Chapter 39

The following day, Lilly dressed with purpose. She slipped into a sleek black pencil skirt that ended just above her knees, the fabric hugging her curves with an elegance that felt powerful yet restrained. Her silk blouse,neatly tucked into the waistband, added a touch of refinement. She finished the look with modest heels, the subtle click of them echoing as she moved. Her hair, pulled into a ponytail, cascaded down her back, a soft.controlled wave. A quick swipe of makeup, just enough to accentuate her features, and she was ready.

Excitement surged within her at the thought of the project consultation meeting ahead. It had been so long since she'd immersed herself in the world of business, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to step back into it.

As she made her way downstairs, she found Alexander at the breakfast table, something unusually hearty in front of him. For once, he was not consuming his usual tea and newspaper, but a substantial meal. Lilly greeted him with a cheerful, "Good morning," but he only nodded in acknowledgment, his attention focused elsewhere. She noticed a flicker of approval in his gaze as he looked her over,clearly pleased with her attire.

After breakfast, a maid quickly served her meal, and they were off to the office. During the drive, curiosity gnawed at her. She didn't know anything about the companies whose projects she would be reviewing. "Mr. Kane," she called,breaking the silence. He glanced at her briefly. "What is it?" "Istill don't know anything about the companies that submitted those projects," she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Alexander was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. "You'll be briefed during the meeting," he said, his tone clipped.

Lilly felt a knot form in her stomach. How could she understand the full scope of each company's project in just one meeting? She couldn't remember the abbreviations on the files, nor had she taken the time to look them up the day before. She had failed to prepare.

Upon arrival at the office, they entered through the main entrance for the first time, the lobby filled wvith employees going about their tasks. A few people whispered under their breath as they caught sight of Lilly.

"She's even more beautiful in person," one employee remarked in awe.

"She must have something special to be the heir to the Blake empire,"another added in hushed tones.

Yesterday, they had taken a different route to avoid the media, but today,Alexander walked with confidence, unaware-or perhaps uncaring-of the gazes and whispers following them. Lilly walked at his side, her heels clicking against the polished floor, tho ugh the sting of judgment lingered in the air. Inside the elevator, Alexander remained focused, and Lilly lagged behind,struggling to keep up with his brisk pace. James, walking beside them,noticed the slight delay and turned to her. "Sir, the meeting will start in an hour. Do you want to go to the meeting room or your office first?" Alexander, his gaze sharp and unwavering, stopped, turned to face her.James followed suit, both men seemingly aware of her slower pace. The briefest flicker ofsomething passed through Alexander's eyes, but he remained impassive. He spoke before she could react. "We'll go to the meeting room first."

"We?" James asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly confused.

Lilly smiled faintly at James's surprised expression. She was equally taken aback by the turn of events. "Yes, I'm attending the meeting," she answered, her voice confident, but with a touch of uncertainty beneath it.

James's face showed pure shock. "But... why? You don't even know anything about the projects."

Lilly's smile widened in response to his baffled expression. Before she could say anything else, Alexander's cold voice sliced through the tension."James, I want you to fire every employee who gossiped about us in my presence today. Make sure they never find a job elsewhere."

"Right away, sir," James responded, his voice stiff with compliance.

Lilly's heart skipped a beat. "Why fire them? They didn't say anything bad," she asked, her tone filled with genuine confusion.

Alexander's eyes, hard as steel, met hers for a moment before he answered with chilling detachment. "Let's go." His words were final, leaving no room for argument. Lilly had no choice but to follow, the weight of his command pressing on her chest. Inside the spacious meeting room, Lilly was handed a file with details about the companies they would be meeting with. As she flipped through the documents, reading through the first few entries with interest,something caught her eye. The last two companies were particularly striking-both projects marked in ways that felt far too familiar. Her eyes fell on the first one. ALCorp. She froze. The project she had marked "manageable" was from none other than Albert Lee's company.Her ex-boyfriend. The realization hit her like a wave, and her breath caught in her throat. She glanced up at Alexander, seated at the head of the table, but his gaze was cold,unreadable.

"Is there a problem?" he asked in a voice that sounded deceptively casual,though there was an undercurrent of something more dangerous in his tone. He knew. He had to have known it was Albert's company, yet he still insisted on her attending the meeting.

"Nothing," she said, forcing her voice to remain steady. Her pulse quickened, but she forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

She quickly moved to the last project. Her stomach churned. Blake Real Estate. The project she had marked "Redo." And then it clicked. It was her stepsister's company-the one that had been rushed, the one that lacked attention to detail. Her heart pounded in her chest as she connected the dots. Both companies were tied to her past, and now, she would be expected to evaluate them impartially.

She looked up at Alexander again. He was staring at her, his gaze unwavering. It was as though he was studying her, waiting for a reaction.His eyes flicked briefly to James, and then he spoke, his voice low but clear.

"We'll start with the Blake Real Estate company," he declared,his tone brokering no argument. James,seemingly caught off guard, nodded quickly and motioned to the coordinators. "Please bring Kate and her team in." Lilly's heart thudded in her chest as she watched the door open moments later.Kate entered with a practiced smile on her face, but when her eyes landed on Lilly sitting beside Alexander, her expression faltered.The smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a tense, clenched jaw.

Kate's eyes narrowed, her fists tightening at her sides as she took in the sight of Lilly. What was she doing here? The question was written all over Kate's face, and Lilly could feel the weight of her stepsister's gaze,sharp with something that bordered on hostility.

The tension in the room thickened. Lilly had no idea what Kate was thinking, but she could feel it in the air-the simmering undercurrent of animosity.

And then, just as the silence reached its peak, Alexander spoke, his voice calm but with a dangerous edge. "Let's begin."

Lilly's breath caught in her throat. What would happen next? How would Kate react tothe scrutiny? And, more importantly, what was Alexander really planning by putting Lilly in this position-surrounded by her past,forced to navigate a web of complications she hadn't prepared for?

The stakes had just gotten much higher.