Chapter 17
“You okay?” Quinn murmured from behind her, his voice low with concern.
Allison didn’t turn around right away. Her father’s death had always been a wound she carried close to the chest.
She forced a smile and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m fine ”
But then her expression shifted–something cold flickered in her eyes. “Can you help me?” she asked quietly. “I want to take the
Rockwoods down. All of them.”
Quinn didn’t even hesitate. “Anything you want, I’m in. Whatever you can’t finish…. I’ll handle the rest.”
Hegently smoothed a hand over her head, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
Allison nodded, then leaned in and wrapped her arms around him.
She didn’t know when it had started, but something about Quinn had become different, With him, she didn’t have to pretend. She
could just be
With Quinn’s support, Allison secured full control of Winters Group and took over as acting CEO. And once she was firmly in place, she
made her move,
She bought up Rockwood Holdings‘ struggling projects for pennies on the dollar.
She deliberately tanked their growth trajectory. And when the time was right, she dumped a sizable chunk of inherited stock–sending
the Rockwood shares into chaos.
Alexander scrambled to keep up.
Every attempt to meet with her was shut down.
The gifts he sent? Returned unopened
He was drowning in debt, the company hemorrhaging money, and nothing he did could slow the bleeding.
One day, Alexander showed up outside the Winters Group headquarters, waiting to catch her in person.
When he saw her step out of the lobby, dressed in an immaculate white suit, hair swept into a sleek updo, he froze.
She looked… powerful. Poised. Untouchable.
He couldn’t stop staring
“Allie,” he called out, moving toward her like a man half–drunk. “Can we talk?
There was no arrogance left in his voice just desperation.
She didn’t spare him a glance. “There’s nothing to talk about. My only goal is to destroy you.”
Alexander blocked her path. “What about your father’s death?” he blurted.
That stopped her.
She turned sharply. “What did you just say?
“There’s more to it than you know,” he said, voice tight. “I swear it wasn’t what it seemed.”
Allison hesitated, just for a moment.
Then, against her better judgment, she followed him.
He took her to a restaurant she used to dream about–one she’d mentioned a hundred times but never visited. Along the way, he tried to
fill the silence with old memories.
Chapter 17
“You remember that time I rescued you?” he said, forcing a smile. “You were terrified. I told you everything would be okay.”
“Or when you brought me chocolate and said you liked me you were so nervous.”
“And my birthday, when you kissed me first. God, I was so happy.”
She said nothing. Just watched the city blur past through the window.
Everything he mentioned belonged to a different lifetime.
What was he doing? Trying to buy forgiveness with nostalgia?
They arrived, and she stepped out of the car without a word.
He had rented out the entire restaurant.
He wheeled over a cart of wine and flowers himself, poured her a glass, even sat down at the piano to sing a love song–one she had once told him she liked.
He’d remembered.
Back then, she’d dreamed of moments like this.
But he’d ignored her. Dismissed her. Thought she wasn’t worth the effort.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard her.
He just didn’t think she deserved it.
“Alexander,” she said flatly, tossing the bouquet aside. “Get to the point. I’m not getting back together with you. And I’m not calling off my plans.”
His smile faltered. The sadness in his eyes deepened.
He wanted to beg her for a truce–for
for mercy. But he also wanted her back
“Allie I really did fall in love with you.”
“I don’t love you.”
Her words sliced through him.
He fell silent, swallowing whatever else he had left to say.
Minutes passed.
Then finally, in a hoarse whisper, he spoke again. “It wasn’t the argument that triggered your dad’s heart attack.”
Allison’s expression tightened.
“It was Sarah,” Alexander said slowly. “She paid someone to slip him a muscle relaxant. It weakened his heart. The attack was inevitable after that.
