The Love She Deserved

Chapter 7: The First Meeting—Sparks And Strategy

The restaurant was high-end, the kind of place where million-dollar deals were signed over vintage wine and whispered conversations. Karuna sat at a private table, poised, exuding quiet confidence as she waited.

Then, the doors opened.

Imani Zane.

He moved with the kind of presence that demanded attention—tall, powerful, dressed in a crisp black suit that fit him like it was made for him. His sharp gaze locked onto Karuna the moment he entered, and for a brief second, something flickered in his expression.

Curiosity. Admiration. Amusement.

He approached, sliding into the seat across from her. “Karuna.”

“Imani.” She met his gaze without hesitation.

A slow smirk curved his lips. “I have to say. I didn’t expect this. When I heard the news, I thought, Finally, someone put Akil in his place. But you? You did it without saying a single word.”

She picked up her glass of water, unbothered. “The best power moves don’t require noise. They speak for themselves.”

His chuckle was deep, appreciative. “I like the way you think.”

The waiter arrived, but neither of them paid much attention. This wasn’t about food. It was about power. Strategy. And something else lingering beneath the surface.

Imani leaned forward slightly. “So, tell me—why accept this meeting? You don’t need my help. You’re already making waves on your own.”

Karuna studied him, intrigued. He wasn’t like Akil. There was no arrogance in his tone, no assumption that she needed saving.

And that’s what made him dangerous.

“I don’t need your help,” she admitted, tilting her head slightly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be useful to each other.”

Imani’s smirk widened. “Now that’s a conversation I’m interested in.”

Across the city—Akil’s fury

Meanwhile, in his penthouse, Akil was livid.

He had underestimated Karuna. He had thought she’d disappear quietly, l*****g her wounds, fading into the background.

Instead, she had burned the whole damn script.

Now, she wasn’t just making headlines—she was having meetings with his biggest competitor.

His phone rang. His mother’s sharp voice came through. “What is this nonsense I’m hearing about Karuna meeting with Imani Zane?”

Akil clenched his jaw. “I’ll handle it.”

“Handle it?” Safa scoffed. “You let her slip through your fingers, and now she’s aligning herself with the one man who would love to see you fail.”

Akil didn’t respond. Because for the first time, he realized something.

He had lost control of Karuna.

And worse?

She was thriving without him.