Amira pov


    I woke up feeling like a weight had been lifted off my chest, my heart finally back to its usual rhythm. All I could think about was Christian. As I rolled over in bed, it was like he was right there with me.


    I let out a dramatic sigh, burying my face in my throw pillow, clutching it like it was my lifeline. I really needed someone to wrap their arms around me. Tris? Yeah, not exactly the go-to for that kind offort. With a reluctant groan, I dragged myself out of bed, my mind racing with a mix of thoughts and insecurities. I shuffled over to the mirror, my eyes fixated on my reflection.


    Wow, Amira, you''re practically disappearing! I whispered to myself. Maybe it''s time to treat myself to something nice; I definitely don''t want the staff fussing over me. I threw on some clothes in a hurry.


    I bolted down the stairs, eager to drown in the chaos of the hotel''s morning scene. Stepping into the lobby, the chandeliers cast a cozy glow while the soft buzz of chatter wrapped around me like a warm nket, giving me a momentary taste of normal life. There was Tris, already parked at a table by the window, nursing his coffee like it was a lifeline.


    "Morning," I mumbled as I plopped into the chair opposite him.


    He shot me a look, half concern, half amusement. "Rough night?"


    I shrugged, avoiding his gaze like it was a pop quiz. "Just didn''t sleep well."


    Before he could dig deeper, our server swooped in to take my order. I went for my usual - coffee and whole-grain toast - trying to y it cool even though my stomach was staging a protest.


    As we munched, Tris filled me in on the day''s agenda. Meetings with potential investors, a conference call with the marketing team... but my mind was off innd, Christian''s face dancing just out of reach.


    I rolled my eyes, feeling the pressure. Seriously, ''why are we diving into business when I''m still battling morning sickness?" I kept my voice steady, locking eyes with him, and with a quick pause, I gathered my thoughts.


    "Look, I need something solid to eat, and I definitely don''t want the pack worker whipping it up. Let''s just hit the kitchen and handle it ourselves, okay?" I shed a sheepish smile, but when I tried to lighten the mood with a little tickle, he stayed as frosty as ever.


    "Can we just go already?"


    Tris''s face was as hard as stone, but he gave a quick nod. "Alright. Let''s just get this done."


    I let out a silent sigh of relief as he rose, his tall figure stretching out from the chair. We strolled to the kitchen side by side, the air between us thick enough to slice.


    As we stepped into the kitchen, the delightful scent of fresh coffee and baked treats wrapped around me, easing my nausea for a moment. I dashed to the fridge, hunting for something-anything-to quiet my rumbling stomach. "How about scrambled eggs and toast?" Tris offered, his voice a touch gentler.


    I nodded in appreciation, watching him crack eggs into a bowl with a skill that contradicted his tough exterior.


    "You know, Tris," I said, attempting to lighten the mood, "you''re not exactly the chef type."


    He raised an eyebrow, a smirk teasing the corners of his mouth. "You might be surprised at my skills."


    That brief spark of humor faded, leaving us in an awkward silence. I couldn''t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. Just days ago, our yful banter flowed effortlessly.


    As Tris ced a te of perfectly cooked eggs and toast in front of me, our eyes locked for a moment. I thought I caught a glimpse of understanding, maybe even empathy.


    "Thanks," I murmured, my voice barely audible.


    He nodded and turned away, busying himself at the sink.


    I took a bite, relishing the fluffy eggs and crispy toast. My stomach began to calm, but my thoughts were still a whirlwind.


    "You whip up meals like you''ve got a secret recipe from Tris herself! Honestly, it''s like you''ve been taking notes from that sweet olddy down the street. I mean, have you ever thought about opening a restaurant? Because I''m here for it!" I couldn''t help butugh at the thought.


    Tris kept his face as cool as a cucumber, but I could see a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "You really think I''d waste my talents on a restaurant?" he shot back, turning his attention to the sink like it was the most riveting thing ever.


    I couldn''t help butugh, feeling a little mischievous. "Ohe on, don''t knock it till you''ve tried it! You might just stumble upon a secret love for culinary arts."


    Tris let out a snort, his face still as hard as stone. "My one true passion is keeping you safe, Emily. Not dishing out eggs Benedict to random folks."


    I rolled my eyes yfully. "Well, if you keep this up, you''re definitely getting a five-star review for those eggs!"


    Out of nowhere, he spun around and shot me a look. "Emily, seriously? You''ve never whipped up breakfast since I''ve known you. Do you even know how to cook?" Oh, great. Just what I needed to hear. I grumbled under my breath.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    "Oh, excuse me!" I shot back, pretending to be all offended. "I can whip up a meal just fine, thank you very much!"


    The tall, handsome stranger with those piercing blue eyes let out augh. "Oh really? So what''s the big asion then?"


    I paused, totally thrown off. Why on earth had I decided to y chef this morning?


    "Uh, just... experimenting a little," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze like it was a pop quiz.


    His eyes stayed locked on me, like he could tell I was hiding something. "Well, whatever the reason, it smells incredible."


    I couldn''t help but smile, feeling a little flutter in my chest. Who was this guy, and why was he being so ridiculously charming?


