Half an hour later,

ACE Consortium.

Lianna Black - formerly Lily Carrington — stepped out of the sleek black car, her heels clicking against the cold marble of the ACE Consortium’s lobby. 

ACE Consortium was more than just a business empire. It was a network that spanned across multiple industries — from automobiles and aviation, to clothing and textiles, and even entertainment and education. 

It was a living, breathing entity, one that controlled the flow of wealth, knowledge, and power across the globe. 

Lianna's black hawk-feathered gown trailed behind her like a dark waterfall, the feathers glistening under the fluorescent lights. Her natural green eyes gleamed under the harsh brightness, but they didn’t hold the softness they once had. 

The transformation was complete. She was no longer the shy, uncertain Lily. She was a force, and everyone around her could feel it.

As she strode into the building, the air seemed to tense around her. Whispers followed her every step, employees glancing up from their desks in awe and curiosity. 

Some admired her bold, gothic appearance, others couldn’t look away, caught in the mysterious aura she now exuded.

She ignored them all. She wasn’t here to impress. She was here to take what was hers.

Her eyes caught a few of the men in the lobby, their gazes lingering longer than was appropriate. Their faces flushed as they admired her, and she could see the way their postures stiffened as they tried to regain control. But it was too late. Lianna Black had already captured their attention.

She walked with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. The whispers grew louder as she passed by, some employees even pausing to stare, unsure whether they were witnessing a vision of beauty or something far darker.

Aunt Delilah, ever the social butterfly, was already making her way toward the entrance, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor.

"I’ll be just a moment, darling," she said to Lianna with a wink, her voice warm and light. "I have a friend in the entertainment department to visit. You go on ahead; I’ll catch up with you shortly."

Lianna nodded, not missing a beat. She wasn’t nervous — she had been prepared for this. She was Lianna Black now, and no one would dare question her. 

Aunt Delilah disappeared down the hall, leaving Lianna to face the intimidatingly modern office space on her own. The employees continued to stare, some whispering, others sneaking glances as they went about their business. 

It was clear: the consortium's employees were stunned by her transformation.

When she reached Damien’s office, she was blocked by the receptionist - Tara, a blonde with an obvious affection for her boss, her curves spilling out of a tight, low-cut blouse. 

The secretary’s eyes narrowed as she looked Lianna up and down, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Excuse me, but I don’t think you’re supposed to be here. Mr. Hawke isn’t accepting visitors right now, and if you think you’re going to waltz in looking like… that? You’re sadly mistaken.” Tara said, stepping into Lianna’s path with an exaggerated sway of her hips. 

“Mr. Hawke isn’t seeing anyone today, especially not someone like you.”

Lianna’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. 

“And what exactly does 'someone like me' mean?” she asked, her voice smooth but laced with a cutting edge.

Tara, not expecting such a direct response, faltered for a moment, her smile faltering. 

“You’re not on the list,” she snapped, raising an eyebrow. “So, unless you’ve been invited, I suggest you turn around and leave.”

Lianna’s eyes darkened, her gaze piercing through Tara’s thin facade. 

“I’m here to see Damien Hawke,” she said, her voice unwavering. “And I don’t take orders from you, sweetheart.”

Tara scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. 

“I’m not your sweetheart,” she retorted, stepping closer, clearly trying to intimidate. “You’re not welcome here.”

Lianna didn’t flinch, the air around her growing colder. She looked past Tara, and just as the tension reached its peak, a deep voice cut through the standoff.

“Tara, step aside.”

Damien. 

He emerged from the shadows of his office, his presence immediately commanding the room. Dressed in his usual dark attire, his black eye mask barely visible beneath the sharp, handsome features of his face, he stood like a king in his court. His voice, cool and dismissive, echoed in the quiet space.

Tara froze, her expression shifting from condescension to shock. She blinked and took a step back, clearly disoriented by the sharpness in his tone.

“Mr. Hawke,” she said, her voice sweet again, trying to recover. “I was just trying to handle things. This woman is...”

“I said,” Damien interrupted, his tone final, “step aside.”

Tara’s lips twisted in irritation, but she complied with a dramatic eye-roll, muttering something under her breath. As she reluctantly moved, Lianna stepped past her, her dark eyes never leaving Damien’s.

The air between them thickened as Lianna entered his office, the tension between them palpable. Damien, who had been standing tall, watching with an unreadable expression, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something stir within him. Something unsettling, yet undeniably magnetic.

She was different... no longer the woman he’d known. The woman who had been subdued, uncertain. This woman before him was powerful, purposeful.

Damien inhaled sharply, though his expression remained calm. His voice, when he spoke, was smooth but held an edge. 

“What are you doing here?” he hissed.

Lianna’s eyes never left his. 

“I was told that you needed to approve of my new persona before we proceed with the wedding,” she said simply, her voice carrying a calm resolve that made Damien pause. 

There was no trace of fear in her demeanor, not even the slightest tremor of uncertainty.

Damien, taken aback, couldn’t help the sardonic smile that tugged at his lips. 

“I see you’ve come to make your claim,” he said, his tone dripping with a kind of dry amusement. “How... predictable.”

Lianna’s lips curled into a dangerous smile of her own. 

“I’m not here to claim or to be claimed, Mr. Hawke,” she said, the words like a challenge. “You think you control me, but you’re wrong. I’m not the same woman you once knew.”

Damien’s jaw clenched, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a stormcloud. The tension between them had always been thick, but now, it was heavier. 

This wasn’t the meek Lily who had walked into his world weeks ago. This was Lianna Black, and she wasn’t here to be anyone’s pawn.

Just then, the door opened with a soft click, and a tall figure entered, breaking the heavy silence. 

It was PA Jin, Damien’s ever-efficient assistant. He glanced at the two of them, taking in the palpable tension, and spoke immediately.

“Mr. Hawke,” Jin said, his voice calm, “there’s a matter you need to address. Your meeting with the board of directors is about to start.”

Damien’s eyes flicked to Lianna, then back to Jin. 

“I’ll be there in a moment,” he said, his tone softening, though the edge was still there.

As PA Jin nodded and exited, Lianna’s gaze remained fixed on Damien, unblinking as she closed the gap between them. 

“The board?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity but also the underlying threat of someone who knew how to play the game.

Damien smirked, stepping closer. 

“Just a few business matters to handle,” he replied, tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m sure you understand.”

Lianna’s eyes darkened with something almost imperceptible. “I’ll be waiting,” she said, the words laced with an almost predatory edge.

Damien couldn’t shake the feeling that he was no longer in control, that she had just as much to lose as he did. That for every step he took, she would be two ahead.

“I’m sure you will,” Damien muttered, clearing his throat to break the tension in the room. 

He turned to face his friends, who had been waiting patiently, though their attention was squarely on the new arrival.

Xander, Sebastian, and Dante exchanged knowing glances, and a quiet laugh escaped Seb’s lips. 

“Damien,” Seb said, “you’re really playing with fire now, aren’t you?”

Damien shot him a sharp look. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his patience wearing thin.

“Oh, nothing,” Seb replied innocently. “Just that Lianna here has some... spark. I’m curious to see where this goes.”

Xander, ever the strategist, watched quietly, his sharp eyes scanning Lianna’s every movement. 

“You’ve made a bold move, Damien. Let’s see how it plays out.”

Damien’s pulse quickened, but he managed to keep his composure. As his friends settled into their seats, ready to continue their meeting, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that this game had just gotten a lot more dangerous. 

And Lianna Black? 

Was she really on his side or not?

At that moment, Damien couldn’t help but wonder - had he just made the biggest mistake of his life?