“The art of time,” Agnus recites our slogan.

“Exactly.”

Layla touches my arm and I smile, trying not to get caught up in the memories.

“Your sister is…” Ethan trails off. “Alicia, I suppose.”

My eyes widen. He knows, too? “But…how?”

“It wasn’t that hard. Except for the eye colour, you’re a carbon copy of her, Aurora.”

I knew Ethan and Jonathan shared a history, a bloody one at that, but I never thought Ethan was an acquaintance of Alicia’s.

Everything starts to fall into place. My gaze trails to Agnus. “Is that why you approached me?”

“I’d say we approached each other.” Agnus remains completely unaffected.

Layla and I exchange a worried glance before I focus back on Ethan. “Does this mean you never intended to invest?”

“I have thought about it. I believe that your company can have a bright future.”

“Really?” Layla and I say at the same time.

“Absolutely. I’ll pay the bank’s debt and provide a budget to boost the new product’s launch. Agnus will send you the contract and details about how we perceive our partnership.” He stands. “Until then.”

A wide grin curves my lips as I shake his hand. “Thank you so much.”

“We won’t disappoint you.” Layla shakes his hand next.

“I have no doubt.”

I clear my throat. “Would you have invested if you hadn’t figured out I’m related to Alicia?”

Layla pokes me in a reprimanding kind of way. I know what she’s thinking — that we already got the deal, so why bother ask that? However, I need to know. Call it my worth or pride or whatever.

“Probably, but it would’ve been too late by the time your file landed on my desk. Let’s say your acquaintance with Alicia, and also with Jonathan, quickened the process.”

“Jonathan?” I ask low. What does he have to do with this?

It’s taken me everything not to think about him today. There’s always that small voice in my mind telling me I poked the lion and he’ll come after me.

I know it’s paranoia, but I can’t stop thinking about it.

Damn him. I was doing just fine before meeting him again. Which was my fault for barging into his son’s wedding, but it’s not like I had a choice.

“Yes, Jonathan.” Ethan’s lips move into a predatory smile. “He won’t like it.”

Layla raises her brows at me as if saying ‘told you so’.

The rivalry between Jonathan and Ethan must run deep if they keep getting at each other’s throats. No idea how they allowed their children, who are their only heirs, to get married. Surely they know they’ll inherit their dads’ companies someday and both will probably have a full merger.

Not that I should care. As long as I have my investment, I don’t care what two kings do in their kingdoms.

The door barges open and Jessica runs in after several men. “Sir, you can’t go inside…”

My breathing shortens at the men crowding my office.

Scratch that. It’s not even about all of them. Just one man holds my attention prisoner and refuses to let go.

I can feel the blood draining from my face as I get trapped in the hurricane in Jonathan’s grey eyes.

The anger and disapproval there is so tangible, he doesn’t need words to express it. It’s like a deep, hollow well that will suck you into the unknown.

He stands at the front of four men, all of them dressed in dark suits, looking like they’re out of a corporation show.

Though Jonathan’s also wearing a suit, he manages to stand out compared to them. His larger-than-life presence conquers the air and confiscates all the oxygen. Suddenly, my office feels so small and suffocating.

I poked the lion and now, he’s come to devour me.

“Sir, please…leave,” Jessica, my assistant, tries again, throwing me awkward glances.

Even in her tries to be stern, she can’t ignore the intimidation factor Jonathan has brought with him. Like a warlord out for a battle, all peasants need to bow down upon his passing.

Jonathan’s gaze strays between me and Ethan as if we’re annoying rocks in his shoe. The complete disregard on his face shoots bolts of discomfort down my back.

This is why I hate him so much. He has the ability to rattle me after the endless years I’ve spent stabilising myself.

His next words paint my entire world black. “I’m the last one who should leave. This is my company now.”

8

Aurora

“This is my company now.”

I must’ve heard something wrong, because I think Jonathan said this is now his company.

“What are you talking about?” I meant to snap, but my voice comes out small, fearful even.

Jonathan motions at the men with him. “My lawyers will give you the acquisition papers. I bought the stocks you used as collateral with the bank.”

Layla and I take the papers with unsteady hands and study them. My eyes bulge as I stare at the bank director’s signature beside Jonathan’s.

“But he said…” Layla swallows. “He said he’d give us time.”

“Your time is up,” Jonathan continues in his haughty voice that I wish I could mute or, better yet, throw it and him out the window.

“Still,” I compose myself, even though my heart is about to leap out of my throat. “Layla and I have ninety per cent of the stocks. We only used twenty per cent each for the bank’s collateral. If you acquired forty per cent of the shares, we still have fifty combined.”

Jonathan smiles as if he expected me to say that. It’s a weird one, his smile. It always feels like a declaration of war and a promise to crush. Like he wouldn’t willingly smile for any other reason.

“Correction. You both combined had eighty-nine per cent of the shares. Now, it’s forty-nine.”

“It’s still more than your forty.”

“Who said I have forty? Harris.” He motions at the man beside him who’s holding a tablet and a black document on which ‘King Enterprises’ is engraved in bold golden letters with a crown on top.

Harris, a lean man who appears prim and detached, adjusts his glasses with his index and middle finger and offers me the folder. I open it the fastest I’ve ever done anything in my life.

The world starts to blacken as I see the signature beside Jonathan’s.

Lucien Vincent. Our silent investor.

“I’ve gotten in touch with your third investor and he transferred the whole eleven per cent of his shares to me. I now have fifty-one per cent and own H&H.”

“Mr Vincent can’t do that,” Layla whispers to me. “We signed a contract.”

“We did.” I jerk my spine, facing Jonathan. “The transfer of Mr Vincent’s shares is null. We signed a contract that he can’t sell his shares unless he speaks to one of us first.”

“Or in case of bankruptcy.” Jonathan’s words feel like a whip to my back. “Which is the current situation. The transfer is completely legal. Certainly, you can fight a few years in court if you feel entitled to, but you won’t win, so you might as well save your efforts and finances.”