Tessa brushed off Adam’s bravado without a care. To her, he was just trying to intimidate her. Suddenly, Adam leaned in and captured her soft lips, savoring them greedily. Tessa was overwhelmed. Electric sensations surged through her, momentarily overpowering her resistance as an inexplicable desire took hold. It wasn't until she sensed the hunger in Adam’s eyes that she snapped out of her trance. “Get off me!” Startled, Tessa pushed him away forcefully and bolted. “Ah, that was delightful!” Adam closed his eyes, relishing the blissful sensation as the exquisite taste of her lips lingered on his. He made no attempt to chase after Tessa. Since they lived under the same roof, he was confident he would eventually have his way with her. --- It was the day of the bidding for the Darkclaw project two days later. This billion-dollar contract was highly coveted by companies in Storm City. Tessa had nearly sacrificed her dignity for this project before. Early in the mornin
Eleanor scoffed, folding her arms smugly. “Do you really think you can win the bidding? Don’t overestimate yourself, Adam. We’ll secure the bid today—but not because of you.”She cast a glance toward Ethan, her lips curling into a pleased smile. “It’s Ethan who holds the key. He’s close to Kelvin, and a simple word from him will seal the deal.”Adam’s lips twitched upward into a slow smirk. “That’s not necessarily true.”Ethan sneered, his eyes narrowing in disdain. “You’re delusional. You don't belong here, Adam. This isn’t some playground—it’s a battlefield. You don’t have the slightest chance.”Adam leaned back in his seat, arms draped casually over the armrests. “You sound awfully confident for someone who hides behind connections.”Ethan’s jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened with irritation. “I don’t need to hide behind anything. I know exactly what I bring to the table—unlike you, a useless parasite leeching off others.”Adam’s expression didn’t falter. “Big words from someone r
With that, she shot Ethan a smug smile, turned on her heel, and strolled away gracefully, leaving Ethan fuming in silence.The moment Stacey disappeared, Eleanor rounded on Adam, her face twisted in anger.“You’re disgusting, Adam. How dare you look at another woman before you’ve even finalized the divorce from my daughter?”Adam raised a brow, clearly unimpressed by her outrage. “You’ve got it wrong. Stacey and I are just colleagues.”Eleanor crossed her arms, her glare sharp as a knife. “She’s the Gold family’s heiress—and the Supreme General’s personal assistant, no less. And even if she'll work anywhere, it'll be in the Bulgart Industry, owned by the Supreme General. You expect me to believe you two are just colleagues?”Ethan let out a derisive snort. “Right. Even if he somehow works at Bulgart Industry, he’s probably no more than a security guard. Just another watchdog in a cheap uniform.”Nala, standing beside Ethan, eagerly joined in, her voice filled with venom. “That’s rig
The bidding results were set to be announced in an hour, and the companies waited patiently for the outcome.Tessa tapped her fingers against the table, her nerves getting the better of her. This was her first major project since taking control of Armand Group, and not everyone in the company was happy about it. The shareholders had been circling her like vultures, waiting for her to slip up.Ralph, in particular, was eager to see her fail. If she lost this bid, it would give him the perfect excuse to force her out as CEO.Adam, sitting beside her, noticed the slight furrow on her brow. He leaned in closer, a subtle smile tugging at his lips. "Don’t worry. We’ve got this in the bag."Tessa shot him a skeptical glance. "And what makes you so sure?"Before Adam could respond, Eleanor sneered from across the room. "If we win this bid, it’ll be thanks to Ethan, not you. What makes you think you have any role in this?"Nala chimed in with a grin. "Exactly. Ethan has already made arrangemen
Ethan raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift in Kelvin’s tone. "And what would that be?"Kelvin’s smile turned predatory. "I want Tessa."Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. "Tessa?"Kelvin’s grin widened. "You heard me. She got away from me the last time we crossed paths, but now she’s in my territory. I plan to finish what I started."Ethan’s hand tightened around his glass, the edges of his smile faltering. "Look, Kelvin… Tessa’s my fiancée."Kelvin’s expression darkened. "So what? That doesn’t mean anything to me."Ethan forced a smile, his mind racing. "Come on, Kelvin. Let’s not get carried away. How about I find you someone else—someone just as beautiful?"Kelvin’s eyes narrowed with displeasure. "There is no one else like her, Ethan. We both know that. Now, are you going to bring her to me, or do I have to take her myself?"Ethan’s heart pounded in his chest. He knew what Kelvin was capable of, and he also knew that defying him wasn’t an option."Kelvin," Ethan began carefully, "surel
A rush of fury and terror washed through Tessa the moment she saw him. The urge to leave the room overwhelmed her, yet she steeled herself. Just like his father, Kelvin had also tried to sleep with her multiple times, he had always invited her for a date which she constantly declined. Because his intentions were obviously not pure.Determined to win the bid, she sat down.However, she took a seat next to Ethan instead. He seemed more reliable than Kelvin.Kelvin was unfazed. She was bound to become his plaything once she set foot in here."Kelvin, we're very serious about the project. We won't let you down as long as you choose us," Tessa began."Then show me how serious you are about it. Drink this." Kelvin poured a glass of wine for her."My stomach isn't feeling well. I can't drink," Tessa politely refused. She was wary of him because of what happened last time between her and Ethan, she can't afford to be careless.Thanks to her wits, she managed a narrow escape when he drugged he
"He's just a poor loser," Ethan scoffed, eyeing Adam dismissively.Kelvin’s face twisted in anger as he turned his glare on Adam. "How dare you interfere with my fun? Do you have a death wish?"Adam's eyes narrowed, his voice cold and steely. "You're one to talk! How dare you even think of laying a finger on my wife?"A dangerous gleam flashed in his eyes. As soon as he sensed something was wrong, Adam had stormed upstairs. Fury surged through him when he realized Kelvin had been about to assault Tessa."Your wife?" Kelvin’s surprise was brief, quickly replaced by a wicked smile.Ethan seized the moment to chime in with a laugh. "They got married a few days ago. It’s just a marriage of convenience."Kelvin’s sneer deepened. "Interesting. In that case, why don’t you step aside and watch while I finish what I started?"With that, he reached for Tessa’s arm, ignoring Adam’s presence entirely.Adam’s fist clenched, his anger reaching a boiling point. "Don't even think about it," he growle
Ethan lay slumped on the ground, a look of utter shock etched across his face.Kelvin, cornered and panicked, scrambled backward. "Stay back! What do you want from me?" His voice trembled, the fear in his eyes unmistakable. He hadn’t anticipated Adam’s audacity – his willingness to cross the line without hesitation.Adam didn’t bother to answer. With a swift motion, he swung his foot directly into Kelvin’s side.Kelvin’s eyes widened as a sharp pain exploded through his ribs, sending him sprawling onto the floor. He writhed in agony, struggling to catch his breath, the pain consuming him.Adam planted his foot firmly on Kelvin's face, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Consider this a warning," he growled. "If you ever try something like this again, I’ll make sure you don’t get up."Ignoring Kelvin’s pitiful state, Adam turned his attention to Tessa. She looked fragile and pale, barely holding herself together after the ordeal. Adam knelt beside her, gently pulling her clothing aside just