The elevator doors slid shut with a quiet ding, sealing Ava and Liam in the gilded cage as it ascended toward the Carter Industries headquarters. Ava adjusted the cuffs of her blazer, her reflection in the polished metal doors revealing a woman she barely recognized—poised, determined, dangerous. The tension between them was palpable, the unspoken strategy hanging in the air like a live wire.
Liam’s voice was low, his gaze fixed on the floor indicator above the doors. “Richard will expect us to fold after last night.”
Ava’s fingers curled into her palm. “Then we’ll disappoint him.”
Liam’s smirk was sharp, fleeting. “I’m counting on it.”
The elevator chimed as it reached the top floor, the doors opening to reveal the expansive lobby of Carter Industries. The reception area was a monumen
