y

grey buildings and headlights, but my mind was operatin

for a man who planned to tear me down; now

s. I walked straight to my home office, my steps even and measured, illum

blueish light reflected off my

things

rypted servers with a muscle memory honed over seven years. I accessed th

of intellectual property I had ever created for them. The ones with my name on them, and more importa

e down on the desk, l

m:

tomorrow night. 7 pm. The Vand

lement of it, the sheer arrogance, sent a fresh wave of cold fury t

ng alien. A corner of my mouth lifted in a sneer. I didn'

a new Wor

of all emotion. It was a legal

F MATE R

ognized by all packs, I, Kay Silva, formally and irrevocably r

on is final

the complete and total seve

sharp sting pricked the back of my neck, right over the spot where his mark sh

it and h

apartment. It was the sound of a life being unmade. Th

Group's official letterhead envelopes I kept for work. It had the embossed wolf seal. I folded

on, to him trying to use his Alpha presence to force me into submi

ure. I opened my LinkedIn profile. It was painfully out of date. I started drafting a

ages, I saw it. An unread email, sent three days

n Jarvis, CEO

ategic Consu

ex G

ggest rival on the East Coast, a shadowy, powerful conglomerate run by a man spoken of only in whi

lightly as I click

Si

tegic analysis on the Sterling-Cross acquisition and the risk-mitiga

a strategist with your unique foresight. I am prepare

current salary at Blackwood. Relocation to ou

ts are being wasted.

.

ling and pierced the Blackwood corporate veil to find the true brain behind the empire. A pro

ng Vertex Group's recent market activity, cross-referencing their known holdings with their latest SEC filing

mirrors at the hotel ballroom. I had cho

to attract attent

lass of champagne from a passing waiter, and re

d them i

ne Weiss, wearing a blood-red gown that left nothing to the imagination. She laughed, a high, tin

nd coming up to steady her, his fingers spla

elt nothing. No jealousy. No pain. Just a profound, pitying disgust for t

rfect togethe

urn

y sacrifice I had made for Alec, yet her eyes held a malicious glint of trium

id, her voice dripping with faux admirati

ly looked at the chea

oice quiet, flat, and lethal

holding

nd a dog u

sh landed on concrete. Before she could recover from the sheer v

potted Ethan Hayes near the restrooms, coo

ed, I stepped

. You should be with Alec. The

ce devoid of warmth. I held out the thick,

me, his brow furrowed in

as an order. I pushed the envelope against his ches

stion, I turned and walked towa

ook a deep breath, the scent of exhaust fumes and damp

rembling. I opened the email from Hamilton Ja

ecisive tap, I

Ja

invitation f

-