Chapter 3

Six years later. Inside the Branwell family's private club, everything reeked of luxury-designer gowns, polished shoes, glasses clinking, and not a single guest here wasn't a part of Cavelle City's elite. Tonight was a big deal: the welcome-back party for Fraser, the younger son of the Branwell family, who had just returned from overseas and was officially taking over the company. Bellamy nursed a glass of fruit wine as she curled up in one of the corners. One after another, young men tried to ask her for a dance, but every time she looked up and cracked a smile, they'd all awkwardly nod and scoot away. Well, fled was more like it. She wasn't just anyone-Bellamy had a rep. Ruthless, cunning, sharp-tongued, straight-up terrifying. No one in the business world thought she played nice. She took over the Hawkins family business at twenty, dragged it out of the red, and somehow managed to survive in Cavelle City's brutal corporate climate, where nice guys didn't even make it past breakfast. A woman like her? Definitely not someone average guys could handle. But let's be real-the reason most men steered clear of Bellamy had a name: Fraser. The Hawkins company might've still had a heartbeat, but not thanks to some miracle move of hers-it was because she belonged to Fraser. For six years, he'd been half a world away, but every time she needed him, he showed up, no question, no delay. Even if she was just Fraser's "secret" lover-or whatever label people wanted to slap on that-no guy in their right mind dared mess with her. A few rounds of drinking in, Fraser finally showed. As soon as he walked in, all eyes were on him-hard to blame them. Loaded and easy on the eyes? Deadly combo. He was in a sleek black suit that hugged every line of his tall frame just right. Strong, composed, with that quiet power that caught your attention without even trying. His features were sharp, his eyes deep-set, lips thin and pressed-he didn't need to say a word to radiate that ‘hands-off' allure. Honestly, if anyone embodied pure sex appeal, it was Fraser. Then he looked in her direction. The second their eyes met, Bellamy casually took a sip of her wine, then ran her tongue over the rim of her lips to catch a drop. Fraser froze where he was, throat moving with a small gulp he didn't even seem aware of. She had on a crimson floor-length dress that skimmed just above her ankles. Her bare shoulders and porcelain collarbones glinted under the lights-both innocent and seductively bold. Normally she didn't wear makeup, but tonight her lips were a striking red, matching that dress in a way that was way too intentional. Six years had passed, and his Bellamy wasn't the same girl who used to cry in his arms like the world was ending. She had grown into herself-bolder, more dangerous, impossible not to notice. He'd shown her exactly how to transform from a fragile kitten into a quiet killer dressed in silk and smiles. Then came the speech. Fraser took the mic from the host and kept it short and sharp. "Thanks for coming tonight. From this moment on, I'm officially stepping in as President of Branwell Corporation. I'll see you all on the battlefield-go easy on me, will you?" His voice was low, clean, and hit the ears like velvet and steel. Made your skin tingle whether you liked it or not. It made Bellamy flash back to those nights where his whispers dug way too deep into her bones. She suddenly felt a little warm all over. Topping off the last of her drink, she tilted her head back and drank it all down. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught Fraser chatting up some gorgeous woman. The woman was in a white mermaid dress-graceful, glowing, with lips all shiny and pink. Like, the kind of lips that made people wanna lean in and take a bite. Bellamy narrowed her eyes and slammed her glass down with a dull thud. The girls nearby flinched, clearly spooked. She gave them a soft apologetic smile, then turned and strutted toward Fraser, heels clicking confidently. Halfway there, she suddenly stopped, twisted on her heel, and walked right back the way she came.