Chapter 3

The very first thing I did was give Owen a total makeover.

I hired a top stylist to create several custom suits for him. The tailoring was perfect, sharp lines that highlighted his lean, striking frame.

I had him cut his overgrown hair, revealing a smooth forehead and those sharp brows and eyes that looked exactly like Ivan's.

When he stepped out of the dressing room in a deep navy suit and gold-rimmed glasses, I paused for a second.

He was almost the spitting image of Ivan. Before, he only looked a bit like Ivan. Now he'd captured a hint of Ivan's vibe, that cold, refined, and dangerous edge.

"From today on, you need to learn how to become Ivan," I said, handing him a file. "This contains all his public information and a detailed analysis of his habits. Memorize it."

Owen took the file and studied himself in the mirror. Something flickered across his face.

He was about to become the shadow of the man he feared most.

And I was the one delivering that shadow straight to Ivan.

The joint project between Solara Capital and the Lawson Group soon kicked off.

I brought Owen to our first official meeting.

The moment we walked in, the whole conference room went silent. All eyes were fixed on us.

Ivan sat at the head of the table. When he caught sight of Owen standing behind me, for the first time, a crack showed in his perpetual icy composure.

His gaze cut between Owen and me like a blade.

"Ms. Quinn," he said, voice low and sharp, "who is this?"

I flashed a smile and draped an arm over Owen's shoulder. "Let me introduce you. This is my assistant, Owen Spencer. Owen, this is Mr. Lawson, CEO of the Lawson Group."

Owen followed my instructions, giving a slight nod and pushing up his glasses. His voice was calm, measured. "Hello, Mr. Lawson."

The room went dead silent.

Ivan's face completely darkened.

He stared at Owen, his eyes wild with a storm that looked ready to consume him.

Ivan seemed preoccupied throughout the meeting. His gaze kept drifting to Owen, his eyes betraying a subtle shift, an emotion I couldn't quite identify.

Owen was clearly nervous under Ivan's stare, but he held his ground, composed and professional, doing exactly what I asked.

As the meeting ended, Ivan suddenly stopped me in my tracks.

"Ms. Quinn, can I have a word with you?" he said, his voice tight with barely contained anger.

I told Owen to wait outside. The door clicked shut, leaving us alone.

"What's up, Mr. Lawson?" I asked, pretending not to understand his tone.

He closed the distance between us, his presence almost suffocating. "Who the hell are you? And where did you dig up someone like him?"

I stepped back, keeping my distance, but my smile didn't waver. "What a strange question, Mr. Lawson. He's my assistant. I hired him because I liked him. Is there a problem? Or does he remind you of an old acquaintance?"

Once again, I brought up an old acquaintance.

Ivan's jaw tightened. Then, suddenly, his hand closed around my wrist, hard enough to hurt. "Do you know Clara Vance?"

Pain shot through me, but I didn't flinch. "Clara Vance? You mean your late wife who fell from a cliff five years ago? I've heard the story. What a tragedy. But Mr. Lawson, are you saying my assistant reminds you of her?"

The words hit exactly where I aimed.

His face turned ashen completely.

"You..." He let go of my hand, as if all his strength had been sapped from him.

I rubbed the red marks on my skin and gave him a cold look. "If that's all, I'll be going. Next time, try to focus. Solara Capital isn't investing so you can mourn your dead wife."

With that, I turned and left without a trace of hesitation.

He was hooked. He just didn't know it yet.

In the days that followed, I always took Owen with me wherever I went, making sure Ivan saw how close we were.

I fixed Owen's tie right in front of Ivan so he wouldn't miss it.

At parties, I took drinks from Owen's hand and smiled at him.

I even booked Owen the hotel room right next to mine.