Lydia Arkwright did not believe in coincidences.
Not in love.
Not in power.
And certainly not in women who appeared out of nowhere and captured Adrian Voss's attention in a single evening.
She sat at the bar long after Amara left, swirling the amber liquid in her glass slowly, eyes fixed on Adrian's retreating figure across the restaurant.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Adrian did not notice women easily. He had never been the type to. He was distant, controlled, immune to charm. That was what had frustrated her most during the years they had danced dangerously close to something like a relationship.
He never let anyone too close.
And yet tonight… he had looked at that girl differently.
Lydia's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
She would find out why.
The Next Day
Amara stood outside the towering glass building that housed Voss International, staring up at it with carefully contained emotion.
This was the heart of the empire that had destroyed her life.
And now she was walking straight into it.
Her phone vibrated.
Unknown number again.
She already knew.
"You're late," Adrian said calmly when she answered.
"You didn't invite me," she replied.
"I did."
"You invited me to dinner. Not to your headquarters."
A pause.
"I sent someone to follow you," he admitted without hesitation.
Her steps slowed.
"You what?"
"Relax," he said quietly. "Not for control. For protection."
"From what?" she asked sharply.
"From anyone who might be watching you."
Her pulse spiked.
Lydia.
Of course.
She recovered quickly. "You have trust issues, Mr. Voss."
"Yes," he agreed. "But I also have good instincts."
She reached the entrance.
Security guards nodded as she passed through, clearly expecting her.
"Come to the top floor," Adrian said. "I'd like to show you something."
Amara hesitated only briefly before entering the elevator.
The doors slid shut.
And suddenly, she was enclosed in glass and steel, rising into the lion's den.
His World
The top floor was quiet. Immaculate. Designed to impress without shouting.
Adrian stood near the windows when she arrived, hands in his pockets, gaze focused on the city below.
He didn't turn when he spoke.
"You hate this place."
It wasn't a question.
Amara paused just inside the room. "You don't know anything about what I hate."
He turned slowly.
"I know you walked into my building like someone walking into a memory."
Her expression didn't change.
"You're imagining things," she said calmly.
"Perhaps." His gaze softened slightly. "But I'd like to know you anyway."
That unsettled her more than suspicion ever could.
He gestured toward a set of documents on the table.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Files," he said. "Companies my father destroyed. People who lost everything because of him."
Her breath caught before she could stop it.
"I've been reopening negotiations," he continued quietly. "Offering restitution. Financial support. Legal aid."
She stared at him.
Why was he showing her this?
"Why tell me?" she asked carefully.
"Because you deserve to know I'm not blind to what this company has done."
Her voice came out softer than intended. "You can't undo the past."
"No," he agreed. "But I can refuse to repeat it."
Silence stretched between them.
Something inside Amara twisted painfully.
This was not the man she had trained herself to destroy.
"You still benefit from it," she said finally. "From everything he built."
Adrian didn't argue. "Yes."
"Then you're still complicit."
He held her gaze steadily. "Then stay close and watch me. Decide for yourself who I really am."
The words landed heavier than he likely intended.
Stay close.
Watch me.
Trust me.
That was not part of her plan.
And yet… part of her wanted to.
She turned away before he could see the conflict in her eyes.
"I should go," she said.
He didn't stop her this time.
But as she reached the door, his voice followed her.
"You're not as hidden as you think, Mira."
Her hand paused on the handle.
"And neither am I."
She left without looking back.
Across the City
Lydia sat in the backseat of her car, phone pressed to her ear.
"Yes," she said coolly. "Find out everything about Mira Laurent. Her background. Her contacts. Her real name if she has one."
A pause.
Then, softly: "Because no one catches Adrian Voss's attention without a reason."
She ended the call, gaze sharpening.
If this woman was a threat… she would remove her.
Slowly.
Precisely.
Completely.