The next morning, Kingsley Group headquarters carried a quiet tension.
Employees moved briskly through the halls, voices lowered as they whispered about Laurent Group’s latest move. Headlines had spread fast—but none of them knew what had kept Adrian Kingsley awake all night.
Adrian sat behind his desk, staring at the file Daniel had delivered earlier.
More documents.
More details.
More cracks in a story he had believed for three years.
A knock broke the silence.
“Mr. Kingsley,” his assistant said, “Miss Laurent has arrived.”
Adrian closed the file at once. “Send her in.”
Moments later, Elena walked in.
She wore a tailored navy suit, her expression calm, controlled—unchanged.
“Good morning,” she said.
Adrian gestured to the chair. “Sit.”
She did.
For a few seconds, neither sp
