chapter 4

(Dermont's POV)

The weight of my past sat heavy on my shoulders as I stared at my reflection in the hotel mirror. Gone was the clean-shaven businessman who once walked the halls of Gregorio Enterprises. In his place stood a man who had been hunted, a man who had learned to survive in the shadows.

My beard had grown in slightly, giving me a rougher look, and my hair was no longer styled with precision—it was slightly unkept, a reflection of the chaos within me. But the biggest difference wasn't my appearance. It was my eyes.

I looked dangerous now.

Because I was.

I had spent months keeping my head down, but that was over. The moment I saw Susan—the moment I realized what kind of life she was trapped in—something in me snapped.

I wasn't just going to reclaim my empire.

I was going to take her with me.

Even if I had to burn everything down to do it.

***

The first step was gathering my allies.

I had spent years watching my father build his empire, and if there was one thing I learned, it was that power came from loyalty. Not from blood, not from money, but from the people who would stand beside you when everything fell apart.

I still had men in the company who were loyal to my father, men who had worked under him for decades and who despised my uncle. I had to reach them carefully, making sure Brandon didn't suspect a thing.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Who is this?" a gruff voice answered.

"It's me," I said.

Silence.

Then a sharp breath. "Dermont?"

"I need to meet."

The man on the other end was Lorenzo De Luca, one of my father's oldest associates. He had been my father's right hand, a man who had built his reputation on loyalty and discretion. If anyone could help me take back what was mine, it was him.

We arranged a meeting at a secluded warehouse on the outskirts of town. I arrived early, scanning my surroundings for any signs of a trap. I had learned the hard way never to trust too easily.

When Lorenzo arrived, he looked older than I remembered, the years and stress etched into his face. But his eyes were sharp. He wasn't a man to be underestimated.

"You're supposed to be dead," he said, crossing his arms.

"I got lucky."

He studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Your uncle's been running things into the ground. The company's bleeding. Investors are losing faith. He's reckless, and he's paranoid. If you want to take him down, now's the time."

"That's exactly what I plan to do," I said. "But I need people. People I can trust."

Lorenzo nodded. "There are still men who believe in your father's legacy. If they know you're alive, they'll stand with you."

"Then get them together," I said. "We're going to take back everything he stole."

---

As I left the meeting, my thoughts drifted back to Susan.

She had no idea how deep I had fallen for her.

At first, it had been curiosity—just an urge to understand why a woman like her would stay with a man like Greg. But the more time I spent with her, the more I saw how trapped she was.

And it made me furious.

She was strong. I could see it in her eyes, in the way she fought to hold herself together. But she had convinced herself that she had no choice, that Greg was her only option.

She was wrong.

She had me.

And I would do anything to make her see that.

I had been patient. I had waited, given her space. But I wasn't waiting anymore.

Tonight, I was going to tell her everything.

About my past. About who I really was.

And about my plan to get rid of Greg—permanently.

I pulled out my phone and sent a message.

Dermont: Meet me at the Regal Hotel. Suite 1209. Tonight.

Seconds later, the reply came.

Susan: Why?

Dermont: Because I need you to know the truth.

She didn't reply right away, but I knew she would come.

She had to.

---

That night, I paced my hotel room, my mind racing with possibilities.

Would she walk away? Would she be scared of me when she learned who I really was?

Or would she finally see that I wasn't just some man who wanted to help her?

I was a man who needed her.

A knock at the door made my heart pound.

I took a deep breath and opened it.

Susan stood there, her arms wrapped around herself, as if she was debating whether or not to run. Her blue eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"You came," I said, stepping aside.

She hesitated, then stepped in.

The air in the room shifted.

It was just the two of us now.

Alone.

And I had no intention of letting her go.