Chapter 7 Cold

I know the Grants aren't just rich-they're powerful. Untouchable. Fighting them isn't just difficult, it's dangerous. But how can I back down when so many people are counting on me?

I've always fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves. I stood up against people who thought money gave them the right to trample over others. I've faced threats before. I've been warned, silenced, and pushed aside.

But this... this feels different.

I don't know if it's the Grants I'm afraid of...or him.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel as my mind drifted. The case. The farmers. The empire I was about to go against.

A loud horn ripped me from my thoughts. My eyes widened as I slammed on the brakes, my heart pounding wildly.

What the-

I had nearly crashed into a black sports car, sleek and expensive, parked right in front of me.

Shit, Amari. Pay attention.

Then, the driver's door opened.

And my breath caught in my throat.

Lucas Grant.

He stepped out with the same effortless confidence he always had, like he owned everything around him. He hadn't changed much-if anything, he looked even sharper, even more untouchable. His tailored suit fit perfectly, the deep navy fabric hugging his tall, broad frame. His jet-black hair, slightly tousled, still carried that mix of careless charm and ruthless precision.

But it was his eyes that made my stomach tighten.

Cold. Calculated.

Those same dark eyes that once held warmth when they looked at me now held nothing.

I hadn't seen those eyes in years. I never planned to.

For a moment, neither of us moved. He stared at me, his usual calm slipping just for a second. His sharp gaze widened slightly, as if he couldn't believe I was really there.

But just as quickly, his face hardened. Emotionless.

He straightened, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve like this was nothing. Like I was nothing.

I forced my expression to stay neutral as I rolled down my window. My voice was steady, but I felt the tremble in my fingers.

"Are you going to move your car, or are you going to stand here all night?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Still impatient and reckless, I see."

"Excuse me?" I shot back.

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. The noise of the city faded, leaving only the weight of everything we weren't saying.

Lucas let out a slow breath. "You should be more careful. Not everyone will stop in time."

His voice was distant. Detached.

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. "Thanks," I sarcastically said.

Something flickered in his eyes, something unreadable-but then it was gone. He stepped back.

"Then stay out of my way."

"Gladly."

He smirked-a slow, knowing curve of his lips-but this time, there was something almost dangerous about it.

Without another word, he turned, got into his car, and drove off.

I sat there, gripping the wheel, my heartbeat loud in my ears.

Cold. Unbothered. Like we were nothing.

Maybe we really were.

Because now, we weren't just two people with a past.

We were standing on opposite sides.

And I wasn't going to lose to him. Not again.

The moment Lucas's car disappeared into the distance, I forced myself to breathe. My hands were still gripping the steering wheel too tightly, my pulse erratic.

I shouldn't have let him shake me. I shouldn't have let him matter.

The next morning, I arrived at the building earlier than usual.

Sleep had been impossible. My mind had been racing, replaying every second of last night's encounter. Lucas's voice. His stare. The detached way he spoke to me, as if I were just another inconvenience. Oh, I'm sorry if I became an inconvenience to him then!

I hated that it still got to me.

The moment I stepped inside the my office, I was greeted by the sight of files stacked high on my desk-documents I had requested about the Grants and their business dealings over the past few years.

I tossed my bag aside and sat down, exhaling slowly. I remember what happened last night. I thought I am going to see him again in the court. But seeing him for the first time after a long time yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder how he became so cruel. So evil.

Focus, Amari. This isn't about him. This isn't about your past.

With steady hands, I opened the first folder.

At first glance, everything seemed normal-contracts, acquisitions, expansions. The Grants' empire had only grown stronger, swallowing smaller businesses and securing deals that cemented their power. But the more I read, the more something felt... off.

I flipped through the pages faster, scanning numbers, dates, transactions.

Then I saw it.

A series of financial reports from five years ago. At first, the numbers looked legitimate. But when I compared them to more recent data, inconsistencies began to show.

Profits that didn't add up. Expenses that had no clear source. And some documents were missing.

And then there were the land acquisitions.

My stomach twisted as I traced a familiar name on the papers-La Union.

The same province where the farmers I was defending had lost their lands.

I pulled out another document, my breath catching. The Grants had acquired massive hectares of farmland, some under the name of shell companies, others disguised as "government projects." But there was one name that appeared repeatedly under the contracts.

Lucas Trail Grant. CEO.

I clenched my jaw, gripping the paper so tightly my fingers ached.

Of course. Of course, he was involved. Why did I slightly think that maybe he wouldn't do these?

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as frustration swirled inside me. This wasn't just corporate greed. This was calculated, systematic, and done in a way that left little room for legal retaliation.

But there had to be something. A loophole. A mistake.

Because if there was one thing I knew for sure-

The Grants weren't invincible.

And I knew that the moment this case reached the court, our encounters would become inevitable...

And no matter how powerful they were, I would find a way to bring them down.