    Just then, the toast popped up, shattering the moment. I quickly ted the eggs and handed him a fork.


    "Thanks," he said, taking a bite. His eyes went wide in surprise. "This is actually really good."


    I grinned, feeling all kinds of validated. "See? I told you I can cook."


    As we dug in, the conversation flowed like a river. He introduced himself as Max, and we chatted about everything from our jobs to our guilty pleasure TV shows. But underneath it all, my mind was racing.


    *******


    So, there I was, stuck in yet another board meeting that was just a fancy excuse for a powwow with some investors. Tris had mentioned it, but honestly, I was so not in the mood. My eyes were glued to the boring slides from earlier, and let me tell you, they were putting me to sleep.


    I couldn''t care less about the drivel on those pages; all I wanted was to wrap this up and bolt out of the office. But, of course, meetings were a thing. I nced around the room, then slouched back in my chair, staring at the ceiling like it held the answers to my prayers.


    Time''s ticking, I muttered with a heavy sigh. My mind was racing, not because I was excited to see Alpha Christian-please, no-but because I was bracing myself for that wild card, Sheh, at the meeting. Guess I''ll just sit here and wait for Tris to show up.


    Just when I was about to drift off intond, the door swung open like a scene from a movie, and in walked Tris, all swagger and authority. His gaze swept the room,nding on me for a split second before moving on like I was yesterday''s


    news.


    "Sorry for the wait," he boomed, his voice echoing like he was announcing the arrival of royalty. "Let''s dive in."


    The investors nodded, shuffling their papers like they were about to perform a magic trick, and kicked off their presentations. I pretended to care, but honestly, my mind was elsewhere.


    Sheh was the real distraction. What was she plotting this time? Last time we crossed paths, she made it crystal clear she wasn''t above ying dirty.


    As the meeting dragged on, my anxiety bubbled beneath the surface. Where was Sheh? Was she going to waltz in and drop another bomb?


    Just when I thought I might lose it, the door swung open again, and there she was, strutting in with a smirk that could light up a room.


    "Apologies for the dy, darlings," she purred, her eyes locking onto mine like she was ready for a showdown.


    I felt my palms get mmy. Here we go again.


    Tris nced at her, his face a mask of neutrality, but I could feel the tension radiating off him.


    "Wee, Sheh," he said, his voice as calm as a summer breeze. "Please, take a seat."


    Sheh slid into the chair next to me, her perfume hitting me like a ton of bricks.


    "Thanks, Tris," she said, her tone dripping with faux sweetness. "Emily, you''re looking especially... stunning today."


    I forced a smile, narrowing my eyes. Oh, it''s on.


    The investors were wrapping up their pitches, but I wasser-focused on Sheh, waiting for her to make her move. And then, just as the meeting was about to conclude, she dropped the bomb:


    "I''ve got an offer from Alpha Christian to buy out Emily''s shares."


    Silence fell like a lead balloon.


    My heart sank.


    "Are you out of your mind? How can you buy my shares when I''m the one running the show?" I chuckled internally; she was really losing it with that announcement.


    The entire room went dead quiet, all eyes shooting daggers at her. She couldn''t even bear to nce my way, while Arian, the one who came with her, hung his head in embarrassment. Seriously, how could she even entertain the idea of snatching my shares when I''m the one running this show?


    Sheh''s grin wavered for just a second, but she quickly pulled herself together. "Oh, Emily, sweetie, you''re totally missing the point. Alpha Christian isn''t trying to kick you out; he''s just... shaking up the ownership of thepany a bit." I raised an eyebrow, utterly baffled. "Shaking up? You mean handing the reins over to Christian?"


    Sheh''s gaze flitted around the room, clearly avoiding my eyes. "Well, when you phrase it like that, it sounds a bit extreme. But believe me, it''s a brilliant business move."


    Arian squirmed in his chair, his eyes glued to Sheh as if he could will her to stop digging her own grave.


    Tris''s voice sliced through the tension like a hot knife. "I think we''ve heard enough, Sheh. Emily''s shares are not up for grabs."


    Sheh shot a defiant look at Tris, her spirit igniting. "Oh, I beg to differ. You see, I have some papers..."


    She whipped out a hefty stack of documents from her bag and mmed them onto the table. The room erupted into chaos, investors shouting questions and demands like it was a free-for-all.


    I sat there, frozen, my mind racing. What on earth could Sheh have? And what was Christian''s role in all this?


    As the noise escted, Tris stood up, his presence demanding silence. "This meeting is over. We''ll reconvene when everyone has calmed down."


    Sheh''s face twisted in fury, but she gathered her things and stormed out, Arian trailing like a lost puppy.


    I turned to Tris, my voice barely a whisper. "What just went down?"


    Tris''s expression was serious. "Looks like Sheh''s ying a dangerous game. But we won''t let here out on top."


    I nodded, determination surging through me. Bring it on, Sheh.


    As the room cleared out, I grabbed Tris''s arm. "Those documents... what do you think they contain?"


    Tris''s eyes locked onto mine, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "I have no idea, Emily."