The conference room felt cold, clinical, and utterly detached from the storm brewing inside me. I sat at the long table, staring at the printed contract in front of me, my pen poised above the signature line. My stomach churned, not from the magnitude of the deal, but from the man seated across from me, lounging as if he owned the world—and me.
Nixus Salvatore.
He looked every bit the untouchable CEO in his tailored suit, the very definition of power and confidence. His sharp features were relaxed, but his dark eyes watched me intently, missing nothing. The corners of his mouth curved into that maddening smirk, the one I'd once fallen for and now despised.
This deal was a game to him, a chance to reel me back into his orbit. I hated that I was even considering it, but the numbers spoke for themselves. This partnership would open doors for my company that would have otherwise taken years to unlock. Still, I refused to go into this blind.
