His Dangerous Love On Ice (Olivia and Zane) novel Chapter 106

Olive’s POV

Hopkins Enterprise looked normal when I arrived.

Same glass building. Same security guard at the front. The same people moved through the lobby as if it were just another Thursday afternoon.

But something felt wrong. Off. Like the calm before a storm.

I took the elevator to the executive floor, my heels clicking against the marble as I walked toward Grayson’s office.

His assistant, Margaret, looked up when I approached.

“He’s waiting for you,” she said, her expression unreadable. “Go right in.”

I took a deep breath, knocked once, and waited before entering.

Grayson was standing at his window, back to the door, hands clasped behind him in a way that suggested he was thinking through something complicated.

“You wanted to see me?” I said.

He turned, and I was struck by how tired he looked. Older. Like what had happened aged him overnight.

“Sit down, Olive,” he said.

I sat. He remained standing.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“We have a problem,” he said bluntly. “A big one. Someone’s trying to buy controlling interest in Hopkins Enterprise.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“Three board members received offers yesterday,” Grayson continued. “Substantial offers. Enough to make them seriously consider selling their shares. If they do, whoever’s behind this will have enough voting power to remove me as CEO.

“Who?” I demanded. “Who’s trying to buy them out?”

“That’s the problem,” Grayson said. “I don’t know. The offers came through a shell corporation. Multiple layers of protection. Whoever’s behind this doesn’t want to be identified.”

“But you have suspicions,” I said.

“Of course I have suspicions,” Grayson said, his voice bitter. “The timing is too convenient. Right after we partnered with Mercer Company. Right after your relationship with Zane became public. Right after- He stopped, jaw tightening.

“You think Zane’s behind this,” I said flatly.

“I think someone connected to Zane is behind this,” Grayson conected. “Maybe his father. Maybe someone else in the Mercer family. But the timing suggests this is related to our partnership. To you and Zane. To all of it.”

I wanted to defend Zane. Wanted to say he wouldn’t do this.

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