A Warning In The Dark

Evangeline stood in the center of her new office, her eyes sweeping over the luxurious space. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in golden light, casting long shadows across the sleek marble floor. The air smelled of fresh paint and possibility.

It was hers again.

She ran her fingertips over the polished wooden desk, the weight of this moment settling in. Seven years ago, she had been forced to walk out of this office with nothing but the clothes on her back. Now, she had returned—not as a broken woman, but as one rebuilt, stronger, unbreakable.

A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

She turned just as the heavy doors swung open. A man in an impeccably tailored suit stepped inside, his expression unreadable.

Noah Blackwood.

Her most trusted ally. Her silent weapon. The man who had helped her rise from the ashes.

"You made quite the entrance," Noah remarked, shutting the door behind him.

Evangeline smirked. "Was there ever any doubt?"

Noah strode toward her, placing a thick folder on the desk. "Killian Thorne knows you're back."

The words sent a shiver down her spine, but she masked it with a slow, controlled exhale. Of course, he knew. A man like Killian didn't sit back and watch—he moved first.

She flipped open the folder, scanning the documents inside. Thorne Enterprises' latest acquisitions. A list of allies. A web of influence.

"He's been buying up properties surrounding Sinclair Plaza," Noah continued. "He's boxing you in."

Evangeline's lips curled. "Let him try."

Noah's sharp blue eyes studied her. "This isn't just a power play, Evangeline. Killian Thorne doesn't just take. He destroys."

She met his gaze, unwavering. "Then it's a good thing I didn't come back to play fair."

The room was silent for a beat before Noah sighed, shaking his head. "Just be careful. He's always a step ahead."

Evangeline closed the folder, her nails tapping against the surface. Not this time.

She had spent years studying Killian, learning the way he moved, the way he dismantled his enemies without breaking a sweat. She had become something he wouldn't expect—something more dangerous than the woman he had ruined.

She would take back what was hers.

And then?

She would bring him to his knees.