Storm Moretti didn't even look at me when he said those words. He stood holding a glass of bourbon while his attorney slid a contract across the desk toward me.

The headquarters of Vanguard Holdings in downtown Manhattan hummed with nervous tension.

By nine o’clock the next morning, the grand executive boardroom on the fiftieth floor was packed to capacity. Board members in bespoke suits murmured anxiously among themselves, glancing toward the empty chairman’s seat at the head of the long mahogany table.

At the far end of the room sat Richard Vance. He wore a triumphant, self-satisfied smirk, casually tapping a gold pen against the polished wood as if he had already won the war.

“Gentlemen,” Vance began, standing up and clearing his throat to command the room's attention. “We all know why we’re here today. The leadership of this company requires absolute focus, uncompromised stability, and—above all—predictability. Unfortunately, recent events involving Mr. Moretti’s personal life have introduced unacceptable liabilities into our operations. A hidden family, a scandal waiting to break—”

Clack.

The heavy double doors at the end of the boardroom swung open with a sharp, echoing sound.

Every head in the room snapped toward the entrance.

Storm Moretti walked in. He didn't look like a man defending his position; he looked like an emperor reclaiming his throne. His stride was effortless, his posture immaculate, and his dark eyes swept across the room with absolute dominance.

But it was who walked beside him that made the entire boardroom gasp in absolute shock.

Me.

I wore a sharp, tailored ivory pantsuit, my head held high, my posture composed and unwavering. And walking right between us, holding both of our hands with complete innocence, was Leo—dressed in a miniature suit, happily swinging his arms as if we were walking into an amusement park.

Vance’s smug smile instantly vanished, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief and panic.

“Storm!” Vance sputtered, stepping forward from his seat. “What is the meaning of this? You brought a woman and a child into a secure corporate meeting? This isn't a playground!”

Storm didn't even dignify Vance with a direct look. He walked steadily toward the head of the table, pulling out the chairman’s chair for me first. I sat down gracefully, with Leo climbing smoothly into the seat beside me, kicking his little legs happily under the table.

Only then did Storm take his place at the head of the table, resting his hands flat on the polished wood.

“Mr. Vance,” Storm said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the silent room, dripping with razor-sharp ice. “You called an emergency meeting to discuss my stability and my family. Allow me to save you the trouble of your presentation.”

Vance sneered, trying to recover his footing in front of the startled board members. “Stability? Moretti, you’re bringing a bastard child and a discarded mistress into the heart of a multi-billion-dollar corporation! The press will crucify us by noon!”

“The press won't publish a single word, Richard,” a calm, professional voice echoed from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see federal agents in dark suits stepping into the boardroom, led by a senior official holding a thick manila folder.

Vance’s face turned the color of ash. “What is the meaning of this? Who let federal agents into this building?”

“Director Harrison, federal intelligence,” the lead agent announced, flashing his badge before walking straight up to Vance’s side. “Richard Vance, you are under arrest for corporate espionage, insider trading, and securities fraud.”

Panic erupted around the room. Board members shouted over one another, standing up from their seats as the agents moved in, slapping cold steel handcuffs around Vance’s wrists.

“This is a setup!” Vance shrieked, struggling as the agents pulled him toward the exit, his eyes fixed with pure venom on Storm. “Moretti framed me! You can't do this! You’re destroying Vanguard from the inside!”

“Vanguard was built to last, Richard,” Storm replied coldly, not even blinking as his rival was dragged out of the room. “You were just a leak we finally decided to plug.”

The heavy boardroom doors slammed shut, leaving behind a profound, stunned silence.

Every single board member sat frozen in their seats, staring in awe not just at Storm, but at the woman and child sitting calmly at the head of the table.