Damien turned to meet my gaze, and the intensity in his eyes made my breath catch. “Some things are worth the effort, Hazel.”
The air between us suddenly felt charged, thick with unspoken meaning. I was acutely
aware of how close we were in the confined space of his luxury car, of the subtle scent
of his cologne, of the way his eyes dropped briefly to my lips.
For a wild moment, I thought he might lean in. I wasn’t sure if I would pull away if he did.
The moment shattered as his phone rang, the sound cutting through the tension like a knife. Damien’s expression flickered with what looked like frustration before he answered.
“Yes, Nina?” He listened for a moment. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Have the documents ready.”
He hung up and shot me an apologetic glance. “My secretary. There’s a situation that needs my attention.”
“Of course,” I said quickly, ignoring the irrational disappointment I felt. “You have a company to run.”
The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence. When we reached building, Damien insisted on walking me to the lobby.
my office
“Thank you again,” I said, hesitating at the entrance. “For everything today.”
“You don’t need to keep thanking me,” he replied, his voice warm.
Before I could respond, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering for just a heartbeat longer than necessary. The simple gesture sent shivers down my spine.
“I’ll call you later,” he promised, then turned and walked back to his car, leaving me staring after him with my heart racing.
Back in my office, I tried to focus on work, but my mind kept circling back to Damien. What was happening between us? Why did he care so much about helping me?
My phone rang, jarring me from my thoughts. It was my aunt, Harrison’s sister. “Hazel, thank God you answered,” she said, her voice trembling. “Have you
heard
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what’s happening with the company?”
“I found out this morning when I was taken in for questioning by the Tax Bureau, I replied coldly.
“Then you know how bad it is.” She sounded desperate. “Hazel, you have to do something. The company’s going to collapse.”
“Why should I do anything? My father is the one who created this mess.
“Because you’re the legal representative now!” she exclaimed.
I froze. “What are you talking about? I’m just a shareholder.”
Her silence told me everything before she even spoke. “You didn’t know? Harrison sold his remaining shares last month. And before that… he changed the company’s legal representative to Ivy.”
The blood drained from my face. “Ivy? But she’s dead.”
“Exactly,” my aunt confirmed. “And as the largest remaining shareholder, you automatically inherited that position. The company’s debt is legally your responsibility
now.”
The full scope of my father’s betrayal finally became clear. He hadn’t just made me a shareholder–he’d ensured I would be left holding the bag when everything fell apart. “Please, Hazel,” my aunt begged, “if the company goes under, we’ll all be ruined. Your cousins, me-”
“Stop.” My voice was ice. “Don’t pretend you care about me now. Where were you all the times my father hurt me? When he stole my mother’s family business?”
“Hazel-‘
“I’m not going to be his pawn anymore,” I said firmly. “Or yours.”
I hung up, my mind racing. This situation was worse than I’d imagined, but I refused to play the victim. If my father thought he could trap me this easily, he was sadly mistaken.
I picked up my office phone and dialed an extension.
“Security? I need four of your strongest men to accompany me immediately. We have
<
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an urgent situation that needs handling.”
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