Ava Bennett was certain about one thing.
Damien Laurent was dangerous.
Not because he was cruel.
Not because he shouted.
Actually...
That was what made him more dangerous.
He was calm.
The kind of calm that made people wonder what he was thinking.
The kind of man who could destroy someone’s life with a single phone call and still sleep peacefully at night.
At least...
That was what Ava believed.
Until she saw him that morning.
Not in a luxury office.
Not surrounded by assistants.
But standing alone outside a hospital.
Her hospital.
The same place where her father had spent months recovering after losing everything.
Ava stopped walking.
Why was he here?
Then she saw the flowers in his hand.
And for some reason...
That annoyed her more.
Because she wanted him to be exactly what she expected.
Cold.
Heartless.
Unreachable.
It was easier to hate someone like that.
But this?
This complicated everything.
She walked closer.
"Are you following me now?"
Damien turned.
He looked surprised to see her.
Then his expression returned to normal.
"I could ask you the same thing."
Ava crossed her arms.
"My father is here."
"I know."
The answer came too quickly.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You know?"
Damien looked at the flowers.
"I came to see him."
Ava laughed softly.
A humorless laugh.
"You expect me to believe that?"

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"No."
His honesty caught her off guard.
"No?"
Damien looked at her.
"I don't expect you to believe anything I say."
A pause.
"I haven't given you a reason to."
For some reason...
That answer silenced her.
Because she expected arrogance.
Excuses.
A billionaire protecting his image.
Not accountability.
Not this.
Before she could respond, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Ava noticed.
Something was wrong.
He answered.
"Speak."
A few seconds passed.
Then his jaw tightened.
"Who leaked it?"
Silence.
"I don't care how much it costs. Find out."
He ended the call.
Ava watched him.
"What happened?"
Damien looked at her.
Then away.
"It's nothing."
She almost smiled.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The billionaire's answer."
His eyes returned to hers.
"You mean?"
"You say nothing when it's obviously something."
A small silence passed between them.
Then Damien sighed.
"My company has a problem."
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"And you’re telling me because?"
"Because it involves your father's case."
That changed everything.
Her expression hardened.
"What do you mean?"
Damien looked toward the hospital entrance.
"Someone leaked old documents."
"Which documents?"
"The ones proving your father was blamed for something he didn't do."
Ava froze.
"Who leaked them?"
"I don't know."
"And why does that matter?"
His eyes met hers.
"Because whoever leaked them had access to information only someone inside my company should have."
Ava stared at him.
For the first time...
She saw it.
Damien Laurent wasn't just trying to protect himself.
Someone was attacking him too.
"So what?"
She asked.
"What do you want from me?"
Damien stepped closer.
Not too close.
Just enough for her to feel the seriousness in his voice.
"I want to find the person who destroyed your father's life."
Ava looked at him.
"And why would you care?"
A question.
Simple.
But heavy.
Damien didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
"Because if someone used my company to ruin an innocent man's life..."
His expression darkened.
"I want them exposed."
Ava studied him.
Trying to find the lie.
Trying to find the hidden motive.
But she couldn't.
And that scared her more.
"What are you offering?"
Damien looked at her.
"A partnership."
She almost laughed.
"You and me?"
"Yes."
"You really think I would work with you?"
"No."
His answer was immediate.
"That's why I'm asking."
Ava looked away.
This man was impossible.
"You know this is a terrible idea, right?"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The first real one she'd seen.
"Most things worth doing are."
And for the first time...
Ava wondered if Damien Laurent wasn't the villain in her story.
Maybe...
He was just another person trying to uncover the truth.
But she didn't know the most important thing yet.
Because while Ava was trying to figure out whether she could trust Damien..
Someone else was watching them.
And they were terrified.
Because if Damien and Ava discovered the truth...
An entire empire would fall.