No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 105

CHAPTER 0105

CASSANDRA’S POV

Lauren must be fired from this company, and I’ll personally make sure of that.

The thought had settled in my mind like a seed that suddenly found the perfect soil: dark, ready, and full of opportunity.

From the few moments I stared into that woman’s eyes, I could tell she had enemies. There was a hardness there, a contained anger.

From the moment that lady approached her, I saw it. She had looked at Lauren with something that mirrored my own feelings: simple, fierce dislike. I’d seen it in the way her lips thinned and her eyes narrowed, an expression that said “I know who you are, and I don’t like you.‘ If I wasn’t wrong, that woman was Mr. Ethan Black’s wife.

Ethan Black–Roman’s rival, the head of Black Corporation had come to this 30th anniversary despite being a competitor. Strange, but useful. Sofia had money, influence; she had the kind of weight that, when aligned with mine, could become a crushing force, so I made up my mind, I was going to speak to Sofia this evening.

Mr. Hale had left the gala earlier; the event was drawing down. Investors were lingering near the exits, some already slipping away into the night. If I didn’t act fast, Sofia and her husband would be gone, and my chance would vanish with them. Madam manager had drifted into conversations with clients and didn’t seem to need me for a moment- my moment. I had to seize it.

I wiped the condensation off my glass with the back of my hand and turned my head until I spotted Sofia. She was half–hidden in a quiet alcove, a glass of champagne twirling in one hand. Oddly, she stood alone no husband at her elbow, no cluster of cronies. Her posture was distracted, as if her thoughts had taken her somewhere else entirely. That emptiness, that split–second vulnerability, made her look human; it softened her usual rigid, polished edge. It made her approachable..

For a second I hesitated. Approaching someone lost in thought can be risky. She could be having a private crisis; she could call security. Or she might brush me off, dismiss me as some nosy assistant. But this was my only shot to make contact. If I let fear keep me frozen, I’d regret it when I watched them leave the building, hand in hand, and never return my calls.

It was better to try and fail than not to try at all, besides who knows there’s a chance she would hear me out, but I’ll never find out if I don’t go.

I set my glass down carefully and began walking toward her. I kept my steps measured, practiced, and calm. The gala noise blurred around me. People laughed and exchanged business cards, the chandeliers threw shards of warm light everywhere. I moved through the glow and the chatter, and when I was near enough, I watched as her gaze lifted. She looked up slowly, eyebrow arched, and a flash of curiosity then annoyance crossed her features. Perfect. She noticed me.

“Hello,” I said, keeping my voice soft but steady.

Her eyes narrowed. “How can I help you?” Her lone was cool, she didn’t look pleased to be interrupted. I didn’t blame her. She’d been pulled into this world of spectacles and schmooze, and anyone intruding on her quiet. moment had to expect a cold reception.

1/2

“You might not know me,” I said, stepping a little closer so my words wouldn’t be overheard, “but my name is Cassandra. I’m not going to waste your time on what I’m about to say.” I let the last sentence hang short, blunt. No fluff. No begging.

Sofia straightened, folding her arms across her chest like a shield. Her posture sharpened into posture. I allowed a slow smile to play at the corner of my lips

it was good to see her respond, to see that pique of interest.

“When I first noticed you,” I continued, “was when you approached that hag Lauren.” I watched her face carefully as 1 spoke the name like a mild offense. The word had the desired effect; Sofia’s lips twitched, the expression on her face shifting. Her mood tilted upward, tiny victory visible for a flash. Good. That small movement told me more than her words ever could: she cared about Lauren’s presence here. She harbored

resentment.

“What really caught my attention,” I went on, “was the way you stared at her. I could see the hatred burning in your eyes just as hot as the hatred I have for her. Please correct me if I’m wrong.”

Silence answered me, and that silence told me everything. She didn’t correct me. She didn’t deny it. What she did instead was give me the smallest of nods, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Agreement.

“I’d like us to work together,” I said plainly.

Sofia’s arch eyebrow rose higher. “And why would I want to work with you?” Her voice had a barbed edge now, testing me, sizing me up. She was nobody’s fool.

Because,” I said, “from your silence, I know we both want the same thing.” I let the weight of that line sit between us. She shifted; her hands tightened on the stem of her glass.

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