Alex had been dreading this moment. He didn''t want to face Katarina—not here, not now.


    He turned, trying to put distance between them, but before he could take another step, her hand shot out and mped around his wrist like iron.


    He turned and found her staring at him, fierce and cold, while his other arm still held Sofina.


    "I told you to stop, Alex," Katarina said, every word sharp.


    "Kneel. Now. Before I lose my temper." She stepped closer. "Remember when I made you kneel in the rain for three days and nights? You think I won''t do it again? Don''t test me."


    "Katarina,” Alex said, his voice low and hard as steel. "You''re not my wife anymore. I don''t owe you a damn thing. I don''t answer to your orders. We''re strangers now-so let go of my hand."


    "Once you''re my husband, you''re my dog for life," Katarina hissed, and her hand whipped across his face. The p cracked through the hall like a gunshot. "Don''t you dare defy me, Alex. I own you forever."


    Her anger burned bright, but beneath it something else trembled — a sh of tears she fought to hide, gripping him with a desperation that made her fingers white.


    "Now Imand you -


    divorce this bitch!" Katarina screamed.


    Sofina stepped in front of Alex without hesitation. Her eyes were quiet, but they held frost. "I pity you," she said.


    Katarina''s hand tightened on Alex. Sofina caught it in one swift move and snapped it away.


    "Let go of my husband," Sofina ordered. "You''re his ex- don''t touch him again. He isn''t yours. You''re pathetic. A servant''s daughter."


    Katarina was used to obedience. She had been treated like royalty, and she''d made sure others knew it.


    She''d heard the whispers for years


    that the Rosenheim title was bought with


    betrayal, that they earned their barony by stabbing their own marquis, the Saint- ires, in the back.


    People said their so-called empire was built on treachery, that beneath their silks and titles they were nothing more than well-fed servants gnawing on their master''s bones.


    "Look at this bitch!" Katarina shouted to the room, her voice shaking with fury. "She''s spitting on my family name! p her-make her remember who she is! And who I am!"


    A few barons who bent to Katarina''s will and some Rosenheim retainers shuffled forward, eager to prove their loyalty. They moved to strike to humiliate Sofina for daring to stand her ground.


    Before anyone could raise a hand, a silver Eden security robot glided between them, its mechanical voice cutting through the tension.


    "No violence is permitted on Eden Group property," it announced firmly. "Cease all hostile actions immediately."


    Its arms rose and a pair of tasers snapped out. Electricity shed. The would-be attackers jerked, their muscles seized, and they dropped hard to the floor, wracked by shock.


    "No fighting. No violence," the security unit repeated. "Please remain calm and await assistance."


    Katarina stood there, red-faced and unmoored robbed, for the moment, of the power she''d always wielded.


    Sofina grabbed Alex''s hand.


    "Let''s get out of here," she said, pulling him away.


    "Alex!" Katarina''s voice cracked like a whip. "You always talked about love! You said you loved me! You swore you''d do anything for me!"


    Her voice rose, trembling with rage. “You promised to obey me, to give me your body, to destroy yourself for me! You liar! You damn bastard! Get back here!"


    When love begins to rot and fade, it hides behind forced gestures-empty rituals, hollow vows, or even violence and control-trying to keep alive what''s already dead.


    Before Alex could answer, another android glided up beside them.


    "Miss Sofina," it said smoothly, "this is your scheduled interview for the coboration. Please proceed to Meeting Room 01. I can escort you if you are unfamiliar with the location."


    Sofina froze in surprise. Alex squeezed her hand. “Go,” he said quietly. "This is your chance."


    "What about you?" she asked, her voice tight.


    "I''ll head to the garden. Only workers and authorized personnel can ess it. These people won''t be able to follow." He smiled faintly, calm despite the chaos.


    "Thank you, Alex," Sofina whispered, then followed the android down the corridor. The robot stopped at a ss door and bowed slightly. "Please wait here. The person in charge will arrive shortly." It turned and glided away, leaving her alone in the silent, polished room.


    Momentster, the door opened and a poised woman in a tailored suit stepped in. "Miss Sofina?" she asked politely.


    "I''m so sorry—there''s been a change in location. Please follow me. Miss Von Adler would like to meet you in her office."


    Sofina blinked. "Miss Von Adler? The chairman?"


    "Yes, ma''am. She''s expecting you."


