Page 68 of Ardent Desires

“Maybe it’s time you learned that you can’t just take from others without consequence.”

Vanessa tries to interject. “We can fix this! Alex, we can work together— all three of us. This will bring in millions in profit…”

“No,” I cut her off, shaking my head. “I don’t want to work with you. Not after this. And expect to hear from my lawyers about that defamation suit.”

There is an audible murmur in the crowd.

“Then what do you want?” David asks, frustration evident in his tone. “To keep fighting? To throw everything away?”

“Yes!” I shout, surprising even myself. “I’d rather fight than let you take what I built. You think I’m going to roll over and let you win?”

The crowd murmurs, the tension thick enough to slice with a knife.

“Logan has the power now, Alex. You’re on the losing side,” David says, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“I don’t care,” I reply fiercely, a spark igniting inside me. “I refuse to be a pawn in your game.”

The meeting has turned into a battleground, and I’m not ready to back down. I glance at Vanessa, her expression a mix of regret and determination.

“Maybe I was wrong about you,” she says, taking a step closer. “But we can find a way out of this.”

I shake my head, the anger simmering beneath the surface. “There’s no way out for me anymore. You’ve both made your choices.”

Logan leans in, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “And now you’re going to have to deal with the fallout.”

“I’ll deal with it my way,” I spit back. “And I’ll make sure everyone knows the truth about you two.”

The audience gasps, and I can feel the energy shift, the tide turning in my favor.

David’s eyes widen. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, I would.” I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I’ll expose everything. You want to play dirty? Fine. Let’s play.”

With that, I turn on my heel and storm out, the weight of betrayal heavy on my shoulders but the fire of determination igniting my resolve. I can’t let them win.

Not now, not ever.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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