<h4>Chapter 47: Where It Hurts Most</h4>


    Anna’s POV


    I shook my head. "Samuel already has Mia ying his panion. Let’s leave Nora out of this for now."


    Honestly, I had nned to discuss Samuel with Marcus-to share my suspicions and perhaps develop a strategy. But now that he’d returned to Europe, I was on my own. The phantom pressure of his absence weighed on me more than I cared to admit.


    My phone buzzed. Speak of the devil —Samuel Griffin’s name shed on the screen. I answered with practiced neutrality.


    "Mr. Griffin, what can I do for you?"


    "Ms. Shaw," his voice dripped with that artificial charm that made my skin crawl. "I was hoping you’d join me for dinner tonight. Just a casual business discussion."


    I hesitated, weighing my options. After his behavior at the party and the twisted games he’d been ying, the smart move would be to keep my distance. But I also needed to understand what he was nning next.


    "Where and when?" I finally asked.


    "The rooftop restaurant at Golden Ember Hotel, in an hour?"


    At least this time he’d chosen a public, respectable venue. "I’ll be there."


    When I got to the restaurant, Samuel sat alone at a corner table, looking infuriatingly at ease in his suit. No Mia in sight. When he spotted me, his face lit up with that practiced smile that never reached his eyes.


    "Ms. Shaw," he stood to greet me, pulling out my chair with exaggerated gantry. "You look exquisite tonight."


    I took my seat, maintaining a polite smile while mentally calcting how quickly I could leave if necessary.


    "Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Griffin. I must admit I was surprised."


    Samuel signaled for the waiter, ordering an expensive bottle of wine without consulting me. "Why surprised? We’re both business people with shared interests."


    "Are we?" I raised an eyebrow, scanning the empty chair beside him.


    "Where’s yourpanion tonight?


    Mia, wasn’t it?"


    His eyes glinted with something predatory. "With a beautiful woman like Anna Shaw joining me, who needs anyone else?"


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his transparent ttery. Instead, I decided to cut through the charade.


    "Mr. Griffin, I doubt you invited me here just for dinner. What is it you really want to discuss?"


    He leaned back, studying me with unconcealed amusement. "What else?"


    "Perhaps you wanted to inquire about why Marcus Murphy suddenly left America? Whether he’sing back?"


    I kept my tone light, but watched his reaction carefully.


    He asked with a smile. "Is your ’Uncle Marcus’ing back?"


    His expression told me the truth. My practiced smile faded as cold realization washed over me. All the pieces clicked into ce-the stabbing, the rest room incident, Peter’s injury.


    Samuel Griffin wasn’t just an annoyance; he was the puppetmaster.


    "You’ve got quite the appetite, Mr. Griffin," I said coldly, anger simmering just beneath my controlled exterior.


    "Skke District is Skyview City’s crown jewel-countless families have their eyes on it, yet you want it all for yourself?"


    "Impressive, Ms. Shaw. You caught on quickly." He didn’t even bother denying it, his face lighting up with smug satisfaction. "Going after Marcus Murphy was indeed the right move. I said he was your lover, which you denied, but you were clearly afraid of him getting hurt. So you sent him away, didn’t you?"


    Ice spread through my veins. I regretted ever considering him as a potential ally. This man was far more dangerous than I’d anticipated-he’d dropped all pretense, not even bothering with the fa?ade anymore.


    Clearly, he didn’t consider me a worthy opponent.


    "Let me guess," I analyzed, keeping my voice steady despite the rage building inside me. "That night at the charity g when I spilled champagne on you—that was deliberate, wasn’t it?


    This was shortly after my divorce, before the historic building was back in my possession. You weren’t targeting me at all; you were after Jack Simpson. You just didn’t expect to be thrown out by Peter Reed."


    Samuel apuded softly, his eyes lighting with unexpected admiration.


    "What can I say, Ms. Shaw? I’m genuinely intrigued by you now."


    "Shaw Corp is a small enterprisepared to yours," I said, no longer able to maintain my smile. "Why not just leave me alone?"


    Samuel leaned forward, his voice dropping to a meaningful murmur.


    "That historic building is in your hands, and as you said yourself— whoever controls the building controls Skke. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll end up working together after all."


    The threat in his words was unmistakable. With Marcus gone, he thought I’d lost my protection. In his eyes, the historic building was just another asset to be acquired or destroyed. My ancestral home, my mother’s childhood memories-none of that mattered to a man like Samuel Griffin.


    I forced onest smile, though it felt like stretching ss across my face.


    "Mr. Griffin, I think I’ll let you enjoy your dinner alone. I have othermitments."


    "Leaving so soon?" He feigned disappointment, though his eyes remained calcting. "We’ve barely started."


    "I’ve seen and heard enough," I replied, rising from my chair with deliberate poise. "Goodnight, Mr. Griffin."


