The assistant standing nearby looked visibly startled. She'd been with me for a long time, and never, not even once, had she seen a werewolf dare to speak to me like that. As for me, I didn't mind in the slightest. A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I lowered my gaze to my phone, which made a buzzing sound, indicating a new message had been received. It was from Josef, with the details for the meeting, including time and location, and a flower emoji is attached at the end. I didn't even have to guess who really sent it. "Take me to this address," I instructed the driver. The meeting place was a crudo restaurant, clearly booked out by Connor. I had barely stepped out of the car when a werewolf staff member, stationed respectfully at the entrance, approached and gestured for me to follow. "Right this way, please," he said, opening the door with a formal bow. A sharp wave of cold air rushed out to greet me. The entire private room looked like it had been transformed into an ice chamber, covered with sheets of crystal-clear ice spread across the room. Inside, two figures sat waiting—Josef Reed and Connor Horton, the notorious illegitimate son of the Rampage Pack. Connor was holding a knife and meticulously slicing a piece of salmon resting on his palm, like he was crafting a delicate work of art, translucent slices of fish fanned out neatly on the ice. Josef sat with his head bowed low, tense and silent. From where I stood, I couldn't even see his expression. "You're here." Connor looked up, his lips curling into a brilliant smile. But no amount of brightness could wash away the darkness that clung to him like a shadow. My expression remained calm as I quietly took a seat across from him. At some point, he had already extracted the entire spine from the salmon, not leaving a trace of flesh clinging to the bones. "Does it look good?" Connor turned to Josef and asked in a soft tone. Josef flinched violently at the question. Only then did I notice his face was drenched in sweat, despite the frigid temperature of the room. "Yes, yes ... it looks amazing. Mr. Horton's knife skills are truly ... remarkable." He managed a nervous compliment, but the moment the words left his mouth, the smile on Connor's face faded. With a flick of his wrist, Connor tossed the pristine fish spine at Josef's feet. "Since that's what you think, you can have it," he said coldly. Josef froze in place, beads of cold sweat rolling into his eyes, but he didn't dare blink, let alone move. My brow twitched slightly, but my face remained impassive. Then, Connor turned to me. His expression transformed, all smiley and warm once again. "And what about you? Do you think it looks good?" "I'm here for business, not a performance," I replied flatly, ignoring the eerie atmosphere around me. I looked at Josef and cut straight to the point. "Mr. Reed, as per the terms we previously discussed, if you're still willing to sell me the tech park, we can sign the contract right now." His gaze flickered, eyes darting toward Connor before he could even think. "It's just ... " "It's just that the land belongs to me. If Ms. Sinclair wants it, you'll have to talk to me directly," Connor interrupted cheerfully, his voice laced with syrup and steel. A faint crease appeared between my brows. As expected, things were not going to be that simple. I had assumed Connor was merely a competitor in this negotiation. Never did I expect the outcome to be like this. The realization of being played left a bitter taste in my mouth. I pressed my lips together, then rose to my feet with quiet resolve. "Well then, that's too much trouble. I don't want that land anymore." I turned to leave, but then Connor's voice drifted softly behind me. "Ms. Sinclair ... are you sure about that?" I paused mid-step. It was undeniable—that piece of land was prime real estate. I had poured considerable effort into negotiating for it, so pretending I could just walk away was easier said than done. But I hated letting others pull my strings more. Also, at this point, I understood perfectly: Connor's true motive for this meeting was to tell me that the new heir to the Rampage Pack had returned. Everything else was just window dressing. "It's just a piece of land," I said lightly, tilting my head to the side, a faint smile curving my lips. "What difference does it make if I walk away? Mr. Horton, you are a man with big plans. I'll look forward to your accomplishments."And with that, I stepped out of the private room. But even as I walked away, I could still hear his laughter echoing behind me. The moment I stepped out of the crudo restaurant, a shiver ran down my spine involuntarily. I instinctively glanced down at the time on my phone. Initially, I'd timed this meeting perfectly: finish up negotiations with Josef, then head straight to dinner with Caden. But the plan had completely unraveled, leaving me with a handful of empty hours. After a brief moment of thought, I decided to head back to Starplay. After all, it wouldn't be long before I found myself facing a formindable rival. But that, as it turned out, wasn't the only surprise the day had in store. "Tell all department managers to organize the quarterly reports. We'll be reviewing them in tomorrow's meeting," I said, eyes fixed on the director's teaser cut playing on my laptop, and I handed a folder of documents to my assistant. She acknowledged with a quick nod and left the office, but only a few minutes passed before the door opened again. "Ms. Sinclair, here's your coffee." A low male voice sounded from above me, catching me off guard. I looked up and was greeted by a sharply defined face far too close to mine.