The boardroom was immaculate, a sleek testament to Damien’s empire. Glass walls reflected the midday sun, casting light across the polished mahogany table. Bella sat stiffly, her fingers curling around her pen as she tried to steady her nerves. Today’s meeting was crucial—CrossCorp’s quarterly deals, investors, and corporate strategies—but all she could focus on was the dark figure at the head of the table. Damien.
He wore a perfectly tailored suit, black as midnight, his tie slightly loosened, just enough to hint at the untamed intensity beneath. His eyes followed her every movement, calculating, hungry, and entirely unreadable. Bella felt her pulse spike, heat pooling in places she didn’t dare acknowledge. She shifted in her chair, adjusting her skirt, wishing she could disappear into t
