The Woman He Was Not Meant To Love

chapter 1 Devan Ross hated Mondays. She hated early mornings, she hated unnecessary meetings, and most of all, she hated men who walked into her office as if they owned the building. Unfortunately, the man currently sitting across from her seemed to believe he owned the entire city. Devan slowly lowered the document in her hand. Adrian Vale. Thirty-one years old. Multi-billionaire. Founder of Vale International. A man whose name appeared in financial magazines almost as often as it appeared in headlines about acquisitions, hostile takeovers, and companies that mysteriously disappeared into his empire. And now he wanted VÉRAI. Devan leaned back in her chair. "No." The room went silent. Adrian didn't move. He simply looked at her. His expression was unreadable, his dark suit perfectly tailored, his posture relaxed enough to suggest that he had all the time in the world. "I don't believe you understood the proposal." "I understood it." "Then perhaps you should reconsider." "I already did." One of Adrian's executives shifted uncomfortably beside him. Devan smiled. "I said no." Adrian's gaze remained fixed on her. "You rejected a two-billion-dollar offer." "Correct." "For a company you founded less than three years ago." "Also correct." "You realize most people would consider that irrational." Devan shrugged. "Most people aren't me." For the first time, something flickered across Adrian's face. Not anger. Interest. And somehow, that was worse. He picked up the contract from the table and closed it. "Very well." Devan blinked. That was it? No argument? No attempt to intimidate her? Adrian stood. "I'll see you again, Ms. Ross." "I doubt it." He paused at the door. Then he looked over his shoulder. "You'll change your mind." Devan laughed. "That's adorable." His jaw tightened slightly. Good. At least she had finally managed to annoy him. Adrian walked out. The door closed behind him. Devan stared at it for several seconds before dropping her head onto the desk. "Please tell me that man is gone." Her assistant, Mia, peeked through the doorway. "He's gone." "Good." A pause. "Should I cancel my lunch?" "Why?" "Because you look like you're about to commit a felony." Devan lifted her head. "I'm not committing a felony." Mia stared at her. Devan sighed. "Not before lunch." Mia burst out laughing. Devan couldn't help smiling. For all the power she had built around herself, moments like this reminded her why she loved the small circle of people she trusted. She reached for her phone. Three missed calls. Grandma. Her entire expression changed. "Oh no." She immediately called back. Her grandmother answered on the second ring. "Finally! I thought my granddaughter had forgotten me." Devan smiled. "Grandma, I was in a meeting." "With that terrifying billionaire?" Devan froze. "How do you know about him?" "You're on the internet, sweetheart. I may be old, but I'm not dead." Devan laughed. Her grandmother continued, "Come over tonight." "I'll try." "No. Not try. Come." Devan sighed. "Okay." "Good girl." The call ended. Devan stared at her phone, smiling. Then her office door opened again. Mia stood there, looking nervous. "Devan..." "What?" "You might want to see this." She handed over her phone. A financial news alert filled the screen. VALE INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES PLANS TO ACQUIRE VÉRAI. Devan's smile disappeared. She looked up. "He did not just—" Another notification appeared. Then another. Within seconds, her phone began vibrating nonstop. Adrian Vale hadn't been bluffing. He wasn't going to ask again. He was coming for her company. And Devan Ross had just made the mistake of telling the most powerful man in the room no. She stared at the screen. Then slowly smiled. "Fine." Mia frowned. "Fine?" Devan stood. "If Adrian Vale wants a war..." She picked up her coat. "...I'll give him one."