Announcement?? Hey everyone — just a quick note from the author.

  I’m sorry for the dey in this week’s update. Life caught up with me for a few days, and I wasn’t able to post as pnned.

  Thank you so much for your patience and continued support — it means the world.Regur updates will continue from

  Tuesday & Friday at 08:00 (GMT+8)!

  as usual!

  Stay with me — Leon’s story is far from over. ??

  I arrived at Dunham’s Tower, the once mighty tower symbolizing the power of both the Dunham’s Family and Greensky’s family.

  I was greeted warmly at the entrance and went straight to the CEO’s Room, and in there, John Dunham and Sabrina Greensky was waiting for me. “Mr. Bckwood, so good of you to stop by our little company, is this the help you are talking about.”

  I smiled and greeted John “John, it is nice to meet you. and you too Sabrina”

  I gaze sharply at Sabrina as if to show her that I’m offering myself to be consume by her. “but, I’m afraid that I need to hear the situation first John, now tell me your situation and we will think up of a solution”

  Sabrina narrowed her eyes at me, trying to pce my deep, oppressive voice. She must have thought that ‘there was something familiar about him, yet the coldness in his eyes left her unnerved.

  "John has already filled me in on your... proposal," she said, emphasizing the word with a hint of derision. "But I think it's only fair you hear it from him again."

  John Dunham, oblivious to the tension in the room, offered us all expensive drinks as he unched into a long-winded expnation of his company's financial woes.

  I listened intently, interjecting only, when necessary, with shrewd questions that betrayed a sharp mind and an even sharper business acumen.

  Sabrina watched me as discreetly as possible, noting the way my eyes never seemed to linger on her form, how my demeanor remained detached yet courteous. It was infuriating.

  At st, John finished his presentation, leaving the room silent expectantly

  “Okay that’s some mess that you guys get yourself into, from my calcution you guys won’t st for another 6 months, 1 year at the most. now Sabrina, what do you think?”

  Sabrina eyes widen nobody ever ask her opinion before, usually she sits quietly as John Trophy wife and seduces the client. but being ask of her judgement, this is her first time.

  Sabrina's eyebrows arched ever so slightly at the unexpected question directed her way.

  "You're correct, Mr. Bckwood," she replied coolly, taking a sip of her drink.

  "Our assets are frozen, our creditors are circling like vultures, and our stocks are plummeting. We're in the middle of a lose-lose situation." She set her gss down on the table with a clink, her blue eyes narrowing as she assessed me.

  "So, what's the catch? What exactly do you want in return for your... assistance?"

  I steepled my fingers as I pretended to consider her question. "It's quite simple, Mrs. Greensky," I hummed, enjoying the way her name practically dripped venom from my tongue.

  "In exchange for my company's support and resources, I expect two things."

  John Dunham leaned forward greedily, desperate to hear the offer, but Sabrina held up a hand to silence him.

  "And what might those be?" she drawled, suppressing a shiver as chills ran down her spine at the sound of my voice.

  “The first one is I want a share of the company, but I’m not going to be doing any changes in your management, I’ll leave it all to you. and the second one is, I want to get to know the two of you better” I smile and ughing.

  John Dunham's face lit up with relief at the seemingly reasonable offer, but Sabrina narrowed her eyes. " 'Get to know us better'?" she repeated, her words dripping with skepticism.

  "That's an... open-ended demand, isn't it?" She gnced at her husband, gauging his reaction, but he was already nodding enthusiastically.

  "Think of it as a social investment, Sabrina," I replied with a shrug. "After all, business is more than just numbers on a bance sheet. It's about trust and building retionships."

  Sabrina took a deep breath, watching me closely for any sign of deception. But the man seated across from her was a consummate professional, my poker face impenetrable.

  She knew they didn't have much of a choice; the company was on its st legs. Slowly, she nodded. "Very well, Mr. Bckwood," she said stiffly. "We accept your terms. on one condition." my dark brow arched in curiosity as I inclined my head for her to continue.

  "I reserve the right to veto any major business decisions made by your representative. I won't have our life's work tainted by someone who doesn't understand our vision."

  I smirked at Sabrina Greensky, admiring her tenacity even as I pnned her downfall. “But of course Sabrina, you have every right to do so”

  John then went out from the room to draw a contract “wait a bit, you can sit in my chair, it will take sometimes”. “Take your time john, Afterall I have Sabrina here to keep me from being bored” John then exited the room.

  Sabrina then walks close to me, her face just inches away from me “now tell me Mr. Bckwood, what is it that you really want? how many nights has my husband promise you?”

