Take a bite of the Forbidden Love

Chapter 12

Before turning back toward the private dining room, Demetrius stepped into the quiet corner of the hallway and pulled out his phone. For four years, he had deliberately avoided using the vast, terrifying weight of the Goh family name, fiercely determined to build his firm on his own merits.

But watching Levitt stand tear-stained and belittled outside that room changed everything.

He dialed a number he rarely called during business hours. The line rang twice before Peter Goh's calm, authoritative voice answered. "Demetrius? Is everything alright with the firm?"

"Peter," Demetrius said, his voice dropping into a tone of quiet, lethal resolve. "I need a favor. The first and only one I will ever ask of you."

There was a subtle pause on the other end. "Name it."

"Drop every single contract, joint venture, and financial tie the Goh Group has with Vance Enterprises. Erase them completely, starting right now."

Peter didn't ask for a lengthy explanation. He knew his brother, and he knew Demetrius would never make such a demand without absolute cause. "Consider it done."

Hanging up, Demetrius walked back to Levitt. He reached down, taking her hand in his and tightly interlocking their fingers. Levitt tried to shrink back, nervous about the scene they were about to cause, but Demetrius held her grip firmly, pulling her beside him as he stepped back into the private dining room.

He didn't just walk in—he walked in with his head held high, proudly parading Levitt as his equal.

Randolf Vance and Kirsten stopped mid-conversation, their eyes dropping immediately to their joined hands. Kirsten's face twisted in sharp disgust, while Randolf let out a harsh, mocking laugh.

"Well, well," Kirsten sneered, looking at Levitt with pure venom. "I wondered where my assistant went. I see you've been busy behind the scenes, Levitt. Seducing your way into the Goh family... how thoroughly pathetic."

"Watch your tongue," Demetrius warned, his voice ringing through the room like a crack of thunder. He stepped forward, taking the full force of their hostility and shielding Levitt entirely behind his broad shoulders.

Randolf scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Demetrius, don't let a little corporate eye-candy cloud your judgment. We have a multi-million-dollar architectural deal to finalize."

"There is no deal," Demetrius cut in coldly, his dark eyes locking onto Randolf with absolute disdain. "Our negotiations are over. My firm will never work with Vance Enterprises."

Randolf slammed his hand onto the table, his face flushing crimson with a sudden pit of rage. "Are you insane?! You're throwing away a career-defining partnership just for her? It is not worth giving up what we could build together for a nobody!"

"She is the woman I love," Demetrius snapped, his voice tight with raw, furious protective energy. He turned his glacial glare onto Kirsten. "And as for her position at your fashion magazine company—she quits. Effective immediately. I will personally pay the compensation and settle everything with the magazine's corporate board, because Levitt doesn't deserve a miserable boss like you."

Before Kirsten could spit out another insult, Randolf's phone on the table began to ring frantically.

Randolf snatched it up, intending to bark at his assistant, but as he listened to the voice on the other end, the color drained completely from his face. His jaw slackened, and his eyes widened in sheer horror.

Peter Goh had executed the order instantly. The Goh Group had just publicly severed every single tie with Vance Enterprises, pulling out of their massive real estate developments. Within seconds, rumors hit the market, causing secondary investors to panic and pull their funding in droves. Randolf's financial standing was crumbling in real-time.

"Demetrius... wait!" Randolf choked out, his arrogance instantly replaced by pure desperation. He looked wildly between Demetrius and Levitt. "Levitt, please! Talk to him! Tell him this is a misunderstanding! You can have any promotion you want at Kirsten's company!"

Demetrius didn't give Randolf the satisfaction of another word. He gently wrapped an arm around Levitt's waist, turning his back on the ruined tycoon, and guided her straight out of the restaurant into the crisp afternoon air.

By the time they returned to Levitt's quiet apartment, the chaos of the afternoon settled into a heavy, lingering silence. Levitt paced near her sofa, her hands trembling slightly as she looked up at Demetrius.

"Demetrius... was it really worth doing all of that for me?" she asked softly, her voice laced with guilt. "You ruined a huge business partnership. You used your family's power..."

Demetrius walked over, catching her hands and pulling her gently into his chest until her heart rested against his. "There is nothing to be afraid of anymore, Levitt," he murmured, his hands smoothing over her back. "I'm done hiding. I already called Peter and told him about us."

Levitt gasped, her eyes widening. "You... you told Uncle Peter?"

"He didn't object," Demetrius reassured her with a faint, tender smile. "He was surprisingly calm. He just said he wants us to come to the mansion for drinks later so we can talk through it properly as a family."

A wave of profound relief washed over Levitt, melting away the last remnants of her fear. Looking up into the dark, fierce eyes of the man who had torn down an empire just to defend her honor, a soft, tearful laugh escaped her lips.

"Can I tell you something I've kept hidden for four years?" she whispered, cupping his jawline.

Demetrius leaned into her touch, his eyes softening. "Anything."

"I fell in love with you at first sight, too," Levitt confessed, her cheeks turning a sweet shade of pink. "That very first night at the dinner table... when you walked in wearing that black shirt, so intense and quiet... you were completely my type. My heart raced so fast I could barely breathe."

She shook her head softly, a bittersweet smile touching her lips. "But knowing my Aunt Renee married your brother, I convinced myself that it was forbidden. I told myself we were never meant to be, and that I had to control my feelings at all costs. I tried so hard, Demetrius... but I failed."

Demetrius let out a low, breathless sound, pulling her firmly against his lips to steal her breath away. "I'm glad you failed," he whispered against her mouth, holding her tight as if he'd never let her go. "Because I was never going to let you go anyway."