Rebecca stepped out of the sleek black car, the hum of the city faded as she stood before the entrance to Miguel’s exclusive club, the same one she had been to with Myles but tonight, let's just say she was doing things in her own terms and by that, going with Myles was too much crowd. The neon lights flickered above the doorway, it illuminated an eerie glow on the street. Tonight was different—tonight, she had come alone.Myles had no idea about her plan, and she oh so discreetly intended to keep it that way. This was her decision, her strategy to forge a new alliance and take control of the situation. Myles could be too cautious, too predictable. But Rebecca knew that if they were going to bring down the Coopers, they needed someone ruthless, someone like Miguel.Not that she hadn't slandered him behind his back, but he mustn't know about that. She was dressed to kill, she wore a dark emerald dress that hugged her frame, it exuded power and confidence. Her heels clicked against the

Ashton Pearce paced back and forth in his apartment, his phone was clutched tightly in his hand as he paced. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, like they were going to suffocate him as the weight of his situation bore down on him. His career, his reputation—everything he had worked so hard for—was now on the line, and he knew exactly who was behind it. Rebecca.Why was she being this way ?Why did she had to be so cruel and evil to him?The sound of his phone dialing Rebecca’s number sent a jolt of fury through him. He'd had enough of her games. After about three rings, the line finally clicked open and her cool, composed voice greeted him.“Ashton,” Rebecca said, her tone was smooth. It was laced with a venomous sweetness that made his blood boil. “What a surprise.” She purred into the phone. “Cut the crap, Rebecca,” Ashton snapped at her, he was unable to keep the anger from his voice. “I want to see my son. Where’s Kelvin?” he demanded. Since she claimed he was h

Ashton stood under the shower, the steam enveloped him like a shroud. The water cascaded down his body and it washed away the remnants of the earlier confrontation with Rebecca, but he knew the bitterness of her words lingered in his mind like a stain that wouldn't come out. He could hear her mocking laughter echoing in the recesses of his thoughts, taunting him with the possibility of losing everything he held dear, including his son and his job.His phone buzzed incessantly on the counter, jolting him from his thoughts. Elizabeth's name flashed on the screen, and he immediately felt a feeling of urgency mixed with dread. He had kept her in the dark about the fallout with Rebecca, not wanting to drag her into the chaos. But as he turned off the water and toweled himself off, he knew he couldn't hide from her forever.After pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt, he picked up the phone and answered. “Hey, Liz." He said. “Ashton,” Elizabeth’s voice came through, steady a

Ashton had barely left the bar when his phone rang again. This time, it wasn’t Marco or Elizabeth—it was someone unexpected. He glanced at the screen and saw the name. A cold chill washed over him as he hesitated for a moment before answering.“Pearce,” the voice on the other end growled, low and menacing. It was Gregory, one of Rebecca’s most trusted associates and a man who had never hidden his disdain for Ashton. “We need to talk. Now.”Ashton’s hand tightened around his phone. “What do you want, Gregory?” he asked. “There’s no time for games. Meet me at the old pier in thirty minutes. Don’t be late.” The line went dead before Ashton could reply.A sense of unease settled over him. What could Gregory possibly want? He had never approached Ashton directly before, and the suddenness of the call reeked of desperation. Ashton wasn’t a fool—he knew he was walking into something dangerous. But if Gregory had information or was willing to talk, it was worth the risk.He texted Elizabeth

The night was thick and the wind blew incessantly as Rebecca Knowles sat alone in her dark study. Her fingers drummed anxiously and noisily against the glass table as she mulled and thought over and over about the events of the past few weeks. She had played her hand well, or so she had thought. Manipulating Ashton and blackmailing him with Kelvin was one of her best plans in her grand scheme—everything had gone exactly as she planned. She let out a laughter at the thought. Soon and no one would hear anymore about the man, Ashton Pearce. He would be long gone, and so would his legacy. She was going to make sure of it. But right now, there was this unusual feeling of unease that was beginning to creep in. Things weren’t adding up. No doubt, Ashton had been far too calm lately, and she could feel something shifting beneath the surface, something she hadn’t accounted for. She hoped that it wasn't exactly what it was that she was thinking. As far as she knew, Ashton had asked to see Ke