    Sofina nodded, still dazed, and followed the woman through the long, quiet


    hallways of Eden Group headquarters. Her thoughts raced.


    Why would Marlena Von Adler-the most powerful woman in Eden-want to meet her personally?


    She hadn''t even submitted her proposal yet, the one about working with the Wolfsbane family. She wasn''t supposed to meet the chairman, only the department manager like everyone else.


    It didn''t make sense.


    Though she didn''t understand why, Sofina knew an opportunity like this didn''te twice. She followed the assistant through the long corridor, her heels echoing off the marble floor, until they stopped in front of a taff metal door engraved with the Eden Group emblem.


    The assistant opened it and gestured her in. Inside, Marlena Von Adler-the legendary chairwoman of Eden Group-rose gracefully from behind her desk. Her presence filled the room like a quiet storm.


    "Miss Sofina Scheinwald," Marlena said warmly, extending her hand. "I''m Marlena Von Adler, chairman of Eden Group. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Sofina felt her pulse race. She was standing before the most powerful businesswoman in Winchester-someone people usually met only in boardrooms or newspapers.


    Her voice trembled slightly as she answered, but she kept her tone steady.


    met


    "Hello, Miss Von Adler. Thank you for taking the time to see me," she said. "I came to discuss the coboration proposal. I know the Wolfsbane Group isn''t asrge or as influential as some of your other


    partners, but we work hard. We


    never disappoint."


    She handed Marlena a neat folder. "This is the Wolfsbane Group portfolio. Please,


    take a look."


    Marlena smiled—a calm, knowing smile and took the file. She opened it,


    scanned a few pages, then closed it gently.


    "Miss Scheinwald," she said, her voice soft but sure, "I''ve already reviewed your documents. I believe you''re the perfect partner for us."


    Sofina blinked, stunned. "Really? You mean... it''s approved?" Her words stumbled


    out.


    It all felt too quick-too easy. She had spent weeks rehearsing every answer,


    every possible question, expecting a long negotiation. And yet here it was-done


    in seconds.


    Marlena leaned back, her expression unreadable but kind.


    "Yes. Though I''ll be honest," she said, "the Wolfsbane Group doesn''t fully meet our usual standards. But our founder hold''s your very nigh regard. He personally requested this partnership be offered to you."


    Sofina''s breath caught. "Your founder?" she asked, her voice barely above a


    whisper. "May I know who your founder is?"<fn64b3> Readplete version only at find?novel</fn64b3>


    Marlena''s lips curved into a faint smile. “Our founder," she said softly, "is the most handsome man I''ve ever met."


    "Pardon me?" Sofina blinked, unsure if she''d heard right.


    Marlena chuckled. "Don''t worry. You''ll understand when the timees. Let''s just


    say... he sees something in you. He believes in you. And that''s why he''s giving you this opportunity."


    She spoke gently, but her tone carried weight. Alex had instructed her not to reveal his identity, and she obeyed without hesitation.


    Marlena shifted the topic with a professional calm. "Now, Miss Scheinwald, ording to your proposal, your initial quotation for the coboration is fifty million dors, correct?"


    Sofina straightened, nervous. "Yes, that''s right," she said, her voice small. "Is... is that too much?"


    Marlena smiled again, shaking her head. "Oh no," she said easily. "In fact, it''s less than what we nned to invest."


    Sofina frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"


    "Our founder instructed me to increase the contract value," Marlena said simply.


    "He wants it set at one hundred million dors."


    Sofina''s eyes widened, her breath catching. "One... hundred million?" she


    repeated, barely believing it.


    Marlena opened a folder, retrieved a crisp contract, and slid it across the polished desk toward her.


    "Here," she said. "We''ve already drafted the agreement-one hundred million dors in total. If you have no objections, we can sign it today."


    Sofina stared at the document in disbelief. Her mind spun. Eden Group-one of


    the most powerful corporations in Winchester-had not only epted Wolfsbane''s proposal but had doubled the amount.


    "This... this can''t be real," she murmured, her voice trembling.


    She thought of her grandmother, who had dreamed of a coboration like this but


    never imagined it woulde with such generosity. Now they weren''t just


    partners they had been given a lifeline.


    Her hands shook slightly as she looked up at Marlena, eyes wide with gratitude


    and awe.


    "Thank you,” she whispered. "Thank you so much."