Chapter 34
The island no longer felt like an escape.
It felt like a countdown.
Zara stood inside the glass-walled office overlooking the ocean, already dressed—sharp, precise, untouchable. The silk robe was gone, replaced by power. By control.
By distance.
Lucien walked in minutes later, phone still in hand, his expression carved from stone.
"Private jet is ready," he said. "We leave in an hour."
Zara didn't turn. "I assumed as much."
A pause.
Then—
"Elena wasn't the only one on that call," Lucien added.
That made her look at him.
"Who else?"
His jaw tightened slightly. "The board. And someone pushing them."
Zara's eyes sharpened. "Vivienne."
It wasn't a question.
Lucien didn't deny it.
A slow, dangerous smile touched Zara's lips. "So she finally decided to stop hiding."
They moved quickly after that.
No wasted motion.
No unnecessary words.
The calm from last night had evaporated completely—replaced by something sharper, colder, more familiar.
Power.
Strategy.
War.
An hour later, the helicopter blades sliced through the quiet island air.
Zara didn't look back.
Lucien did.
Just once.
Then even that was gone.
By the time they landed at Lucien's private airstrip, the world had already shifted.
Phones buzzing.
Messages flooding in.
Pressure building.
Zara stepped out first, heels hitting the ground with quiet authority.
Lucien followed, his presence just as commanding—but heavier now.
Because this wasn't just business.
This was targeted.
Inside the jet, the tension returned instantly.
But it wasn't the same as before.
This time—
They were on the same side.
Whether they liked it or not.
Zara crossed her legs, opening a file already sent to her tablet.
"I want everything," she said without looking up. "Names. Numbers. Who's backing Isabella."
Lucien poured himself a drink, his gaze fixed on her. "You're taking this personally."
Zara's lips curved faintly. "I take everything personally."
A beat.
Then she added, colder—
"Especially when someone thinks they can outplay me."
Lucien sat across from her.
"Be careful, Zara."
Her eyes lifted slowly.
"Careful?" she repeated.
Something dangerous flickered in her gaze.
"I don't do careful."
A notification flashed across her screen.
She opened it.
Then—
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
Lucien noticed immediately. "What is it?"
Zara turned the tablet toward him.
A document.
A contract.
Signed.
His name on it.
Lucien's expression darkened instantly. "That's not possible."
Zara leaned back, watching him closely. "Forgery?"
"No," he said slowly. "Worse."
Her brows lifted slightly. "Explain."
Lucien's jaw clenched. "It's real."
Silence.
Then—
Zara laughed.
Soft.
Sharp.
Unimpressed.
"Did you sign something you shouldn't have?" she asked.
Lucien's eyes snapped to hers. "I don't make mistakes like that."
Zara leaned forward slightly, her gaze piercing.
"Then someone made it for you."
The realization settled between them like a loaded weapon.
This wasn't just a boardroom power play.
This was infiltration.
Calculated.
Precise.
Personal.
Zara stood.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"Good," she said.
Lucien frowned slightly. "Good?"
Her lips curved—not warm, not soft—but thrilled.
"I was getting bored."
He watched her carefully.
"You enjoy this."
Zara tilted her head slightly.
"I enjoy winning."
The jet engines roared louder as they climbed higher into the sky.
Below them, the island disappeared completely.
Ahead—
Only war.
Zara stepped closer to Lucien, her voice dropping just enough to carry weight.
"Tell me something," she said.
His eyes locked onto hers. "What?"
She held his gaze, unflinching.
"Are you ready to lose everything… if it means we destroy them first?"
A dangerous question.
A more dangerous answer.
Lucien didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
For a brief moment—
Something unspoken passed between them.
Not softness.
Not weakness.
Something stronger.
More reckless.
Zara smiled.
And this time—
It wasn't controlled.
"Perfect."
Somewhere far ahead—
Vivienne Laurent was already making her next move.
And this time—
She wasn't coming quietly.