The air inside Julian's office felt colder than usual, the sharp lines of his sleek glass desk reflecting the tension between him and Emily. She stood by the window, arms crossed, watching the faint glow of the city lights stretch across Vienna’s skyline. It had been a long, exhausting few days, and Julian knew he couldn’t run from the impending confrontation any longer.
He could feel the weight of her gaze on him, even though he was still facing the papers on his desk. The deal, the one that could either save his empire or send him spiraling into ruin, was hanging by a thread, and the one person who could shatter his last hope was standing in front of him.
"Emily," he began, his voice calm but carrying an edge, "You need to understand, I didn’t do this to hurt you."
She finally turned
