He thought he could talk to her like that... until HE stepped in. ⚡️ You won’t believe who just walked through the door. Part 2 is about to get intense!

The air in the room instantly turned to ice. The heavy hand resting on Julian’s shoulder felt less like a touch and more like a heavy iron clamp.

Julian—a man used to buying his way out of every mistake—froze. His face, which only seconds ago had been flushed with ruthless pride, lost all its color. He slowly turned his head to look at the man beside him. The stranger stood tall, his gaze motionless and colder than the marble beneath their feet.

"Y-you own this place?" Julian stammered, his booming voice suddenly reduced to a weak whisper. The crowd around them, previously whispering and filming on their phones, went completely silent.

"Every brick, every light, and every piece of contract signed under this roof," the stranger said softly, never raising his voice. He took a subtle step forward, stepping between Julian and the woman in the red dress. He offered her his arm. "Are you alright, Maya?"

Maya looked up, her dark eyes clear of the fear Julian had mocked moments earlier. She took a slow, deep breath, placed her hand gently on the stranger’s arm, and stood up straight. "I am now, Victor."

Julian’s eyes widened in horror. They knew each other.

"You see, Julian," Victor continued, adjusting the cuff of his black suit, "you spent the last ten minutes belittling her, calling her worthless, thinking her silence was fear. But she wasn't afraid of you. She was waiting for me to finish finalizing the takeover of your company."

A murmur rippled through the onlookers. Julian’s heart dropped into his stomach. "What are you talking about? My company is private—"

"Was private," Victor interrupted, pulling a sleek leather folder from his jacket and tossing it onto the table nearby. "As of five minutes ago, my firm holds 51% of your board's shares. And as my first executive decision, I’m liquidating your position effective immediately."

Julian reached out frantically, grabbing the folder. As his eyes scanned the signature pages, the reality hit him like a physical blow. The empire he built on intimidation and arrogance was gone in a single evening.

Victor didn't wait to watch him crumble. He turned his back on Julian, looking at Maya with a faint, rare smile. "Shall we leave? The air in here has gotten a bit foul."

Without another glance at the man who had just tried to ruin her, Maya turned away, her red silk dress catching the light as she walked out beside Victor, leaving Julian alone in the middle of the room under the silent, judging eyes of everyone he had once tried to command.