    The moment the elevator doors closed behind me, I let myposed expression copse. That bastard! I leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath to steady myself.


    Yet beneath my anger, I felt an odd sense of relief. I didn’t regret sending Marcus away-quite the opposite. I was grateful he was gone. The waters in Skyview City were getting deeper and more treacherous with Heritage Group’s entrance. More power yers would inevitably follow. Marcus’s business empire was in Europe; he had no reason to waste time here, entangled in local power struggles.


    As I passed the hotel’s front desk, I paused. "The bill for Mr. Griffin’s should be charged directly to him.


    Make sure you collect payment."


    The small act of pettiness gave me a fleeting sense of satisfaction.


    In the car heading back to Goldenleaf Manor, I stared out at the cityscape, mind racing through potential next steps. With Marcus gone, Samuel would likely target the Simpson family next. The thought of Samuel going after Jack and his family almost made me smile. If those two collided, I would happily watch from the sidelines.


    I’d lost my most powerful ally, but at least I’d seen Samuel’s true face. That knowledge was valuable in its own way. After calming myself, I called Logan Porter and exined the situation.


    "He admitted everything?" Logan sounded incredulous. "Just like that?"


    "He’s arrogant," I replied. "And now that Marcus is gone, he sees no reason to hide his intentions."


    Logan was silent for a moment. "This changes everything, Anna. We need to regroup. I’lle by tomorrow morning."


    The next morning, I descended the grand staircase of Goldenleat Manor to find Logan already waiting in the living room. He paced back and forth across the carpet, a nervous energy radiating from him that seemedpletely at odds with his typicallyposed demeanor.


    When he heard my footsteps and turned, I noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. He clearly hadn’t slept well. His normally immacte appearance was slightly rumpled, as if he’d dressed in haste.


    "Anna," he said, relief flooding his face. "We need to talk."


    Anna’s POV


    "Anna, you weren’t taken advantage of by Samuel, were you?" The concern in his eyes made warmth spread through my chest. Even though I was no longer a little girl, Logan still protected me like he did when we were kids.


    "No, I kept my guard up and realized quickly this man is nothing like the rumors suggest." I shook my head, a hint of self-mockery pulling at my lips.


    "Once Uncle Marcus left, I suddenly became insignificant in his eyes. He didn’t even bother to keep up appearances anymore."


    Inside, I felt bitter. I’d been incredibly naive to think I could partner with Samuel Griffin and secure the Skke District project. The very idea seemedughable now. Samuel had never taken me seriously from the start-he was only using me to get closer to Marcus. The realization left me feeling hollow, but what bothered me more was my own foolishness and embarrassment.


    "Have you eaten yet, Logan? Let’s grab something," I said, gesturing toward the restaurant’s dining area, forcing myself to change the subject.


    "I barely sleptst night, worried you might have gotten burned. After all, I’m the one who introduced him to you." Logan pushed his sses up, his eyes full of regret. "I’m so sorry, Anna.


    I misjudged himpletely. I haven’t known him long—I shouldn’t have rashly introduced him to you. I just thought Heritage Group could be a counterweight to Simpson Group, and if you could partner with them, it would benefit you. Damn, I really screwed up."


    Seeing Logan me himself made me feel even worse. This wasn’t his fault at all; I’d ced too much hope in Samuel Griffin.


    "Samuel had his eye on me first. Even if you hadn’t introduced us, he would have found another way to approach me. Maybe he deliberately befriended you to get to me? He’s too calcting —I just underestimated him this time."


    I forced a smile, though I knew my carelessness stemmed partly from my trust in Logan. I needed outside help, and Samuel appeared at the perfect moment. Looking back, Samuel had shown plenty of red gs, but I was too desperate for an ally to notice.


    "I should have done better research," Logan was still ming himself.


    "Stop beating yourself up. I didn’t lose anything substantial. Heritage Group’s target is Skke District, and their real opponent is Simpson Group." I appeared nonchnt, but my mind was already plotting my next move.


    Samuel’s betrayal had taught me that Shaw Corp still had a long road ahead.


    Logan sighed heavily. "This is a major development initiative. Skke District property values are going to skyrocket, and Skyview City is about to be a battleground. Anna, you’re holding that historic building—be careful."


    "I know. Thanks for the warning." I nodded gratefully. Logan always spotted risks I missed.


    "Let’s eat. I don’t have anything prepared, so you’ll have to make do with what we have."


    was already plotting my next move.


    Samuel’s betrayal had taught me that Shaw Corp still had a long road ahead.


    Logan sighed heavily. "This is a major development initiative. Skke District property values are going to skyrocket, and Skyview City is about to be a battleground. Anna, you’re holding that historic building—be careful."


    "I know. Thanks for the warning." I nodded gratefully. Logan always spotted risks I missed.


