LOGINScarlett didn't even bother being polite. "What does that have to do with you?"
"That's how you speak to me?" Pamela snapped. "No manners at all."Scarlett let out a cold laugh."Funny. Who exactly are you to me? How I talk to you has absolutely nothing to do with you.""You really are as rude as they say. Thank goodness my son divorced you. If a woman like you had married into our family, we would've had some bad luck!"Her words were just like her face-sharp,“P-President Lancaster, please… let me explain!”Ethan’s face had gone completely pale.If he’d still held even the slightest doubt about Dakota before—It vanished completely now.A woman capable of uncovering records he had hidden so carefully was absolutely not someone ordinary.Dakota slowly rose from her chair.Even though she stood half a head shorter than Ethan, the pressure radiating from her completely crushed him.She narrowed her eyes dangerously before closing the file with one sharp motion.“I already said it once.”Her voice was calm.“I don’t care what you did before today.”She stepped closer slightly.“But from this point forward…” Her gaze sharpened. “I only want people who are fully loyal to K Group.”Ethan froze.He had already mentally prepared himself to be fired—or worse.In the corpo
Chief Adjutant Reid drove around the entire K Group building once before finally circling back.Just as expected—The luxury cars crowding the entrance earlier had already disappeared.As the car slowly stopped near the front gates, Reid was about to step out when a security guard suddenly marched over aggressively.“Hey!” The guard slapped the hood lightly. “Do you people even know where this is?”His voice dripped with arrogance as he glared through the lowered window.One glance at Reid’s plain black clothes and rugged appearance was enough for the man to sneer openly.In his eyes, Reid looked like some laborer fresh off a construction site.Instantly, his expression turned even more contemptuous.“If you know what’s good for you, get lost.”He pointed toward the building proudly.“Our president is arriving today. If you offend someone important, can you even afford
Despite everything, the embarrassment on Sophie’s face was impossible to hide.Still unwilling to give up, she subtly tugged down the neckline of her dress, exposing more cleavage before swaying toward Chief Adjutant Reid deliberately.She had barely opened her mouth when Reid frowned sharply and stepped aside to avoid her entirely.The rejection hit Sophie like a slap. Humiliation and anger instantly flooded her face.Meanwhile, after hearing Reid’s explanation over the phone, Dakota immediately understood what was happening.Her lips curved faintly.Interesting.Her dear uncle really had no shame left at all, he’d actually tried pushing his daughter toward Reid?“Don’t bother with them,” Dakota said calmly.Reid visibly relaxed after hearing her response.The second the call ended, he looked coldly at Sophie, who was still trying to act seductive.“Throw them out.”Sophie fr
Had she imagined it? Dakota kept her expression calm as she walked over and sat beside Ava, gently brushing a hand through her hair. “Ava… I’ve been busy dealing with Sean Mercer’s people these past few days.” A trace of guilt surfaced in her eyes. “I haven’t spent much time with you and Liam.” Ava shook her head softly, a pale smile appearing on her delicate face. “You’ve already done more than enough for us, sis. If you hadn’t come that night…” The memory of Blackridge Hill clearly still haunted her. Her voice trembled faintly. “Liam and I probably would’ve…” Dakota’s chest tightened instantly. “I’m sorry.” The words came out lower than expected. “Sean targeted you because of me.” Returning to Kingsland, she had almost forgotten one thing— She finally had people she cared about again. Weaknesses. And the enemies she faced now made Sean Mercer look harmless by comparison. For a split second, something u
Nathan ignored the sarcasm completely.The moment he confirmed she was unharmed, some of the tension in his expression eased. Then, without warning, he caught her wrist and led her toward the parking area."Nathan Drakov."Dakota immediately pulled her hand free once they were outside. Irritation flashed across her face."What exactly are you doing?"Nathan fixed her with a sharp look."Why would you meet Sean Mercer alone?" His voice grew colder. "I already told you. He's far more dangerous than you realize."Dakota remained unmoved.Dangerous?Nobody understood Sean Mercer better than she did."I can handle myself." Her tone cooled noticeably. "Yes, we have an agreement, but that doesn't give you the right to control who I meet in private."A flicker of amusement crossed Nathan's face, though it carried a trace of helplessness.This woman really was impossible.Stubborn. Reckless. Completely
Dakota watched him without a trace of sympathy."I can help you," Samuel rushed on. "Whatever you need. Information, contacts—anything."His words tumbled over one another in his desperation."I'll work for you. I'll make up for everything."Dakota didn't even consider it.With a sharp kick, she knocked him backward. Samuel hit the dirt hard and stared up at her in disbelief."The day you betrayed my family," she said coldly, "you made your choice."The words seemed to hit him harder than the kick.For a moment, he simply knelt there, panic written all over his face. Then his gaze landed on Ava, and something desperate sparked in his eyes.He scrambled toward her wheelchair."Miss Ava."His voice softened into a plea as he grabbed the armrest."You remember me, don't you? I looked after you for years."His eyes glistened."Please help me. If they take me away, my life is over."
Scarlett was about to dodge—When suddenly—A hand caught her wrist.Before she could react, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her hard against someone’s chest.Her forehead hit something solid.Warm.Firm.A man.Her eyes darkened instantly.She moved to break free—But the arm around her
Theo lay unconscious in the hospital bed, his small face flushed with fever. An IV line ran into his arm, the steady drip the only sign of control in an otherwise worsening situation.When Rhys stepped inside, he immediately felt it-The tension.Theron sat beside the bed, silent, still, but the pr
Inside the other car—Theron watched Scarlett’s vehicle disappear in the rearview mirror, then looked away.“Find out who she is,” he said. “I want a full profile.”Rhys nodded from the driver’s seat. “I’ll take care of it.”Still, the request didn’t sit right.Theron had never shown interest in wo
That single word—“Mommy…”It hit Scarlett like a shockwave.Her heart jolted.For a split second, she was dragged back four years… back to the tiny life she had lost the moment it entered the world.If her child were still alive—He’d be about this age now.The thought tightened painfully in her c







