Chapter 3
1036 Words
The double doors of the executive wing swung open as Elena walked down the wide hallway of Hart Tower.
Beside her, Selene Sinclair, her blown-out waves bouncing with each step. She looked remarkably calm, her fingers scrolling through the final asset portfolios on her tablet.
“They’re already inside,” Selene said, her voice a low, smooth murmur. “Our security detail said the Silvermoon team bypassed the standard lobby check. They didn't even use the guest badges.”
Elena adjusted the lapel of her blazer, her jaw tightening. “They can play the role of the terrifying global conglomerate all they want, but the Hart Group controls the shipping lanes they need. We don't flinch.”
“I’m not flinching, darling,” Selene smirked as she tucked her tablet under her arm. “I’m just deciding which corporate ego you want to bruise first.”
As they reached the double doors of Grand Boardroom A, Elena took a deep, stabilizing breath and pushed them open.
The grand boardroom was a mix of old and modern minimalism, with decorative interiors and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sprawling gray expanse of Aurelia City. At the center sat a thirty-foot conference table.
On the left side of the table sat the Hart Group’s board of directors. The room's temperature seemed to have dropped ten degrees. The air was heavy, thick, and suffocatingly quiet.
Across from them sat the Silvermoon Global executive team. There were four of them, all dressed in dark tailored suits.
At the flank of the table stood a man who immediately made Selene’s sharp eyes narrow.
He was broad-shouldered with a military stance, a faint scar running through his sharp jaw. This is Ethan Vale, Silvermoon’s Beta. His dark, cold eyes slowly followed Elena and Selene as they entered, filled with a quiet calculation..
Elena’s focus was instantly drawn to the head of the table.
Sitting in the shadow of the Aurelia City skyline was Karl. The stories in the financial press hadn't even scratched the surface. He was devastatingly handsome. His suit was tailored so perfectly it looked molded to his massive, powerful frame. His thick, dark hair was pushed back, revealing a sharp, ruthless jawline and a brow that seemed chiseled from stone.
The moment Elena’s heels crossed the doorstep, Karl’s head snapped up.
Their eyes locked.
The reaction was immediate and violent.
Deep within Karl's chest, his inner wolf, Lycaon, reared back and let out a deafening roar that shattered his cold composure. Mate!
The primal bond screamed through his veins like a lightning strike. To Karl's utter shock, Elena smelled entirely human, yet his soul was violently recognizing her as his sovereign Luna.
Elena froze mid-step, her hand gripping the back of her leather chair. A sudden, terrifying wave of heat exploded in her veins, turning her blood into liquid fire. Her heart hammered against her ribs so loudly she was certain everyone in the room could hear it.
“Sit down, Elena,” her father, Richard Hart, whispered anxiously from the side, completely oblivious to the earthquake happening between the two.
Elena forced her knees to lock, dragging her pride over her trembling core. She pulled out her chair and sat down directly across from Karl, refusing to break eye contact.
“Mr.Ashford,” Elena said, her voice icy and cutting through the suffocating tension. “Welcome to Hart Tower. I trust your flight was satisfactory.”
Karl didn't answer immediately. He leaned forward, placing his forearms on the table, bringing his face into the sharp light of the boardroom.
Up close, Elena could see his eyes. He was tracking her breath, watching the frantic rise and fall of her chest.
“The flight doesn’t matter, Miss Hart,” Karl said in a deep, gravelly voice. “I came for the infrastructure, but now that I’m in this room, I see I’m here for much more than that.”
The deliberate, possessive weight behind his words made the Hart board members shift uncomfortably.
Elena narrowed her eyes, leaning forward, her face catching the light. “Then let’s talk about that infrastructure, Mr. Ashford. Silvermoon Global wants our north Elarion shipping lines, but your current valuation doesn't even cover our deep-water port access. If you think you can intimidate our board into a fire sale, you've brought the wrong strategy to Aurelia City.”
Karl’s lips curved into a sharp, approving smirk. He respected efficiency. “Let’s look at the numbers, Miss Hart. Silvermoon requires exclusive access to your deep-water channels in the north. In exchange, we provide the capital liquidity to secure your North Elarion expansion."
Elena negotiated strategically, using her brilliant financial expertise to protect her family’s legacy and maximize Silvermoon's wealth.
Karl matched her line for line, his deep voice steady as they worked through the details. Despite the silent, furious tantrum Lycaon was throwing inside his mind, Karl stayed a composed executive.
"Then we have a framework," Elena announced,
Karl stood up, buttoning his charcoal jacket, his eyes completely calm as he gave Elena a polite, professional nod.
Turning on his heel, Karl walked toward the private elevator, Ethan following a step behind, and the other Silvermoon Global executive team.
…
The heavy, double-paned doors of Boardroom A drifted shut. Yet, the air inside the room remained thick. For a long, agonizing minute, no one in the Hart Group pool spoke.
Senior legal advisors slowly let out breaths they seemed to have been holding for the last twenty minutes. At the head of the table, Richard Hart sat completely motionless, his eyes fixed on the space where Karl Ashford had just been standing.
Elena remained leaning forward.
"Father," Elena said, her voice cutting through the boardroom’s dead silence. "What just happened?"
Richard Hart blinked, returning to his eyes as he slowly looked up at his daughter. "What happened, Elena, is that we just encountered the most aggressive, well-capitalized entity this market has seen in thirty years."
Richard stood up, smoothing the front of his suit jacket. He looked at his daughter, his expression a complex mixture of great pride. Without another word, Richard turned and walked toward his private executive suite with his legal team hurrying behind him.
- Writer
