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Before I can speak, Max cuts in, voice sharp enough to slice through the growing tension.

"Say one more word," he growls, "and I swear?—"

Heather holds up her hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I’m just saying...not everyone thinks your little love nest is as sweet as you do."

Her eyes gleam, malicious and mean.

I should walk away. I know that. I’ve spent years mastering the art of restraint, of picking my battles.

But when I see the smug tilt of her chin, the way she looks at me like I’m nothing but a mistake waiting to happen, something inside me snaps.

“Why are you such a bitch? Honestly, you’re not worth even a moment of my time. You never were.”

I turn, forcing myself to move slowly, deliberately, toward the doors. Max falls into step beside me immediately. We’re almost to the parking lot when Heather’s voice cuts through the cool night air, too close behind us.

"You know he’ll get bored, right?" she calls. "All of them will. You’re a brand new shiny toy right now, but give it time. That kind of devotion? It never lasts. Especially not for someone like you."

I stop walking.

Max stiffens beside me, ready to intervene, but I lift a hand to stop him. This is mine to handle.

I turn slowly, meeting Heather’s gaze head-on.

"No amount of scheming or lies will ever change the fact that they chose me," I tell her.

Heather laughs—a joyless sound that echoes too loudly in the open air. But there’s something desperate in her eyes now that unnerves me.

“And even if they walk away from me, they will never choose you. I promise you that.”

She spins on her heel and stalks away, muttering under her breath.

Max exhales, tension rippling out of him in waves.

"This isn’t over," he mutters, more to himself than to me.

No.

It isn’t.

Chapter43

Sebastian

The call comes in just after midnight.

I almost ignore it—who would be calling this late at night? But the number flashing on my private line isn’t one I can afford to dismiss.

"Talk," I bark the second I answer.

"There’s been a breach attempt," the head of my internal security team says. "Someone’s been trying to access Genevieve St. Claire’s financials."

I go cold.

I set up alerts on all of us after I found out that Dom betrayed me. Financials, communications, movements—everything monitored through systems Dom never had access to. I wanted to make sure that if he tried anything again, I’d know before he made it to the starting line.

"Who?"

"We're still tracking the exact point of origin, but it’s deliberate. Whoever it is knows how to cover their tracks."