Chapter 3

A tall man leaning against the bar.

Dark hair. Sharp eyes.

Alexander Knight.

One of the most powerful investors in the country.

And a longtime ally of the Hawthorne family.

Alexander approached her with a relaxed smile.

"Bella."

Only a few people were allowed to call her that.

Isabella's expression softened slightly.

"Alexander."

He studied her thoughtfully.

"You're finally back in the game."

"I never left," she replied lightly.

Alexander chuckled.

"I also heard Adrian Sterling has been meeting with you."

Her gaze cooled.

"Business only."

Alexander raised an eyebrow.

"I hope so."

Across the ballroom, Adrian had just arrived.

The moment he stepped inside, he saw her.

Isabella stood beneath the chandelier, radiant in a deep red evening gown.

More beautiful than he remembered.

And standing beside her…

Another man.

Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly.

He recognized him immediately.

Alexander Knight.

A dangerous rival in both business and influence.

Adrian walked toward them.

When he stopped beside Isabella, Alexander gave him a faintly amused glance.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Sterling."

Adrian's voice was calm.

"Mr. Knight."

The air between the two men felt instantly tense.

Isabella noticed the silent confrontation and sighed internally.

She turned to Adrian.

"Is there something you need?"

Adrian hesitated briefly.

"I wanted to speak with you."

Alexander smirked.

"About business?"

Adrian answered evenly.

"Yes."

But everyone present knew the truth was more complicated.

Later that evening, Isabella stepped out onto the balcony for fresh air.

City lights stretched endlessly below.

Moments later, footsteps sounded behind her.

Adrian.

"You've been avoiding me," he said quietly.

She didn't turn.

"I've been busy."

"With Alexander Knight?"

Isabella finally glanced over her shoulder.

"Is that any of your concern?"

Adrian's expression darkened.

"I just want to know where I stand."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally Isabella said calmly,

"Mr. Sterling, I think you're misunderstanding something."

Her gaze was steady.

"Our relationship ended three months ago."

"Whatever I do now has nothing to do with younow."

The words were sharp but honest.

Adrian felt them hit harder than he expected.

Still, he asked quietly,

"Is there really no chance for us?"

Isabella looked at him for several seconds.

Memories flickered briefly in her mind.

Three years of love.

Three years of believing he was her future.

But those days were gone.

She finally spoke.

"Adrian…"

It was the first time she had called him by his name since they reunited.

But the softness lasted only a moment.

"I don't walk backward."

Then she turned and walked back into the ballroom.

Leaving Adrian alone beneath the night sky.

The financial news broke three days later.

Sterling Group stock suddenly plunged eight percent in a single morning.

Inside the Sterling headquarters, the atmosphere was suffocating.

Adrian Sterling stood in the conference room staring at the giant screen displaying the market chart.

Red numbers.

All red.

His chief financial officer wiped sweat from his forehead.

"Someone is shorting our stock aggressively."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"How much?"

The CFO hesitated.

"…Hundreds of millions."

The room fell silent.

Adrian already knew what that meant.

This wasn't ordinary speculation.

Someone powerful was deliberately pushing Sterling Group toward a liquidity crisis.

"Find out who it is," Adrian said coldly.

But before anyone could respond, his assistant rushed into the room.

"Mr. Sterling… we already know."

The assistant swallowed nervously.

"It'sKnight Capital."

The name hit the room like thunder.

Everyone knew what that meant.

Alexander Knight.

One of the youngest hedge-fund giants on Wall Street.

A man famous for dismantling billion-dollar companies with surgical precision.

Adrian's fingers slowly curled into fists.

"Why would he target us?"

No one dared answer.

But Adrian already suspected.

Because three nights ago—

Alexander Knight had been standing beside Isabella.

Across the city, Isabella sat inside the top floor office of Knight Capital.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire financial district.

Alexander Knight stood beside her, sleeves rolled up, studying the market charts.

"Sterling Group is overleveraged," he said calmly.

"They expanded too fast after the acquisition."

He tapped the screen.

"If we apply pressure here…"

Another graph appeared.

"…their cash flow collapses within three months."

Isabella watched the screen quietly.

"Will it destroy the company?"

Alexander glanced at her.

His dark eyes held a faint smile.

"Do you want it destroyed?"

She didn't answer immediately.

Instead she looked down at the city below.

Three years of memories flickered through her mind.

Late nights.

Small apartments.

Dreams she had once shared with Adrian.

Then the press conference.

She died.

Isabella finally spoke.

"I only want fairness."

Alexander chuckled softly.

"That's a dangerous word in finance."

He leaned against the desk beside her.

"But if fairness means bankrupting Sterling Group…"

His voice lowered slightly.

"…I can arrange that."

For the first time, Isabella looked directly at him.

"You're helping me a lot, Mr. Knight."

Alexander met her gaze steadily.

"I told you to call me Alexander."

She raised an eyebrow.

"And why are you helping me, Alexander?"

His smile deepened.

"Because I like watching arrogant men panic."

He paused.

Then added calmly—

"And because I like you."