LAUREN'S POV
5 YEARS LATER
The room fell silent the moment I walked in. It still surprised me sometimes, how quickly people quieted when my heels touched the floor, every eye followed me. Not because I asked for it, but because in Italy, my name had become its own weight.
Lauren Darrow.
A name that could sign off on millions, close deals across oceans, and ruin anyone foolish enough to stand in my way.
Once I was in the room, I picked up the small remote resting neatly on the long polished table. The glass surface reflected the faint gleam of the ceiling lights, and for a second, I caught my own determined expression staring back at me. I pressed the button, and the massive TV screen on the wall blinked to life, filling the quiet boardroom with its bright glow.
I straightened my ja
