Reese shot Zach a look but didn''t say a word. She stepped around him and started walking in the opposite direction.


    Zach followed behind her in his SUV, one handzily on the wheel. "Well? Cat got your tongue?"


    She stopped and turned to face him. "Is this your way of getting back at me for using Sebastian to get the ne? If so, congrattions, I''ve paid the price.


    "This is over. I don''t want anything else to do with you."


    "Over?" Zach let out a sharpugh, like she''d just told the best joke he''d heard all week. He tapped the brake, parked, and then hopped out of the car.


    "Reese, give me the ne, and then it''s over.


    "I already told you, Tara loves that ne. She''s nning to wear it at our wedding.


    "If you give it back now, I might go easy on you."


    Reese''s eyes shed with anger. "You said if I paid ten million, the ne was mine.


    "And you said Sebastian gave you a cut just to get his hands on it. I''ve already paid my price, too."


    "Not even close," Zach said, his face darkening. "If you want that ne, you''re going to have to y by my rules."


    He grabbed her wrist, his grip so tight she thought he might actually break something. "Let''s go. Get in the car. I''m taking you somewhere."


    Reese tried to twist free, her wrist aching. "Let go of me!"


    But she was no match for him. He shoved her into the passenger seat, mmed the door, and locked it with a click.


    The engine roared as Zach hit the gas, tires squealing against the pavement.


    "You can still hand over the ne," he said, eyes forward, voice cold and unyielding.


    Reese turned away, watching the city streak by through rain-speckled ss. Her voice was barely steady. "That''s not going to happen."


    Zach suddenly jerked the steering wheel, making a sharp turn. Reese''s shoulder mmed hard into the door. She sucked in a sharp breath, pain radiating down her arm.


    He nced at her, his expression dark. "Do you really think you''re in any position to negotiate?"


    Reese sat up straighter, jaw clenched. "That ne was my mother''s. It belongs to me now. I''m not giving it back, no matter what you do."


    "Go ahead, Zach. Try whatever you want. I can handle it."


    He stared at her stubborn profile, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "Well, look at


    you. You''ve finally grown a spine. More than you had seven years ago."


    A dull ache settled in Reese''s chest.


    Seven years ago, she''d given up everything for the Ramos


    Corporation and Zach. He''d never understood her, not once. He even med her for everything,


    She shut her eyes, refusing to say another word.


    Rain started to fall, tapping lightly on the windows, then building into a steady, relentless curtain.


    Zach watched the windshield wipers struggle against the downpour and snorted. "You''ve already been suspended from ckOak. n''s done with you."


    "Who''s going to help you now? Sebastian?" His voice was sharp, almost mocking. "I heard even without Sofia, he''s found someone new. Has he called you these past few days?"


    Reese''s heart twisted.


    No. He hadn''t.


    After everything that happened, National Security should have let Sebastian know. But she hadn''t heard a single word from him.


    "With all his power, it''d be nothing for him to prove those usations were fake, Zach said with a bitterugh. "But he hasn''t done a thing. Know why? Because you stopped being important to him a long time ago."


    "Enough!" Reese snapped, eyes shing open as she red at Zach. "Is that


    what you want? For me to regret everything I''ve done?


    "Zach, this is my life. Whatever happens now, it''s got nothing to do with you. We ended a long time ago."


    "Nothing to do with me?" Zach''s voice was tight with anger as he mmed his foot on the gas.


    The wipers swung frantically, but the rain wasing down so hard it felt


    like the world outside was fading away. The road ahead blurred, and all Reese could do was Hold her breath and brace herself for whatever came next.