "No, list

e glan

fr

ghtly, confusion fl

th

ed on h

small, su

o

len

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THE LAST SHOOTING STAR
THE LAST SHOOTING STAR
“Irene Lancaster is not just beautiful she is otherworldly. Her presence alone can silence a room, leaving men mesmerized and women insecure. With her striking features and ethereal elegance, she is untouchable, unreachable. But beneath her breathtaking beauty lies an icy heart. Irene does not smile. She does not cry. She does not waste her time on friendships or love. Why bother when nothing lasts? Diagnosed with a terminal illness, she has already accepted her fate. And she refuses to let anyone love her, because love only leads to grief. But Irene is more than just an untouchable beauty she is a mystery. She is the secret force behind I.V.Y, the number one fashion empire in the United States, a brand so powerful that elites fight to be the first to own its collections. She built it from the ground up, hidden from the media, from the public, from the world. No one knows who owns I.V.Y, and that's exactly how she wants it. Yet, even that is only part of who she is. Behind closed doors, Irene is one of the most highly sought-after consultants for top corporations a hidden mastermind whose name never leaves the executive boardrooms. She transforms companies from the shadows, on one condition: secrecy. Only the highest-ranking executives know of her involvement. No leaks. No exposure. No exceptions. Just as Ryan Damien Winthrop dominates the business world, Irene Lancaster reigns over the fashion world. Ryan Damien Winthrop is the kind of man people don't just notice they worship. Handsome beyond reason, so devastatingly attractive that women have fainted at the mere sight of him, he is the definition of unattainable. But Ryan has never cared for admiration. Cold-hearted and calculating, he only has two types of people in his world: his people and everyone else. Women? They are nothing more than distractions, a nuisance he has never entertained. Until he meets Irene. It happens once. Just one meeting. One look at her, and Ryan's world shifts. For the first time in his life, a woman captures his attention so completely that it unsettles him. He doesn't understand it, and neither does his cousin who also happens to be Irene's friend. Everyone knows Ryan Winthrop does not care for women. But with Irene, it's different. Determined to figure out what it is about her that has him so captivated, Ryan pursues her. But Irene couldn't care less about his interest. She treats him with the same cold indifference she gives to everyone. She rejects him, pushes him away, refuses to acknowledge his existence. She doesn't care about his looks, his power, or the fact that every other woman in the world would do anything for his attention. Ryan should have walked away. He should have lost interest, as he always does. But for some reason, he doesn't. He keeps coming back. Irene hates it. Hates him. And so, she makes a decision. If Ryan is so determined to have her, then she will make him regret ever wanting her. She will make him fall so deeply in love that when she's gone, he will grieve. She will destroy him the way love has destroyed so many before. But as she plays her cruel game, something unexpected happens she falls. The man she wanted to break becomes the only person who makes her feel alive. His presence, once irritating, becomes intoxicating. His love, once unwanted, becomes the only thing she craves. For the first time in her life, she wants more time. But time is not on her side. As her illness worsens, she faces an impossible choice: push Ryan away to spare him the pain, or hold on to the love she never expected to find. But Ryan doesn't let go of what's his, and he refuses to lose her without a fight. In a world where love and loss are inevitable, The Last Shooting Star asks: Is love worth the pain of goodbye?”
1 Chapter 1 The Ball She Never Wanted2 Chapter 2 The Man Who Didn't Leave3 Chapter 3 A Challenge Worth Pursuing4 Chapter 4 Unwelcome Realizations5 Chapter 5 Unwelcome Realizations II6 Chapter 6 Unpredictable7 Chapter 7 Repeat Yourself And You're Fired8 Chapter 8 The Plan9 Chapter 9 Long Night10 Chapter 10 Sleepless Night11 Chapter 11 Irene I'm Not Sick12 Chapter 12 Abomination13 Chapter 13 Rumor I14 Chapter 14 Rumor II15 Chapter 15 I'm Not Giving In To A Baby's Play16 Chapter 16 Irene Lancaster17 Chapter 17 I'm not a Monster