EMBERS OF RESISTANCE

e

the ballroom with my ever-present shadow, Rake Mason, by my side. We were more than just business partne

brother, my granduncle, had fathered Rake's dad (confusing, I know). Blood ties aside, Rake was the Robin to my Batman, the W

s contract with us was a privilege most would never see. Any family that dared conduct a significant event without invitatio

r my upcoming event into an unforgettable spectacle, that would leave the entire city breathless. This wasn't just a party; i

for the

s ago. Their sole heir, this mysterious Shreya, was circling back like some phoenix rising from th

how. Shreya Wynter, the enigmatic heiress, had finally graced the event with her presence. The room fell silent, paparazz

ng through the crowd in a ripple of admiration. The chandeliers above dimmed in c

ped around her body as though it had been crafted from molten silk, accentuating every line, every curve. The backless off-the-

her shoulder and snaking along her arm, each petal etched in

ulder, a striking contrast to the rose. The wolf, poised and powerful, seemed to

that fanned out around her like waves of flame. It swirled with every step she took, a dramatic statem

the n

tricate design. It hung just above her collarbone, a subtle but profound detail as if it had been waiting for this moment t

hat made her look effortlessly perfect. Each strand seemed deliberately placed, accent

ness in her soft ocean-blue eyes, a hint of mystery that invited curiosity. This woman wasn't just walking in

rm, and the fire in her eyes were pieces of

a touch of annoyance lacing my voice. "Hiding from th

ed five years ago. She then launched her own fashion house, despite her fa

y chuckled. "Maybe there's mor

s were long gone. Now, I was the one pulling the strings, the one who held the cards. And this little game of theirs, this attempt at a c

nd. I couldn't help but stare, dissecting every detail, ev

udged me. "Dude, dial it back a

?" he teased with a smi

need to both destroy the Wynter legacy and, for some

h a blush crept up my neck. "I wouldn't

n thought, oblivious to the storm raging within me. When her name was called for the showdown, a begrudging respect settled in my g

imate power player, holding the key to her future. Should I crush her

Wynters weren't supposed to win. Especiall

ssible to ignore. Choosing Trinity would be simple; picking Shreya would be a calculat

r family wouldn't be easy-they had too many connections, even in the military, with old man Larry Wynter bei

competition anymore. This was about a game of power, a dance of

deal. Signing a contract with us would put her steps ahead of joinin

ticked off. I feigned ignorance of her name, hoping to unnerve her further. I saw he

phasizing her name, watching the way a flush crept up her cheeks

her eyes, a fire that mirrored the one burning within me. This wasn't just a competition anymore. Th

n me. Shreya Wynter, once a name whispered in hushed tones, was now a vibrant presence that consumed my th

low murmur in my ear, sent a shiver down

ll my enemy," I muttered, m

n enemy than just a face, Ace. Remember, sometimes the

repulsion, a dangerous cocktail that threatened to cloud my judgment. But I wouldn't

he was playing a role, a carefully crafted persona designed to win people over. But I saw through her f

but a quiet one the desperate clawing ambition of so many people who attended these events. It was more like she was here beca

here the stakes were high, and the consequences could be devastating. I knew I had to be careful, to keep