Vengeance in His Bed novel Chapter 193

Chapter 193: Degrees of Control

"I know she is not your fiancée," Shalen repeated, her voice smooth and measured, echoing slightly in the confined space of the vehicle.

Jannah felt her jaw tighten. She turned her head away, staring out the window at the passing concrete of the outer district, her hands clenching into fists against her lap. The woman’s calm tone made her blood boil, but what bothered her even more was the suffocating scent of expensive perfume that now filled the back seat, mixing dangerously with Dorrent’s scent.

Shalen pulled a slim tablet from her briefcase, tapping the glass screen with her manicured fingernails. She shifted slightly on the seat, leaning closer to Dorrent. Her short skirt pulled up even higher on her thighs, but she did not seem to care at all.

"Sir, before we reach the lower sectors, there are three urgent matters from the company that require your approval," Shalen began, her tone shifting seamlessly into that of an executive assistant. "The quarterly yield reports for the sub-city logistics grid have been finalized. The board is pressing for your signature on the expansion budget before the market opens tomorrow."

Dorrent did not look at the tablet. His eyes remained fixed on the side of Jannah’s face, watching the way her hair fell over her shoulder, completely ignoring the proximity of the golden-haired woman sitting next to him. "Approved," Dorrent said flatly. "Tell the board that if any department manager complains about the resource allocation, they can submit their resignation by noon."

"Understood," Shalen replied, typing quickly on the screen. "Second, the legal team representing the Moscow family sent a formal query this morning regarding the joint infrastructure accounts. They are demanding an immediate freeze on all shared sector development projects until the formal separation contract is signed by your father."

"Let them freeze it," Dorrent growled, his voice deep and unbothered. "Tell our legal department to counter by pulling our automated security details from their western trade warehouses. Let us see how long his company lasts without Grefo protection."

Jannah sat in complete silence, listening to them trade multi-billion-credit decisions as if they were discussing the weather. She felt entirely out of place, completely excluded from a world built on power, wealth, and corporate warfare. An uncomfortable tightness settled in her chest. She hated Dorrent, and she hated the fact that she was sitting in the same car while this polished, beautiful woman handled his life so effortlessly.

Dorrent suddenly turned his head away from Shalen. His intense gaze locked onto Jannah’s tense profile. He noticed the way her fingers were digging into her skirt, her body pressed hard against the opposite door just to keep her distance.

"Jannah," Dorrent called out softly.

Jannah did not answer. She kept her eyes glued to the window, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

"Jannah," he repeated, his voice dropping into a low, commanding rasp. "What position would you like to take in my company?"

Jannah’s head snapped around, her eyes flashing with anger as she glared at him across the seat. "What?" she spat, her voice laced with disgust. "Stop mocking me, Dorrent! What position could I possibly take in your multi-billion-credit company? I don’t have a college degree. I didn’t grow up in your high-district schools. The absolute best I could probably do at Gammar Tech is become a cleaner who wipes your office floors, but I am not interested in your pity or your jobs!"

Dorrent leaned his back against the seat, studying her flushed face with a calm, unreadable expression. "About that..." he murmured smoothly. "Do you have a high school degree?"

Jannah froze. The sharp words she had prepared to hurl at his face completely died on her tongue. Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at him, her heart skipping a chaotic beat. A university of my choice? The thought hit her mind like a sudden, blinding light in the dark. Could she really go? Could she actually step out of Dorrent’s suffocating presence, and walk through the gates of a real academic institution away from him?

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