Chapter 26

Emilia lay against Sebastian's chest, her breath still uneven, her skin flushed and warm from the fire they'd ignited. His fingers traced on her back, but there was nothing idle about the way his hand held her—like she was something fragile that he refused to let slip through his grasp.

But Emilia wasn't fragile tonight. Not anymore.

She rose, slowly, deliberately, and looked down at him. Her eyes, still stormy with everything left unsaid, pierced him with an unflinching honesty. "I didn't come here to be safe," she whispered. "I came here because you make me feel like I can finally breathe."

Sebastian sat up, his arms resting loosely around her waist. "Then stay. Breathe with me.

She swallowed, her fingers brushing the scar along his collar bone. "You're the first thing that feels real. And I needed to feel something real tonight."

Their mouths collided again—hungry, urgent, unrestrained.

Emilia pushed him back onto the mattress with a strength born not of aggression, but of need. Her hands explored every inch of him as if memorizing the man who had stirred something primal in her. And Sebastian didn't resist. He let her take control, let her pour every ounce of confusion, passion, and unspoken pain into the way she touched him, kissed him, moved with him.

"You're mine tonight," she whispered into his ear, biting gently at his neck. "Say it."

He groaned against her skin, pulling her tighter. "I've always been yours."

The room was filled with the sound of their bodies, of unfiltered emotion spilling out with every breath, every kiss, every clenched teeth and moaned names.

By the time the storm subsided, they were a tangle of limbs and rapid heartbeats. Sebastian lay beneath her, breathless and open. Emilia's head rested on his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart like it was a secret only she was allowed to hear.

Because for the first time in her carefully curated, painfully guarded life—Emilia Stone had something she didn't want to lose.

And his name was Sebastian Lores.

.....

NEXT MORNING

Emilia stood in front of the full-length mirror in her private office, her reflection calm and regal. The storm inside her, however, was anything but. Everything had built up to this moment—deception, betrayal, and buried secrets clawing at the surface. But not anymore.

She turned away from the mirror, her heels clicking purposefully against the marble floors. Her assistant, Tasha , entered with a subtle nod. "The board is waiting, Ms. Stone. And the audit team just confirmed your suspicions. The funds were funneled through multiple shell companies, all leading back to Marcus Vane."

Emilia's jaw clenched, but her voice remained steady. "Then it's time."

She walked into the boardroom with the poise of a woman who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The room fell silent at her entrance. Marcus sat confidently at the head of the table, his usual smugness on full display—until Emilia dropped a thick folder in front of him.

"Care to explain this?" she asked coolly.

Marcus glanced at the documents, and for a split second, his mask faltered.

"Financial discrepancies," Emilia continued, "unauthorized international transfers, and records of meetings you claimed never happened. I had everything double-checked by forensic accountants. You were selling out this company piece by piece."

He scoffed, reaching for the papers. "This is absurd—"

"I'm not done." Emilia's voice sliced through the tension. "You didn't act alone. Liam Ford helped override server security. Penelope provided backdoor access to confidential communications. I have statements. I have evidence. And I have zero tolerance left."

Gasps echoed through the room. Penelope turned pale, and Liam avoided her gaze.

Marcus stood, trying to salvage what little dignity remained. "You don't have the authority—"

"I do now." Emilia reached into her bag and pulled out a document bearing the signatures of the major shareholders. "A vote of no confidence. Effective immediately, you are relieved of your position, and criminal proceedings will begin shortly."

Marcus lunged forward, but security was already moving. Two guards escorted him out as he ranted, his voice growing fainter with every step.

Penelope and Liam were next.

As the door closed behind them, Emilia slowly sat down at the head of the table. For the first time in weeks, the silence felt like peace.

"This company is no longer run by cowards in suits or thieves in silk ties," she said, meeting the eyes of every board member. "It's run by those who remember why it was built in the first place."

There was a ripple of applause—quiet at first, then building in strength.

When the meeting ended, Emilia returned to her office, closing the door behind her. Her hands shook slightly as she leaned on her desk. It was over. The war within the company had finally been won. And still, there was one more person she needed to see.

Sebastian.

Her sanctuary.

Her fire.