"No..."

"That’s all I’m giving you. Don’t ask me for anything else. Don’t. I’ll have Reese drive you back. I have some things to take care of at Tribeca. You have the site activities handled?"

Ivy nodded mutely, her throat too tight for words.

"Work closely with the architect. I’ll see you tomorrow." His composure might have returned, but the chaos underneath was still simmering.

"Okay." Ivy’s reply came out barely above a whisper. She took a small step back, forcing herself to breathe evenly. She didn’t look back as she walked out toward Reese waiting by the car. But Winn did.

He watched her retreat, his jaw clenched, every muscle in his body coiled with the restraint of a man trying desperately not to go after what he wanted most.

****

"What is this nonsense I am seeing, Winn?" Sharona’s shrill voice echoed through the massive Tribeca home the moment he stepped inside.

"Is this why you didn’t want me at the groundbreaking ceremony? To parade your little runaway slut in front of the cameras?"

Winn handed the slim file in his hand to her as if she were his assistant, not his wife. "Sign it."

"You have got to be kidding me." She let out a hollow laugh.

"Again with this, Winn? Really? Haven’t we done this dance enough times? I told you — I’m not signing anything until I get what’s rightfully mine." Her smile sharpened. "The rest of the Orchard fortune."

Winn’s gaze darkened as he stepped closer.

"Sharona," he said evenly, "sign it."

She folded her arms, feigning amusement. "No. You cannot make me. You might be the great Winn Kane to the world, but you forget, sweetheart — I know every one of your skeletons."

Winn’s patience snapped. "We will go to court if you keep this up."

"Then let’s go," Sharona hissed. "I will make sure the entire city knows about our sham of a marriage."

"Sharona, the city has suspected for ages already," he said calmly. "I realise I made a terrible mistake marrying you, but Ivy is back and this is going to happen whether you like it or not."

Sharona laughed. "Imagine how badly the news will hurt your business, your brand," she taunted, striding toward him with a catwalk confidence. "The press will feast on it."

"I don’t care," Winn said, his jaw tightening. "I don’t give a shit. I’d lay it all on the line for her. That’s how obsessed I am. I don’t care about anything. House of Kane can burn to the ground for all I care, the inheritance can go up in flames."

"Oh, not until I get my twenty percent, you son of a bitch!" she screamed. "You think you can humiliate me and walk away clean?"

"I will get you your percentage," he said quietly. "Just do this. I will work day and night to have a child with Ivy...."

"Are you listening to yourself?" she shrieked, stalking closer. "Are you? You are telling me... your wife how you want to fuck another woman?!!!"

"You were never my wife in anything but paperwork," he muttered. "You know that."

"Ivy will be lucky if she makes it through the month before I ruin her."

"Don’t you dare," he warned. "What we have isn’t a marriage!!! Sharona!!!" Winn’s chest heaved with fury as he raked his fingers through his hair, sending a few loose strands falling over his forehead.

"This was supposed to be done in a month tops. But you got greedy, didn’t you? Drugged me to get me to fuck you. Blackmailed me by threatening to press charges on Sylvia. And then leak to the press about our arrangement."

"And I told you countless times," she said sharply. "I said nothing to the press."

"Well, someone did!" Winn snapped. "And the only person who knows about our arrangement is us and Joey, who has as much as me to lose if everything goes to shit!" He paced the floor.

"Maybe your sister did. She knew, didn’t she?"

"She would never."

Sharona cackled. "Oh your sister isn’t so perfect, love. Nope."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Winn..." Sharona sighed, the fight momentarily draining out of her. She moved closer. "Winn, please," she murmured. "Why... why won’t you love me?"

"Is that even a question?" he asked quietly. "Would you love you?"

"I have tried my best, Winn," she whispered. "I know that I resorted to... unconventional means in the past but..." She took a hesitant step closer. "Sweetie, this isn’t even about the inheritance anymore."

Winn looked away. "I have had feelings for you since the moment we met. You know that. You chose me first." Her hand reached out, trembling, to rest on his arm.

"I remember that night you came to me. You said you needed someone bold, someone who wouldn’t bore you."

He turned his gaze back to her then, his eyes dark with regret. "I didn’t choose you," he said quietly, "I fucked you. That was it. that was all there is to it."

"Winn...love..." Sharona sighed.

"It’s not working, Sharona," he cut in sharply, the steel in his voice slicing through her performance. "Drop the act." His eyes narrowed.

"You are vicious, selfish, and self-centered. You will sign this, or we are going to court. You cannot blackmail me anymore. I will be back for this tomorrow night. It better be signed then."

"There’s no use coming back," she dared. "Let’s finish this in court."

"Fine. I will see you in court." Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and strode toward the door. Sharona stood there, watching him leave.

She probably thought he was bluffing—he always gave in eventually, always found a way to bend to her tantrums to keep the peace. But not this time.

This time, Winn Kane was willing to damn every consequence that came with defying her. Let the world burn. Let House of Kane crumble to ash. If that was the price of having Ivy back in his arms, he’d pay it gladly.

(I’m having a bit of depressing bout. I find myself detaching from this book. I feel like its not possible this is my work. I’m used to being just basic. I’m not sure if the feeling has seeped into my writing but just want to give you a heads up if the Chapters today aren’t so good. I’m sure I’ll be better after one shot of vodka though.)