Martha gave him a motherly pat on the hand. "You know, resentnt ages people. Just saying."
"Can we not make this dinner about Jean Adams?" Logan muttered.
Hannah leaned toward him and smirked. "But it’s so much fun watching you squirm."
He looked away. She hadn’t seen him yet or maybe she had and was simply ignoring him, which stung worse. Either way, Logan felt his temper simring beneath the surface.
Jean Adams.
The woman he swore never to cross paths with again.
And yet... here she was.
Again.
_____________________________
The black luxury sedan pulled up to the grand estate, its iron gates creaking open as if reluctant to grant entry. Towering marble pillars frad the entrance of the Dominic Mansion... a place that seed to have leapt out of a historical novel.
Ivy crawled over the stone like ti itself had been trying to claim the estate for centuries, but the pristine upkeep whispered of power too old to be challenged.
Inside the car, tension brewed like an unspoken storm.
Alex Adams sat stiffly beside his mother, his jaw tightly clenched. He stared out the window, visibly annoyed. "Do I really have to be here?"
Darla didn’t even look at him as she smacked his arm. "We are here because of you. This entire ss is your doing."
Alex scoffed, adjusting the cuffs of his designer suit. "Right, bla for everything, as usual."
"Both of you, shut up," Derek Adams growled from the passenger seat, his voice low and firm. "This isn’t about pointing fingers. We’re here for a reason. If we don’t play this right, we lose everything we’ve built."
Silence followed as the car ca to a halt in front of the grand doors.
The butler was already waiting.
"Mr. Dominic is expecting you," he said with a slight bow, his eyes coldly assessing. "Please, follow ."
As the three of them stepped into the marble foyer, Darla whispered, "Rember, let him speak first. Show respect. He’s not soone we can afford to offend."
Alex muttered under his breath, "He’s just another businessman."
Derek stopped in his tracks and shot him a sharp look. "He’s not just anything. He’s the man who might save your sorry legacy."
And with that, they walked deeper into the mansion, unaware that the shadow they were about to bargain with would change all their lives and Jean’s... forever.
The mont they stepped into the grand corridor, silence fell among the Adams. The interior of the Dominic Mansion was more than opulent... It was intimidating.
The kind of place where chandeliers didn’t just light the hallways; they watched you, where every painting felt like a witness, and every rug cost more than most people made in a year.
Alex let out a scoff, his eyes gliding over the velvet drapes and polished mahogany. "You’re not here for ," he muttered under his breath. "You’re here for Jean. I an, just look at this place... She’d marry anyone to live in a house like this."
Darla rolled her eyes. "Alex, if Jean knew where we were right now, she would..."
"Enough," Derek cut in sharply, his voice low and final. "We’re not here to gossip. We’re here to fix your mistake and make sure this deal goes through. Alex, show your utmost respect here. No childish remarks. Darla, you know what to say, right?"
Darla gave a tight nod. "Everything is prepared."
Just then, the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed down the grand staircase.
Mr. Daniel Dominic descended with the grace of soone who had inherited power rather than earned it. Tall, and dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, he looked like a man who could buy nations and never lift a finger. His sharp gaze swept across the trio, and a faint, amused smile tugged at his lips.
"Welco," he said, his voice smooth, but firm. "The Adams. Though..." he paused, looking over their shoulders as if expecting soone else to appear, "I feel there’s still one person missing."
Derek cleared his throat, attempting to offer a polite explanation, but Daniel raised a hand to silence him.
"Where’s Jean?" he asked, his tone dipped in mild disappointnt but carried enough weight to send a chill down Darla’s spine.
"She..." Darla started, but the words dried in her throat.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed, but his smile never faltered.
"I assu you didn’t co here just to talk about her." He stepped down onto the last stair, hands clasped behind his back. "I was promised Jean Adams. Not her entourage."
The tension in the room thickened.
Derek forced a smile. "You’ll have her. We just wanted to speak with you first, to... discuss the terms."
Daniel arched his brow. "Ah. The terms. Then let’s not waste ti."
He turned and gestured for them to follow him into the study, the heavy doors creaking open to reveal a room soaked in books, leather, and the quiet dominance of a man used to closing deals that never made the news.
Adams followed, trying not to look like pawns stepping onto a chessboard they barely understood.
The flas from the marble fireplace danced quietly, casting flickering shadows across the dark-paneled walls of the Dominic Mansion’s study room. The air was thick... not with warmth, but with old secrets and unspoken threats.
Daniel Dominic sat like a monarch in his leather armchair, legs crossed, eyes sharp, and fingers drumming faintly on the armrest. Across from him, Derek Adams leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, his every gesture asured, calculated.
Darla sat beside him, offering her polished smiles at the right monts. Alex looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.
Derek finally broke the silence. "Years ago, you offered us a deal to stay silent."
Daniel’s brow lifted lazily. "Yes... I do rember. So what? Is that sohow bothering you now?"
A small smile tugged at Derek’s lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "It’s not bothering . But as you can see... tis have changed. And so have our children. The Jean you knew back then has changed too."
Daniel didn’t blink. "I know everything. My eyes are everywhere. Jean, without a doubt, has beco a remarkable woman."
Darla seized the mont. "Oh, thank you so much..."
Daniel didn’t even glance at her. "I still see no reason for her absence. Do I have to face resilience?"
Derek hesitated, then looked toward Darla. Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Because they knew Jean would die but say yes to this arrangent.
Reviews
All reviews (0)