Valentina stood in the dimly lit corridor, her breath uneven as the echoes of Adrian’s words replayed in her mind. He had exposed a truth she never expected her father’s betrayal ran deeper than she ever imagined. The weight of it crushed her, but anger flickered to life within her chest, stronger than before. If she was going to survive in Adrian Costa’s world, she needed to wield power, not just endure it.
Adrian’s office door loomed before her, slightly ajar. She stepped inside, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. He sat at his desk, swirling a glass of whiskey, his gaze lifting to meet hers with that unreadable expression he always wore.
“You look like you have something to say,” he murmured.
Valentina forced herself to hold his gaze. “I want in.”
Adrian arched a brow, set
