Chapter 80

Lauren's POV

5 YEARS LATER

The room fell silent the moment I walked in. It still surprised me sometimes, how quickly people quieted when my heels touched the floor, every eye followed me. Not because I asked for it, but because in Italy, my name had become its own weight. 

Lauren Darrow. 

A name that could sign off on millions, close deals across oceans, and ruin anyone foolish enough to stand in my way.

Once I was in the room, I picked up the small remote resting neatly on the long polished table. The glass surface reflected the faint gleam of the ceiling lights, and for a second, I caught my own determined expression staring back at me. I pressed the button, and the massive TV screen on the wall blinked to life, filling the quiet boardroom with its bright glow.

I straightened my jacket, smoothed the crease of my skirt, and exhaled slowly. For five years, I had poured everything I had into this company — late nights, en