Chapter 2 - THE RULES OF THE HOUSE
The top floor of the Han Media building was a fortress. The elevator doors opened directly into a sprawling private suite overlooking the Atlanta skyline, guarded by two massive men in dark suits who didn't even blink as Ava walked past.
Daniel’s private office was minimalist, dominated by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a modern steel desk, and rows of locked filing cabinets containing things no journalist ever dared to investigate.
Ava stood in front of the massive desk, her fingers tightly gripping her portfolio.
Daniel sat in his leather chair, swirling a cup of black coffee without drinking it. He watched her for a long, agonizing minute before speaking.
“Tell me about Mitchell Carter,” Daniel said casually.
Ava blinked in surprise. “How do you know his name?”
“My security team runs background checks on every senior employee within twenty minutes of an acquisition,” Daniel replied smoothly. “Mitchell Carter is a rising star in corporate finance, deeply in debt from speculative real estate investments, and currently engaged in an extramarital affair with an heiress named Victoria Vance—the woman he was kissing at the airport.”
The words were like a physical blow. Victoria Vance. The daughter of one of the city's most ruthless real estate developers. Mitchell hadn't just been cheating on her; he had been trading up.
“He was nothing,” Ava said bitterly, her pride flashing like steel. “Three years of my life wasted on a coward.”
“He threw away a loyal woman for a temporary advantage,” Daniel observed, setting his coffee cup down. “A tactical error of the highest order. A man who miscalculates like that usually ruins everything he touches.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Ava demanded, stepping closer to the desk. “Are you here to mock me? To fire me? If you want to dismiss me because of what happened at the airport, just do it and let me go.”
Daniel stood up, towering over her. There was an intense, magnetic danger to him that made it difficult to breathe.
“Fire you?” Daniel repeated softly. “Miss Brooks, you are head of our premier investigative journalism division. You broke the city council corruption scandal last year. You are the only person in this building with a spine. Why on earth would I fire the most valuable asset I just acquired?”
Ava stared at him, bewildered. “Then what do you want from me?”
“I want an alliance,” Daniel said plainly.
“An alliance?”
“Mitchell Carter and Victoria Vance are currently trying to secure a multi-million-dollar commercial rezoning contract through illegal shell companies,” Daniel said, walking slowly around his desk until he stood right in front of her. “They are stepping into territory controlled by my family. I want to ruin them, Ava. And you want revenge.”
Ava’s breath hitched. The proposal hung in the air, glittering with danger and absolute temptation.
“And the price?” Ava whispered. “What do I have to pay to get your help?”
May you like
Daniel reached out, his knuckles lightly brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. His touch was electric, sending a shiver straight down her spine.
“You play the role you started at the airport,” Daniel murmured, his dark eyes locking onto hers. “You pretend to be my fiancée. Just long enough to destroy the people who broke your heart.”
