Page 195 of The Contract

"It’s Lucian."

"Adrian just got picked up for assault."

There’s a pause.

"I’ll make it slow."

The call ends and regret hits me like a freight train.

For the first time in years, I don’t know what to do.

Behind me, the room settles, the chaos dissipating into a tense, weighted silence.

Calloway leans forward and picks up Elena’s phone from the pile of Adrian’s discarded belongings. His expression dark and unreadable.

Marcus exhales sharply, rubbing his temple. Then he moves toward our attorneys, speaking in low, controlled tones.

They’re likely strategizing a press conference?—

Figuring out how to minimize the fallout.

How to contain the damage of an arrest inside Wolfe Industries.

But I don’t give a single fuck about any of it.

Not the merger.

Not the media.

Not the fucking empire I built.

Because all I can think about is Elena walking away.

Not even looking at me.

My pulse thunders, my chest tightening with something unbearable.

A long, excruciating beat passes before Calloway stands and joins me by the widows.

His voice is cool. Calculated.

Laced with disappointment. "She saved your ass, Wolfe."

I swallow hard, my jaw locking.

I know it.

Marcus knows it.

Everyone in this fucking room knows it.

Elena walked in here today and handed me my salvation?—

After I kicked her out of my life just yesterday.

She could have just pressed her charges against Adrian, but she wanted to destroy him.

Make sure his family knew what a piece of shit he was. That it was him tanking the deal. Leaking the merger information to the press.

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