e newly established American headquarters of Montgomery Global. Inside the executive suite on the top floor

arcoal-grey blazer with sharp shoulder pads, her dark hair pulled back into a tight, professional ponytail. Her fingers fle

. Today, she was the conductor of a financial orchestra, and her favo

of her outer office burst open

already knew exactly who it was. The raw, heavy, suffocating aura radiat

President Montgomery is in a

. But his warning was entirely useless. A towering figure stepped into Elena's offic

od in the cente

merald-green eyes. He clearly hadn't slept a single wink since the gala last night. He had spent the last twelve hours frantically running background checks, calling international investigators, and burning through his global contacts tr

the room, vibrating with a raw, dangerous authority. He didn't look at

of his suit jacket where his firearm was holstered. "President Montgome

in her leather executive chair. She looked at Ethan's furious, exhausted f

"You may step outside. Mr. Vance clearly lacks basic corporate manners, but I can spare exactly

d before bowing his head respectfully. "Ye

ing them in total isolation, the silence in the

arge hands onto the black marble of her desk, leaning over he

gave you the millions to buy out my tech partners? Five years ago, you walked out of my penthouse with absolutely nothing. You were a penniless, broken gir

at his large, trembling hands on her desk, and then looked back up into h

ecause you couldn't stand the fact that a Montgomery completely outsmarted you. Let me make one thing abundantly clear to you: no one built me. I built myself. While you were busy playing house with your loud, unrefined mistress in the penthouse I

ce radiating from her entire being. This wasn't the girl who used to blush when he looked at her. This wasn't the girl who used to wrap her arms

. He hated that she didn't look at him with love anymore. He wanted to break through that icy exterior.

nk you can just come back to my city, insult my woman, threaten my company, and walk away clean? You are playing with fire, Elena. I built Vance Enterprises

from her chair, refusing to let him tower over her. Even though she was much smaller than his massive

. You think you built an empire? You built a house of cards, Mr. Vance. And I am the wind that is going to blow it all away. I already control forty percent of your supply line. By next month, I will cont

re of fury and an intense, overwhelming attraction that he couldn't control. He w

chin lifted high, her lips curle

desk, his large, warm hand wrapping tightly around her slim wrist. The sudden, intense

ommanded, her voice dropping i

what it feels like to hold you. Don't think you can just erase three years of marriage. You were mine first. Your body, your heart, your loyalty-you gave them all to me. Y

h churn with a toxic mix of old pain and current fur

a sudden, soft sound from the private hallway

li

cted her executive suite to her privat

ushed out of her face, leaving her completely pale.

an business man yet? Ava says he

hed boy's voice echoed into

e caught him completely off guard. His brow furrowed in deep confusion. His grip on Elen

n't supposed to o

ice whispered from the

. She violently yanked her wrist out of Ethan's grasp, stepping directly in front of his

or that Ethan had never heard from her before, not even on the night he divor

was too

office. He was wearing a cute little navy-blue sweater, holding a small toy car in his

ed to the tall, massive ma

e universe seemed to stop expanding. The air completely froze inside Ethan's l

He couldn't move. H

fyingly, most undeniably... the boy was looking up at him with a pair of striking, deep, glowing emerald-green eyes. They were the exact sam

the way his little fingers clenched into tight, stubborn fists-the

c. She rushed over, dropping to her knees and pulling Leo tightly into her chest, burying his little face into her shoulder

ping up a crying Ava from the lounge doorway and pulling Leo out of Elena's arms, rus

nt completely

aced her ex-husband. Her heart was hammering so loudly she was certain he could hear it. Her worst nightmare had j

re was completely gone. In his place stood a man who looked like he had just seen a g

matical precision. Five years. The twins were clearly around four years old

tion that completely shattered his corporate mask. He took a slow, trembling step toward her, his eyes wild wi

o shards of absolute ice, burying her terro

t through his heart like a blade. "They belong to me, and me alone. They have nothing to do with you.