Meanwhile, Kaelyn shook out her hair, freeing it from the tight bun before slipping out of the black business suit.
Loose waves tumbled over her shoulders, and the fitted black tank top traced every confident line of her figure.
Without the glasses masking her face, her breathtaking features came into full, unmistakable view.
From behind the wheel, Cole reached over with a fresh set of clothes pulled from the passenger seat.
"Kaelyn, the site's been dead for three years now. Every month, people keep hunting for Divine Cure. Want us to open orders again?"
Caught halfway through adjusting her sleeves, Kaelyn let the motion falter, her hands hovering for an instant.
"No rush," she murmured, her tone lazy but firm.
After disappearing for so long, she had a list of problems to settle, and she intended to tackle them one at a time.
...
Night settled over Serenity Manor when the SUV thundered to a stop at the entrance.
The moment Kaelyn stepped out, a pair of arms wrapped around her in an almost crushing embrace.
"Cole told me you were finally coming back, but I refused to believe it. Why didn't you let me pick you up?"
The arms wrapped around her belonged to Cassie Singh—the deceptively sweet-faced head of operations at Kaelyn's private base. With her youthful looks and high-schooler charm, Cassie hid the fact that she ranked among the world's top three hackers and fighters, a woman perfectly capable of crunching on a lollipop while popping every joint in a man's body.
Kaelyn raised a hand to ease Cassie's clingy embrace off her shoulder.
"Drop the antics. I need you to handle something for me," she remarked, her tone cool but decisive.
Without waiting for a response, she strode through the foyer and stepped into the elevator bound for the third floor.
From the balcony, Kaelyn rested lightly against the railing, taking in the disciplined flow of her team below and the massive screen pulsing with global stock data. A slow, knowing smile tugged at her lips.
An orphan with nothing to her name, huh?
If Leland ever discovered she could crash Morgan Group's stock with a single overnight short, how would he stomach that truth?
A soft presence edged in beside Kaelyn as Cassie leaned close, idly twirling the end of her braid with playful mischief.
"Leland actually thought he could toss you aside? Want me to deal with him tonight?" Cassie questioned, her voice dripping with a honeyed threat.
"No need," Kaelyn answered with a calm finality that instantly made Cassie's temper spike.
"You really care about that man? You vanished for three whole years because of him, and I'm seriously offended right now."
Kaelyn let Cassie's bubbling anger wash right past her. A chilly smile traced the edges of her lips for a heartbeat.
"A chase isn't any fun if you end it too early. I lifted him to the height he's enjoying, and I can tear it all down just as easily. I want him to stand there and watch that perfect little tower of his collapse."
The moment her words drifted off, Cassie's palm smacked sharply against the railing. "I figured you were the type to throw your whole life at his feet. Pretty faces aren't exactly endangered—there are enough handsome men to fill a stadium. I even lined up a little 'surprise' at the club tonight so you can blow off some steam."
Kaelyn regarded her with a cool, dismissive stare.
"Lately, the overseas gang has been stirring trouble. Focus on monitoring them and stop fooling around. I'll deal with Morgan Group myself—don't get involved."
A slow lift of Kaelyn's eyebrow followed. "I have my own methods of blowing off steam."
Barely ten minutes later, a black Harley roared out of the underground garage, the engine's snarl trailing behind Kaelyn as she vanished into the night.
For three long years, all for Leland, she had stripped herself of every sharp edge—mastering cocktail parties and household routines alike, forcing herself into the shape of the flawless wife everyone expected.
Now, with the throttle humming beneath her palms, Kaelyn felt every dormant part of her stir awake, every cell screaming with the wild rush.
The surge of freedom stretched along her nerves like fire catching dry kindling.
Down the most dangerous mountain road—a path infamous for its eighteen wicked bends—she carved through the shadows with the sharp, fluid speed of a hunting cat.
But the moment she approached the glowing red safety line, she braked hard, tires skidding to an abrupt halt.
A cluster of riders in full racing gear swiveled toward her, and when they caught sight of her sleek, athletic silhouette, a chorus of low whistles rippled through the group.
"Now that's a stunner."
"Damn, is that a global-limited Harley? That thing's easily worth over twenty million."
A handful of riders drifted toward Kaelyn, crowding in with shameless curiosity, and the rush in her veins faltered into irritation. With this stretch of road always claimed by racing crews, she knew better than to expect courtesy.
Lifting her hand, Kaelyn unlatched her helmet and slid it off, a cascade of hair spilling free as her stunning features came into view.
A round of sharp gasps rippled through the group.
She tipped her weight to one side, one arm braced casually on the Harley's sleek frame. The snug suit traced every elegant line of her body, enough to make several of them swallow hard.
"Mind giving me some space so I can pass?"
