Serena sat in her office, the weight of the past few days slowly beginning to lift off her shoulders. The battle had been long, the tension suffocating, but she had won. She was still CEO of Rocky’s Designs, and despite all the odds stacked against her, she had managed to outmaneuver those who wanted her gone. She leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly as she stared at her phone. Ryan’s name hovered on her screen, her finger hesitating over the call button. It wasn’t like her to reach out to him first. In fact, she rarely did unless it was absolutely necessary. But this time, something in her gut told her it was the right thing to do. Ryan had helped her. He had reached out to shareholders on her behalf. He had warned her about his father’s possible involvement, something he hadn’