    "Let’s eat. I don’t have anything prepared, so you’ll have to make do with what we have."


    "When you were little, you used to run over to our house for dinner all the time. You loved my mom’ssagna," Logan said, his eyes crinkling with a gentle smile.


    Memories of childhood brought an unexpected blush to my cheeks. "I was just a kid then. Don’t tease me."


    "I’m not teasing. You shoulde over more often. My mom makessagna andins that I’m not thoughtful enough to bring you around anymore."


    As we reminisced about our childhood, the unpleasantness Samuel had caused quickly dissipated. I felt a warm glow inside, grateful to have friends like the Porters in my life.


    Later that afternoon, just before I was about to leave the office, Catherine suddenly appeared, insisting we go to dinner. I assumed it was just a casual friend meetup, never suspecting it was a trap.


    When we arrived at the restaurant, I immediately spotted Jack. I felt my face fall.


    "That jerk forced me into this,"


    Catherine quickly exined, seeing my expression change. "He said he had something important to tell you, but you wouldn’t take his calls."


    Irritation surged through me. "What did he use to ckmail you?"


    Catherine looked genuinely annoyed as she exined: "He promised Quentin Walker would perform at my birthday party. That’s *Quentin Walker*-my absolute idol. How could I refuse that?"


    I had to suppress an eye-roll.


    Catherine would do anything for her favorite idol.


    Since I was already here, I reluctantly sat down, though my guard remained firmly up. Since our divorce, every encounter with Jack had ended unpleasantly, and today would likely be no different.


    "If you’re here to ask about Uncle Marcus, I have nothing to say. He’s gone back to Europe now, just as your family wanted." I gave him a cold look, my eyes holding a hint of contempt.


    Jack seemed to avoid confrontation for once, getting straight to the point: "I wanted to warn you about Samuel Griffin. That man is dangerous and extremely calcting."


    Hearing Samuel’s name gave me pause. Jack had no idea that Samuel and I had already had our falling out.


    "Thank you for the warning, Mr. Simpson. I’ll keep that in mind." My response was deliberately cool and revealed nothing. In truth, I’d already experienced Samuel’s true nature firsthand, but I refused to appear vulnerable in front of Jack.


    "I’m not trying to drive a wedge between you two, even though Simpson Group does want to partner with Heritage Group. But I wouldn’t stoop to stealing from you." Jack’s tone grew more serious. "And let me say something you don’t want to hear— can Shaw Corp reallypete with Simpson Group? If Samuel isn’t a fool, he’d never choose to partner with you.


    Does Shaw Corp have the capacity to share the risk?"


    His words cut like knives. I knew he was speaking the truth, but I couldn’t ept it, much less acknowledge my naivety and weakness in front of him.


    "If you know I don’t want to hear it, then please shut up," I said coldly, struggling to contain my anger and shame.


    He was right—I had been naive. Little Shaw Corp trying to stake a im on Skke District? Samuel had given me a reality check, yet here I was, pretending to be unfazed in front of Jack. The embarrassment only fueled my irritation.


    "That’s not what I meant. I’m worried he’s using you," Jack frowned as he tried to exin. "I had someone investigate thoroughly. I suspect Samuel arranged for us to be locked in that rest room that night."


    I was surprised he’d gone to the trouble of investigating the incident.


    Though I already knew the truth, I couldn’t help but scoff: "Is that so?"


    "Anna, wake up. You’re not his match." Jack suddenly grabbed my hand, his voice carrying an unusual urgency. "I’m trying to help you."


    The moment his hand closed around mine, I stiffened. The once-familiar touch stirred unwanted memories.


    "Whoa, hands off! Jack, remove your paws immediately. She’s not your wife anymore, remember?" Catherine’s eyes widened in rm.


    "Let go," I demanded coldly, fighting to keep any emotion from showing.


    Just then, an angry voice cut through the restaurant: "What are you two doing?"


    I turned to see Mary Simpson and Lucy Taylor standing nearby. The coincidence was almostughable-of all the restaurants in Skyview City, we had to run into them.


    I tried again to pull my hand away, but Jack’s grip remained firm.


    "Jack, Anna... are you two back together?" Lucy’s voice trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief and barely concealed anger.


    That question was like a match to gasoline. Mary Simpson immediately stormed over and pped me hard across the face.


    Because Jack was still holding my hand, I couldn’t dodge. The stinging pain spread instantly across my cheek, but the humiliation and fury burned even hotter. I felt blood rushing to my head, my ears ringing.


    "What are you doing?" Jack finally released my hand, staring at his mother in shock.


    And I-I could no longer control myself. Before anyone could react, I raised my hand and delivered a resounding p to Lucy’s face.


    The sharp crack echoed through the suddenly silent restaurant.


    Lucy held her cheek, looking at me in disbelief. "Anna, why did you hit me?"