“Sir, are you sure you want to go alone?”

The driver’s hesitant voice broke the silence as Rafael stepped out of the sleek black car in front of a grand five-star hotel towering over the heart of the city.

“I said, wait here.”

Rafael’s tone was calm, yet sharp enough to cut through the air. He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the glass doors of the hotel that reflected his own image — a man who once ruled everything, now just a shadow of his former self.

His strides were firm and deliberate.

In his left hand, he held his phone tightly, the screen showing a message from one of his employees:

> “Sir, Miss Maya was seen entering the Orion Hotel tonight. She’s with a man — not from our side.”

Rafael’s heartbeat quickened. Not out of jealousy, but from a suffocating sense of suspicion tightening his chest.

He walked into the lobby — crystal chandeliers glittered above, soft music filled the air, and among the bustling crowd, he saw her.

Maya.

She sat in the corner of the hotel restaurant, dressed in an elegant black gown, leaning slightly toward a man in a gray suit — clearly not one of his associates.

Rafael clenched his fists, hiding behind a marble pillar as he watched them.

Maya chuckled softly, her hand brushing the stem of her wine glass — too relaxed, too intimate.

The man leaned in, whispering something that made her smile.

Rafael stepped out of the shadows.

“Well… this is interesting. I didn’t know you enjoyed having dinner with my competitors,” he said, voice low and cold.

Maya froze, nearly dropping her glass. “Rafael—what are you doing here?”

“That’s my line.”

He pulled a chair and sat down, eyes locked on the man across the table. “And you are?”

The man offered a polite smile. “Louis. Investor from our Swiss branch. We were merely discussing potential collaboration—”

“Collaboration?” Rafael scoffed, his smirk bitter. “Or should I call it… a new form of betrayal?”

Maya glared at him. “Don’t start this again. It’s business, Rafael—”

“Business?” Rafael let out a short, humorless laugh. “Funny. I don’t see any proposal or document on this table. Just two glasses of wine and a little too much eye contact.”

The air grew tense. Louis stood up slowly. “It seems this is not the right time. Miss Maya, I’ll take my leave—”

But Rafael’s hand shot out, gripping his wrist. “Sit.”

The command was low, sharp, and dangerous — enough to draw the attention of nearby guests.

“Rafael, stop it!” Maya hissed, clutching his arm. “You’re embarrassing yourself!”

He turned his gaze toward her, eyes dark and unreadable. “You embarrassed me first.”

Maya jerked her hand away, standing tall despite her trembling voice. “I’m done with this. You think you’re the only one allowed to talk to investors? I’m trying to save your company, Rafael! But you’re too busy blaming the world for your failures!”

“Save it?” Rafael stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Or are you just preparing your escape before the ship sinks?”

Maya froze. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, tears welled in her eyes as she took a step back. “You’ll never trust anyone again, will you?”

Rafael said nothing.

He only watched as Maya walked away, her heels clicking against the marble floor — leaving him alone amid the silent stares of strangers and the echo of his own ruin.

---

That night, Rafael sat motionless in his car.

Streetlights glimmered across the windshield, casting half his face in shadow.

He unlocked his phone, and a news headline lit up the screen:

> “Ethan Group and Alyssa Holdings Announce New Joint Project: The Future of Asian Energy.”

His hand trembled before slamming against the steering wheel.

“Why… is it always her who wins?” he muttered hoarsely.