Boardroom to Bedroom

re's temporary headquarters in Geneva. My reflection in the mirrored wall sta

word, every glance, every silent move in my head. Marcus. Victor. Betrayal. Bait. Damian had

rented office space overlooked the lake; beyond it, the Alps rose like a pain

ree calls waiting - the

tly. "Clear my schedu

, ma

ds were already moving before my brain caught up - pulling up encrypted files, scanni

exactly how dee

across the glass wall. Marcus Hale stood there, his expensive suit and b

rning?"

on your d

r an invitation, closing the door be

"Is that what we're c

ltered. "Car

e the one feeding Vict

iness is business. Cross Global was ne

tect me? You think Victor w

He'll secure GreenSphere. H

tly. "He'll make

er than that. Don't tie yourself to C

ow me at all. If you think you can scare me into b

d. "I'm offering

telling

Then he straightened his tie and turned t

ut, Ma

old. "When Victor wins, re

his footsteps fa

hammering. Marcus's words echoed in m

ang wasn't g

ped out a single line: We need to talk

ut knocking. His presence filled the room, his ch

ed me?" he

u," I snapped. "I a

eyebrow. "A

y desk and stood. "M

red he

u k

nted o

u're playing chess w

ival bidder. He's got regulatory strings, political leverage, and offshore accoun

talk like it's a game. But

y," he corr

said. "N

us. His eyes were unreadable, but something flicke

rust me," he

oul

dn't

I said. "Not speeches. P

mine. "What

by baiting me, not by using me a

odded once, slow. "Fine. But if we're going

by anyone's

at his mouth. "Then

een, and something in his jaw tightened. "Lang just landed in

urich," I said w

t me, surpr

is is war, I'm not lettin

s like the impenetrable billionaire and more like a man caugh

at a lot,

e passed, heavy

said finally. "We

then paused at

ha

couldn't read. "You did well this

n he wa

a pale sun. My company was under siege, my alliances were shifting, and I

ing else coiled - a sense of an

was right. Maybe

tended t