  My dark eyes glinted with suppressed rage as Sabrina invaded my personal space, her scent igniting memories he'd rather forget. For a moment, I toyed with the idea of revealing my true identity, of crushing her pride and watching her beg for mercy. But my mission was paramount, so I forced myself to maintain this facade.

  I leaned back in John’s chair, a disarming smile pying on my lips.

  "I assure you, Ms. Greensky, your husband's... company holds no interest to me." The double entendre wasn't lost on either of us, and I savored her fleeting look of discomfort before continuing.

  "As for my intentions, they are precisely what I've outlined. I find your business... intriguing, and I'm merely here to help. and I’m not kidding about the getting to know you better Sabrina” my lips just inches away from her.

  “As for how many nights John promised me? I assure you I despise those kind of business deals.” At that time, I truly didn’t understand what Sabrina meant by that.

  Sabrina's heart pounded in her chest as she held my burning gaze, her pulse racing despite herself.

  She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this enigmatic man than I let on. For a moment, she almost believed me. Almost. She took a step back, putting much-needed distance between us.

  "I don't believe in coincidences, Mr. Bckwood," she said frostily, smoothing down her dress with trembling fingers. "You have some ulterior motive, and I intend to find out what it is."

  I arched an eyebrow, feigning indifference even as my heart pounded in my chest. "What could I possibly want from you, Sabrina?" I asked, enjoying the way her name still tasted like venom on my tongue.

  "We're just two people, thrown together by the whims of fate and the vagaries of the business world."

  "We both know Fate had nothing to do with it," I interrupted her “oh but it is fate Sabrina, this company despite having you as one the leader, was run by brainless man.”

  “Men who treated you like a trophy, not some business woman with insight. they diminished your idea just because it came from your mouth, and they ignore every advice you gave them just because of that beautiful face of yours.”

  “I’m here to make sure that will not happen again, not while I’m still one of the major shareholders in this company” Sabrina blushes at my words, every word I said is true. nobody ever gets her like this, Sabrina heart’s starting to race, her face blushing.

  Sabrina's expression was a study in contradictions as I so effortlessly read her mind, ying bare her deepest insecurities.

  A part of her bristled at the idea that I knew so much about her, while another part of her found comfort in my understanding words. No one had ever seen past her carefully crafted facade, least of all her own husband.

  "You know nothing about me, Mr. Bckwood," she retorted, adjusting her posture to exude ice-cold professionalism once more.

  "And don't think your fttery will dissuade me from my purpose. I will find out what you're hiding."

  My smile only widened in response, my eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "I'm counting on it, Sabrina," leaning back in my chair as if anticipating a delicious game of cat and mouse. "I'm counting on it."

  John returned then with a pen and contract in hand, oblivious to the tension between me and Sabrina.

  "Ah, excellent," he said, sliding the thick document across the table towards me. "Just sign on the dotted line, Mr. Bckwood, and we are good to go” I took the pen and tell john “Not yet John, I’m going to invest another 10 million dolrs in this company. and it will come from my own pocket money”

  Sabrina was taken aback by my statement, ‘how much money does this man have? Maybe, just maybe I can make him my next target’.

  After I signed the contract Leon left but not before I slip a contact card in Sabrina hand, purposely showing it to John.

  “Sabrina darling, he slipped you a contact card, right? he seems to have interest in you. Listen I know you don’t like to be my client’s pything but, Bckwood here is deep, we can make so much money if you decided to persuade him”

  Sabrina thinks for a moment

  “You are right, Leon Bckwood money is too valuable to be left alone. I think I can easily milk him for 5 to 10 million dolrs if I perform rather nicely right”

  John grinned, nodding eagerly. "Exactly. Bckwood is the kind of man who pys hard to get, but that only means he’ll pay more to keep you around. Py your cards right, and he won’t even realize he’s the one being pyed."

  Sabrina twirled the contact card between her fingers, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Men like him always think they’re the hunters," she mused. "But all it takes is the right bait, and they become the prey."

  John chuckled. "That’s why you’re the best, darling. Just be careful—Leon Bckwood isn’t like your usual clients. He’s not just throwing money around for fun. He has a reason."

  Sabrina raised a brow. "And you think I don’t?" She slipped the card into her clutch. "Don’t worry, John. I know how to handle men like Leon Bckwood. He may think he’s in control…"

  She stood, smoothing out her dress, a confident gleam in her eyes. "But soon enough, he’ll be the one paying for my attention, not the other way around."

  ??

  T.S.Noir