Chapter 5

"You went all out last night," Ralph said, his voice low and smooth. "The White family's scrambling to keep up."

Kendall slipped off her trench coat, draping it over the sofa with a sly grin. "That? I was barely trying."

Ralph arched a brow, glancing her way. "You're not worried about pushing them too hard? They could hit back."

"I'm not scared of them fighting back," she said, her tone casual but with a sharp edge. "What scares me is letting them off the hook too easy."

Ralph let out a soft chuckle, a glint of respect flashing in his eyes, gone in an instant. "You're sharper than you were three years ago."

"And you've changed too, haven't you?" Kendall shot back, her gaze cool and direct. "From a guy about to lose it to… what, a corporate kingpin now?"

Ralph's fingers tapped his mug lightly. "You still think about that day?"

"You passed out by the lab. I called the ambulance." Her voice was steady, almost flat. "Guess that's when our paths got tangled."

The air stilled for a beat.

A soft knock broke the moment. "Mr. Stone," the secretary said hesitantly, "Miss Sharon's here. She's… insisting on seeing you."

Ralph's jaw tightened. "Tell her to go."

"She's, uh, kneeling outside," the secretary added. "Says she won't leave till she talks to you."

Kendall's lips twitched, half-amused. "Wow, she's really hamming it up, isn't she?"

Ralph glanced at her, a spark in his eyes. "Wanna watch the drama unfold?"

Kendall stood, her expression cool but playful. "If she's putting on a show, I'm game to give her an audience."

Outside, Sharon bowed deeply, makeup perfect but her face pale. The elevator doors opened, and her eyes lit up.

She scrambled to her feet. "Mr. Stone, please, I just need a quick word. Alone."

Before Ralph could speak, Kendall stepped closer, her voice sharp. "Alone? You sure you wanna talk to him like that with me standing right here?"

Sharon bit her lip, softening her tone. "Kendall, I just… I want to clear up what happened back then. You've got it all wrong about me and Ralph. There was nothing—"

"Save it," Ralph cut in, his voice cold as frost. "You know exactly what went down."

Sharon froze.

"You went behind my back, pestering my secretary to snoop on me and Kendall," Ralph said, his tone calm but cutting. "I didn't bother calling you out because you're not worth the effort."

Sharon's eyes widened, her voice shaky. "I was just… I was worried about Kendall—"

"Worried?" Ralph's gaze was ice. "You pushed her out of her own family, then used her name to make yourself look good. And now you're worried?"

He paused, turning to Kendall, his voice softening. "We're cutting it close. Let's get you to the meeting

Kendall nodded, her eyes flicking over Sharon like she was barely there. "Show's over. Nice of you to let her have her moment."

They stepped into the elevator together, the doors sliding shut with a soft hum.

Sharon stood rooted to the spot, her face drained of color.

She now realized t he "heiress" status she'd stolen from the White family? It was worthless in Ralph's eyes.

Inside the elevator, a brief silence settled.

Kendall leaned against the mirrored wall, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "That 'not worth the effort' line? Pretty savage."

Ralph turned to her, his eyes deepening. "You think I said it just to throw shade?"

"What's that mean?"

"I'm not watching your back out of some old guilt trip," he said, his voice low and steady. "I'm doing it because I want you here. By my side."

Kendall blinked, caught off guard.

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a murmur by her ear. "This time, don't slip away from me."

*****

Kendall slipped out of the Stone Group gala, the click of her heels echoing in the quiet hall.

Len fell into step beside her, voice hushed. "Mrs. White's been downstairs for three hours. Says she's not leaving until she talks to you."

Kendall kept walking, her face cool and composed. "Tell her to go home."