His 181St Second (Laverne and Marina) novel Chapter 16

**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 16**

A moment of silence hung in the air on the other end of the line, thick with anticipation, before Yesenia’s voice broke through, laced with disbelief. “Are you really serious about this?”

Maria responded with a soft hum, a sound that conveyed both affirmation and determination. “I’ll handle all the arrangements. Just make sure none of this gets out before we’re ready.”

Yesenia took a moment to gather her thoughts, her mind racing as she repeatedly assured Maria that she wouldn’t breathe a word to anyone. Yet, as the initial shock began to fade, doubt crept in. She questioned whether Marina could truly convince Daron to invest in Wonder Group’s project.

After all, Wonder Group’s profits were barely enough to be considered significant. She thought to herself, ‘What would compel someone like Daron to even care?’

Once the call ended, Marina rummaged through her bag, searching for the business card Garret had given her after that last car accident. It was nowhere to be found. The insurance company had taken care of all the follow-ups, so she hadn’t bothered to keep any contact information for Daron or his assistant.

After a moment of contemplation, she decided to text Kara, hoping to get Daron’s address in Sicester.

Kara’s relaxed tone shifted to one of alertness the moment she realized Marina was inquiring about Daron’s place. They had grown up side by side, so Kara was well aware of the entire saga surrounding the old Finley-Zamora family engagement.

“Marina, don’t tell me you’re actually aiming for him?” Kara’s voice held a mix of surprise and intrigue.

Marina felt momentarily speechless, her hand instinctively moving to her forehead in disbelief.

Kara took a moment to process this new information. “Well, I’m happy for you, I guess.”

Marina chuckled lightly, deciding to cut to the chase. “My sister mentioned that he’s considering buying shares in Ross Group. I thought it would be a good idea to discuss it with him.”

Kara fell silent for a beat, contemplating the implications. “Just a heads-up: if you offload your shares to him, Ross Group might just get swallowed up by the Zamora Group and vanish entirely.”

Marina felt a pang at that thought. She had poured so many years into building Ross Group, nurturing it to its current heights; it meant everything to her.

Kara added cautiously, “Make sure you’ve really thought this through.”

Turning her gaze back to the towering office of Ross Group, Marina murmured, “Kara, the only reason Ross Group ever held meaning for me was because I infused it with my own passion and hard work. Without me, it’s just a shell.”

It was time to embark on her next venture, to create something new and exciting.

Kara sensed the shift in Marina’s resolve. After exchanging a few playful jabs, she hung up, immediately diving into her search for Daron’s address in Sicester. As soon as she located it, she sent a quick text.

Kara: [Just checked with my brother: he’s at home.]

Using the address Kara provided, Marina pulled up to the grand entrance of Daron’s impressive house. She pressed the doorbell and waited, counting the seconds, but received no response.

Just as she was about to try again, the door swung open.

There stood Daron, his striking features marred by a scowl, his deep-set eyes flickering with barely restrained irritation.

His slender fingers gripped a phone, the screen displaying a popular MOBA game. The interface was muted in gray, indicating that his character had just been eliminated.

Marina hesitated, taken aback. She had never imagined the cool, aloof Daron as someone who would indulge in gaming.

“Mr. Zamora,” she began, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her. “My sister mentioned you might be interested in purchasing shares in Ross Group. I came by today to—”

He shot her a sidelong glance, his attention diverted, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence. His character revived on-screen, and he immediately dove back into the game, fingers dancing across the controls with a practiced ease.

He stood before her, a statue of indifference, neither inviting her in nor dismissing her outright.

Marina felt a wave of speechlessness wash over her. He didn’t seem to be directing his frustration at her, yet every silent moment felt like a subtle jab, leaving her feeling exposed and humiliated.

Daron’s focus remained glued to his phone, so absorbed in the game that Marina couldn’t help but steal a glance at the screen.

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