From Cliffside Betrayal to Unbreakable Love

ressing in on me from all sides. The only sound was the relentless drumming of rain against

into something colder, sharper, and far more dangerous. It was a look of pure, undiluted fury. He didn't move, didn't spe

ttural sound, filled with a loathing that

ke it was made of glass, fragile and about to shatter. The strength I had s

or closing in. "The attack that nearly destroyed my family's company. The

... he told me it was a game. A simulation. He said it was a test of my ski

ue. Love. What a hollow, meaningless word

erything. And you thought it was a *game*?" He stopped directly in front of me, forcing me to tilt my head back to meet hi

his voice dropping

listen to me. I can help you beat him. I kno

he door. "Your 24 hours are up. Get out of my home. Get out of my city. I don't care wh

and shameful. "Where can I go?

is words like daggers. "You made your bed when you ali

emy was, it turned out, his original enemy. But I couldn't accept it. I had n

bird," I b

turn aroun

nd a small wooden bird. A nightingale.

rned back to face me, his eyes na

e only thing I have that's mine. But I know it's important. He must have dropped it when h

But now, it was competing with the cold, hard logic of a CEO. He hated me. B

The tension in the room was so thick I could barely breathe. H

me," he fi

otection, your resources. I give you my knowledge of Mark's playbook and whatever this code unl

with a man who wanted to throw me to the wolves, a m

eadable in his eyes. Was it grudging respec

he Sterling acquisition. You will help me decipher that code. But make no mistake, Clara. We are not partners.

relief washing over me so i

led that, was fragile and born of mutual hatred for another. "Tell me everything you

ty. I laid out Mark's entire psychological profile, his ego, his tells, his preferred methods of attack. Julian, in turn, a

got he was my captor. He seemed to forget I was the ghost of his

ly turn the tables on Mark, exhaustion hit me like a physical weight. Julian was on the

he'd given me. My fingers trembled as I dialed the only

el

hed, my voice cra

wn, that you ran away. I've been so worried!" Sophie's voice, warm and famili

elling in my eyes. "Sophie, listen to me. Non

he line was absolute. Then, "What

the moment. But I need your help. I need you to be my eyes and

She was a brilliant data analyst, smarter than a

oice shaking but resolute. "

h my enemy and a lifeline to my best friend. It wasn't much