Chapter 116

Desmond’s POV

The air inside my office was heavy with tension as I returned from dinner with Laila. Her sweet smile lingered in my mind, but not for the reasons she might have hoped. It wasn’t love or admiration that drove my interest in her—it was the plan. The perfect, calculated plan to take over her father’s company, just like I had taken Miranda’s. Miranda, my late wife, who had trusted me blindly. She never saw it coming.

I leaned back in my chair, running my hand through my hair, as the memories of how I had betrayed Miranda flooded back. I had manipulated her into loving me, all the while scheming to take her company. And when she became an obstacle, I removed her. It was a necessary evil. Now, with Laila back in London and running her late father’s empire, I saw my next golden opportunity.

But she was no fool. Laila was sharper, more resilient, and deeply protective of her father’s legacy. Winning her trust—and her hand—would require more finesse. I