ien'

d Greg, the CFO, nodding stiffly, like exp

agreement followed

haven't seen you in years. And now, with Mr. Herman

at

er

gone silent. I felt the immed

from throwing myself off a bridge when he found me-ripped me back from the le

er a girl who laughe

He didn't offer comfort. He o

And with him, the only man who e

en Bian

ially

ated portfolios. Every piece of Sinclair Industries was mine now

rown the way he tau

my father's most trusted men. I intend to lead with the sam

th, projections, quarterly declines, legal overhauls.

ting into shouting. The board fell silent as t

Her chestnut hair was pulled back too tightly, and she wore something plain, borderline matronly-definite

f course she was. The kind of stunnin

nd Tim, the two front securit

She said she knew you-when we tried to st

us groaned, doubled over w

woman storm in? This is Sincla

make a mov

on mine-wild, pleading, as

into the room. One eve

ed, voice ragged. "Damien, please-just giv

let them d

shoul

er boyfriend dump red punch all over me at prom while she laughed-lau

is felt..

I said, making

sputter

stare coldly. "Let her go

len

board? For her?" Levin

, slow and lethal. He st

uttered under their breath-something about "another PR dis

ked shut, I leaned back in m

y. "Have a seat. To what do I owe the

h nerves. Her fingers trembled as

t to see," she said softly. "But I d

ying. That mu

of a media tycoon. Married to the charming, wildly

. Then, "My f

speak. J

Nathan has control of it all. Somehow, he got to the lawye

slightly. Now tha

ed forward. "Do you have evidence

"No evidence.

d. Loud a

e, lost your fortune, and now your gut tells yo

you because you are the o

head. "What

his company. Get his attention. Just enough

sta

to weaponize Sinclair Indu

into my company, injure my staff, hijack a boar

parted,

coldly. "Tell me, little Bianca. W

come here wit

You thought I'd help out

low. Like she hadn't

gain, this t

s your reality check: I'm not a heartbroken nerd in a rented tu

dropping her gaze d

e leather creaked beneath the mov

t," I sa

ad snap

I added, tapping my wat

lk, when her voice came again quietly, b

give