Damien paced the room, agitation etched into every movement. His father—Victor Voss—stood near the window, a tumbler of scotch in hand, watching the city as if it were already his.
"I don't like this silence from Nathan," Damien snapped, running a hand through his hair. "He's up to something."
"He's always up to something," Victor said coolly. "But that doesn't matter. The board is set. We just need to force his hand."
Damien turned sharply. "What about the board members? The last round of persuasion didn't work. Vosstech still trusts him."
Victor's eyes narrowed. "Then we take away what keeps him grounded. We make the company unstable from within—and we use the girl."
Damien paused. "Stephanie?"
Victor nodded. "She's close to him. I can see it. If we play this right, we use her to divide him, break his focus. Emotional men make reckless decisions. And reckless men lose everything."
Damien clenched his jaw. "And if that doesn't work?"
"Then we use what we have on him. His real past. The night of the accident. He won't see it coming."
Meanwhile…
Stephanie stirred under the warm sheets, her bare legs tangled in the covers. The sun streamed through the windows, casting golden light across the room. For a moment, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the memory of the night wash over her.
Every kiss. Every whisper. Every emotion.
She rolled over and found the other side of the bed empty—but warm.
Nathan was in the kitchen again, just like the morning before, only this time there was something different in his eyes when she entered. Something softer. Something unspoken.
He handed her coffee without a word. She took it slowly, then met his gaze.
"I'm not good at this," he said after a moment, his voice rough. "But I need you to know last night… wasn't just a moment for me."
Stephanie looked at him, heart thundering. "It wasn't for me either."
He stepped closer, like a man trying to say something he's kept buried for years.
"There's something I need to tell you, Stephanie." His eyes locked with hers. "It's about the boy your father saved."
Her breath caught. "What?"
Nathan opened his mouth to continue—but just then, her phone rang.
It was Leo.
"I have to take this," she said apologetically, already picking it up. "Leo?"
Nathan stepped back, jaw tightening slightly, emotions flickering in his eyes.
"I'll be there soon," she said into the phone. "Yeah. I'm okay."
When she ended the call, Nathan had composed himself again, the vulnerable look replaced by calm restraint.
"I'll drop you off," he offered.
She hesitated. "Nathan… what were you going to say?"
But he just gave her a small, unreadable smile. "Later."
And just like that, the moment passed.