LOGINNoon had settled over the city, but inside Rivera Corporation, there was no sign of slowing down. The executive floor buzzed with urgent meetings, ringing phones, and conversations centered on one project—the Horizon Bay Smart District.Since the signing ceremony, the project had become the corporation's highest priority. Departments worked tirelessly to meet deadlines, executives reviewed reports one after another, and every decision now carried greater weight than before.Construction schedules.Budget forecasts.Supplier negotiations.Government permits.The project had officially begun.While the rest of the corporation focused on building Horizon Bay, elsewhere, someone was carefully laying the foundation for something entirely different.---Miles away...Carter Holdings Headquarters was just as busy.Executives moved briskly through the polished corridors while assistants carried stacks of documents between departments.Everything appeared ordinary.Except the chairman's office
Early the next morning.Marcus descended the staircase, already dressed for work in a crisp white shirt tucked into dark brown trousers. A leather briefcase rested comfortably in his hand.He headed straight for the dining room.Elena was already there, seated alone at the long dining table, quietly eating a slice of toast while scrolling through a few emails on her tablet.She looked up as Marcus entered."Morning.""Good morning," Marcus replied, pulling out a chair.He glanced around the dining room."Where's Dad?""Already had breakfast," Elena answered, taking a sip of her juice. "I think he's in his study."Marcus nodded."And Sofia?"Elena looked up thoughtfully."She left a little while ago."Marcus paused."So early?""Mm-hmm."She took another bite before adding casually,"I think she's seeing someone."Marcus looked at her."What?"Elena shrugged."She mentioned she was meeting someone for breakfast."Silence.Marcus stared at the table for a moment, his expression unreadab
Morning.The Rivera estate was usually quiet.Apart from the distant sounds of staff carrying out their morning duties, silence filled the mansion.Richard Rivera had only just woken up.Dressed in a dark silk robe, he made his way down the hallway toward his private study.He paused outside the door for a brief moment before unlocking it.The hinges creaked softly as the door swung open.The room was dim.Richard reached for the light switch.Click.Warm light illuminated the study.Everything was exactly as he remembered liking it.The books were arranged neatly on the shelves.The documents on his desk sat perfectly aligned.There wasn't a speck of dust in sight.A faint smile crossed his face.Elena and Marcus must have instructed the staff to keep the room exactly the way he liked it.He walked over to the desk and settled into the leather chair.His gaze wandered around the room before stopping on the bottom drawer.Locked.His brows drew together.He reached for the bunch of ke
The signing ceremony had officially concluded.Outside the Carter Holdings Convention Center, the lobby had transformed into a media frenzy.Camera flashes lit up the entrance as reporters called out questions from behind the barricades.The newly formed business partners stood side by side for the official photographs.One shot.Another.Then a few more with the executives from both corporations.As the photographers finished, the reporters seized the opportunity."Ms. Rivera!"A microphone was thrust toward Elena."There have been rumors all over social media suggesting that you and Mr. Vale are more than business partners. Would you like to comment?"Elena blinked.She briefly looked at Adrian before facing the reporters again."I'm afraid that's nothing more than speculation," she replied professionally. "Mr. Vale and I are business partners. Nothing beyond that."Several reporters immediately turned to Adrian."Mr. Vale?""Do you agree with Ms. Rivera?"Adrian remained composed."
Elena squeezed her eyes shut, instinctively bracing for the impact.But it never came.Instead, she felt a firm hand cradle the back of her head, cushioning it from the hard concrete as they hit the ground.For a moment...Neither of them moved.The rooftop fell silent.Only the gentle breeze drifted between them.Adrian remained above her, one arm still supporting her head while the other steadied his weight.His eyes lingered on her face.The way a few loose strands of hair framed it.The faint rise and fall of her breathing.For reasons he couldn't explain...He couldn't look away.Slowly, Elena opened her eyes.The first thing she saw was him.Their gazes locked.Neither spoke.Neither seemed willing to break the moment.It was as though the city below had vanished, leaving only the two of them suspended in time.A bird chirped somewhere nearby.The spell shattered.Realizing how close they were, Elena quickly placed a hand against his chest and gently pushed him back.Adrian blin
RIVERA CORPORATION A knock sounded on the office door."Come in."The door opened, and Adrian stepped inside, impeccably dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit over a crisp white shirt.Elena stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows with her back to him, watching the city come alive below."Good morning," Adrian greeted as he crossed the office and settled onto one of the sofas.Without turning around, Elena spoke."So... what did you find out about the Carters?"She completely ignored his greeting.A small smile tugged at Adrian's lips.He waited.After a few seconds, Elena finally turned around and met his gaze."...Good morning, Mr. Vale.""There she is," Adrian said with a satisfied smile.Elena rolled her eyes before taking the single armchair opposite him."Now," she said, folding one leg over the other, "tell me what you found."Adrian's expression gradually became serious."I dug into Carter Holdings.""And?""Everything came back clean."Elena frowned."Clean?""Too clean."He le
The penthouse was quiet in the early hours, wrapped in stillness broken only by the distant hum of the city below. Elena's bedroom was a spacious, quiet retreat with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, the lights outside casting a faint glow across the minimalist space.Elena slept calml
Elena's thumb hovered over the call button for the third time that evening.Adrian Vale's name glowed on the screen like a ghost from a life she had buried five years ago.One call.That was all it would take to bring him back into her life. This could either save Rivera Corporation or reopen old
In a large office, the soft tapping of a laptop filled the room, mixed with the low hum of the air conditioner. The air smelled faintly of coffee and fresh paper, the scent of long work hours and unfinished reports.Behind the desk, Adrian Vale paused mid-keystroke, his eyes narrowing at the mess
Sophia Vale, Adrian’s sister, ignored the greetings trailing after her as she strode toward the elevator to his office, lips pressed thin, brows knitting.The elevator opened to Daniel, attention locked on his tablet. He seemed too busy to notice anything else—and that quiet disregard only deepened







