Second Chance for the Heir

room table. No name, no indication. Just its raw existence, posed there as obvious.

After weeks of silences punctuated with rare bursts of truth, he was swinging that.

inside a clean, controlled writing. Black ink seemed to weigh on

ded the sheet an

rop

er, signed by

what she read. Work for him. A defined role, an official status

ont

tation to resume where they had stoppe

t, trying to stem the wave of conf

ting to be invited, his dark gaze fixed on her. Not a trace

ine you

him, unconsciously tightening

iverted way of keep

ible smile shown

Nothing compulsor

o feel like she has a choice. But he would not have bor

e asked, her

re the only one

with a weight that she did

replied, her firmer voice t

distance between them. The air seemed

in. Not yet. But this contract ... Thi

h escaped from

tunity? Wh

even blus

both

ce that he was making fun of her. That after everything they had crossed, he could not just

of vulnerability, so tiny that she could hav

er, slowly placing th

if I

ed through Ba

And I will not

ar. But something in his

He expected her to turn her

g her own body fighting the imp

ve me

ze remained riveted on her with a

t. But not

d left the apartment, leavi

*

o pay him more attention than he deserved. However, each fiber of his being was

him a rope. But

lled everything, weighed each decision with formidable

ight on the table. Camille fell asleep on the sofa, her min

her eyes, a cold certa

discover

there was only

een her fingers, the gaze

r phone and compose

after the f

ac

in a rarer voice than she had

d dec

thing he said be

Camille remained motionless after the call. The phone slipped from his fingers, falling on the sofa into a thud. His hea

said

no

seemed to weigh heavier than the words it contained. Work for Bastien. Bond to

d. Worse, a debt she thought she had settled resurfaced, threatening to put it on

igure of this man who oscillated between mystery and coldness. But she was no longer a

ted her decision in a breath that she

e came back to hi

s resound in it as

*

fice. The building rose with an intimidating pre

g behind a huge glass desk, intertwined fi

lier than expe

le sh

as well en

ps, but he only lasted

iate your

e office and put a f

d and

ithout a word, but he

n to explain

ely. He leaned against the edge

don't trust

if the seriousness in he

don't have an army o

. But they

eavy with an implication

ntract, signed, then put

tell me what yo

her gaze taking an intens

llow

nd, then stood up in turn, her instinct screaming that she had

*

hey came out, they found themselves in a silent c

oor and faded

vering what was waiting

re a group of men and women was training as fluid as dangerous. Fights

simple busi

t a simpl

er, his breath almos

to my worl

ed slowl

t is

fun cross

reason I

t missed

stie

have signed, yo

posed, but there was

en und

he had just entered into a universe of

c, too attentive, hidden behind one of the columns of the corridor. A fraction of a second later, Bastien

ms, her gaze p

to explain to

not sl

that con

the air around them. They passed a door, then another, and soon they found themselves

the edge, his steel

there, it's time

ran along

ule

ork with me, there are

eyebrow, cro

had already si

g, Camille. What matters is w

lt, something that would allow her to under

sten t

ord. What you will see, what you will l

. A warning as muc

not a

. But you have no idea

but did not answer an

u to leave, you go. If I t

challenge cro

if I

slow, measured

never have signe

ween them inten

lind submission

your co

a joyles

nic, comin

kens slightly, but

urs, you don't play heroines. You listen to

her sto

kind of

for a moment,

ordinary com

st day. Since the moment he had

cle

s spend a few secon

les that you do not suspect, laws that are not written on paper. Do you want a

y to protest, but he didn'

to stay, you stay until the e

ilence

the end

ne passed thr

erything i

d in the air, a border that it w

knew o

did no

a reality of which she di