Chapter 129 Chapter 129: “Why did you go that far?” she asked. “Define ‘that far p> “Punching Sterling. Claiming I was yours in front of the press. Risking your reputation, your family standing… for me. Why p> Elias looked at her. He could lie. He could say it was strategic.

Chapter 128 Chapter 128: She took a bite. It was perfect. Not too sweet, floral, delicate. She ate, humming in delight. Elias watched her. He forgot to drink his own tea. A small crumb of cake fell onto her lower lip. Elias’s hand twitched. He wanted to reach out and

Chapter 127 Chapter 127: He placed two stones on the board to resign. “I yield,” he said softly. He hadn’t lost a game in ten years. He should be furious. Instead, he felt a surge of adrenaline. He threw his head back and laughed. It was a rich, genuine sound

Chapter 126 Chapter 126: “And you’re the one who said ‘a draw means we are equals’ in our private chat p> The shock in the air shattered, replaced by a sudden, intense familiarity. Elias sat down heavily on the cushion. “I suspected a worthy opponent. I didn’t realize it was

Chapter 125 Chapter 125: “What does one wear to meet a gaming rival?” she asked the air. She assumed S was a brilliant, likely introverted strategist. Maybe a college student or a young engineer. She chose a simple white sundress. It was soft, approachable. She didn’t want to scare the

Chapter 124 Chapter 124: Aurora stood in the doorway, watching his taillights disappear into the rain. She touched the spot on her robe where his hands had been. It still felt warm. She picked up the bags and walked inside. She opened the first box. She gasped. Rows and rows

Chapter 123 Chapter 123: Lightning flashed, illuminating the visitor. “Elias?” she gasped, lowering the weapon. He stood there, chest heaving, water streaming down his face. He looked wild. Intense. Beautiful. He checked his watch. “11:58 PM p> He thrust the bags at her. “Happy Birthday p> Aurora stared at him.

Chapter 122 Chapter 122: His phone rang. It was the courier service. “Mr. Thorne,” the dispatcher said, voice crackling. “We can’t send the van. The roads are flooded. We’ll have to reschedule for tomorrow morning p> “Unacceptable,” Elias hissed. “The instructions were precise. Midnight p> “Sir, it’s a hurricane warning.

Chapter 121 Chapter 121: He groaned, rubbing his temples. Why was negotiating a billion-dollar merger easier than writing a ten-word note? His phone buzzed. A notification from Apex. Phoenix: Depends. Are you prepared to lose? He re-read his own message he had sent earlier. S: The summit is approaching. Are

Chapter 120 Chapter 120: Elias Thorne stepped out of the car. He wore casual clothes—a cashmere sweater and dark jeans—but he still looked like he was inspecting troops. A voice shouted from the porch. Leo Thorne, Elias’s younger cousin and the family’s designated headache, was lounging on a wicker chair,

Chapter 119 Chapter 119: Elias nodded, looking out the window as the car pulled away from the curb. He wasn’t trying to hide his affection from her—he had already declared that publicly. But he wanted this to be theirs, not a headline in tomorrow’s Page Six. “Good p> He touched

Chapter 118 Chapter 118: She put the phone away and grabbed a piece of heavy cardstock. She wrote her number on it in loopy cursive, adding a small heart. Call me if you need help with… application. -J She slipped the card into the main bag, the one containing the

Chapter 117 Chapter 117: He stopped in front of a glass display case. Inside sat a limited-edition Kelly bag, crafted from matte alligator skin in a deep, rich emerald green. It was elegant. Understated. Lethal. It matched the fire in her eyes. It was Aurora. “That one,” Elias commanded, pointing

Chapter 116 Chapter 116: Xavier trailed two steps behind, clutching a tablet to his chest like a shield. He looked resigned rather than terrified. He had seen this look in Elias’s eyes before—usually preceding a hostile takeover or the acquisition of a rare manuscript. “Sir,” Xavier whispered, dodging a shopper

Chapter 115 Chapter 115: Aurora raised an eyebrow. S. The mysterious player who had matched her move for move, the only person who seemed to understand the chaotic, aggressive logic of her mind. She opened the file. It wasn’t a standard game level. It was a custom-built logic grid, layered

Chapter 114 Chapter 114: “Approve it,” Elias said. “All of it. Move forward with Phase Two immediately p> The CFO blinked. “Sir, we haven’t reviewed the p> “Did I stutter?” Elias asked, but there was no venom in his tone. He was smiling. Actually smiling. “The foundation is sound. Execute

Chapter 113 Chapter 113: A board member, a man named Blackwood who had survived the corporate wars of the eighties but looked like he was about to faint now, cleared his throat. “Sir, before we proceed to the merger acquisition… there is a matter of… public relations p> Elias slowly

Chapter 112 Chapter 112: “She is pathetic,” Serena agreed. “Trying to claw her way back in p> “Elias would never touch trash,” Brenda declared. “He has standards p> On the jet, Elias sneezed. He looked at the photo on his screen. It was a candid shot he had taken of

Chapter 111 Chapter 111: Elias accepted. He played a pawn move. A quiet, waiting move. Aurora, in her library, gasped. She had not expected patience. She countered. They played for an hour. Move. Counter-move. Feint. Parry. The game entered a stalemate loop. Neither could win without exposing their King to

Chapter 110 Chapter 110: Harper grabbed her arm. “Did you see his hand? He bruised his hand for you. That man is obsessed with you p> Aurora looked at the ancient medical text in her hands. She ran her thumb over the leather. “He’s… a player,” Aurora said. “A grandmaster