Mikael leaned back into the sleek leather of his office chair, stretching his fingers briefly before tapping against his phone screen.
Lunch hour had settled over Marquesia, the high-rise city of ambition and excess, where fortunes were made and lost before a second cup of espresso.
He rarely took time for himself—not when deals were closing, not when markets shifted. But when his phone chimed with a transaction notification, his brows furrowed slightly.
A charge on an exclusive black card.
One he hadn't used.
One that had sat untouched for years.
Then—realization clicked.
Chloe.
His fingers drummed against the desk as he pulled up the details.
A luxury presidential suite. Fine wine. Private concierge services.
His lips curled slightly. She finally used it.
But the satisfaction was fleeting—replaced by something colder, sharper.
Because Chloe was not someone who bent easily.
She was not someone who reached for lifelines unless she had no other option.
His jaw tightened. Something must have happened.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows against the desk, staring at the purchase history like it could reveal more than just numbers.
She had been stubborn about this for years.
She had chosen pride over privilege, convinced herself that rejecting wealth meant proving her strength.
And now?
Now she had cashed in.
And Mikael knew—his little sister only did that when there was no going back.