Henry White swirled the amber liquid in his glass as he reclined in his luxurious study. "Mr. King wants to meet me," he mused with a smirk. "This could be the start of a powerful alliance. And with Rosalie at my side, I’ll ensure that alliance becomes permanent." His assistant had just confirmed the meeting, and Henry was already envisioning his daughter Rosalie as Alex King’s wife.

The next morning, Alex prepared for the meeting, speaking to Andrew on the phone.

"Alex, I hope you’re ready. Henry White is no saint," Andrew cautioned.

"Relax," Alex said confidently. "I’ve got it under control. Just focus on securing the other shares at Foster Industries."

Andrew sighed but trusted his brother. "Fine. Just call me when it’s done."

Alex ended the call, setting his phone down with a smirk. He had no intention of letting Henry White get the upper hand. "Let’s see who comes out on top, Mr. White," he thought as a knock interrupted his thoughts.

A maid stood nervously at the door. "Sir, Miss Ariana isn’t opening her door," she reported.

Alex dismissed her and headed to Ariana’s room. He knocked lightly, and the door swung open. Ariana stood there, dressed entirely in black, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Little Dev—" Alex began with a grin before correcting himself. "I mean, Ariana. Are you attending a funeral?"

"Listen, mister—"

"Alex," he interrupted.

"Fine, Alex," she huffed. "If I’m working for you, focus on my skills, not my wardrobe. Black is my favorite color. Get used to it."

Alex’s grin widened. "Fair enough. But today, I need you as my personal assistant for a meeting."

"Assistant? I’m an assassin, not a secretary," she replied, her confusion evident.

"Precisely why I need you," Alex said. "Your skills are unmatched. But you’re more than an assassin. Working with me will give you the respect and recognition you deserve."

Ariana hesitated, his words striking a chord. "Respect? No one’s ever shown me respect. They’ve called me names, belittled me… It’s all I’ve known."

Alex clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to hunt down everyone who had hurt her. He softened his tone. "Stick with me, and I’ll show you what you’re worth. I promise."

Ariana felt a warmth in his words she hadn’t felt before. Reluctantly, she nodded. "Alright, but this is strictly professional."

Alex chuckled. "Fine. But we can be friends, can’t we?"

"Friends I can handle," she said with a small smile.

After breakfast, the two arrived at a private meeting room where Henry and Rosalie were waiting. Rosalie’s eyes lit up when Alex entered, her gaze locking onto him. She wasted no time sliding onto the couch beside him, her body language overtly flirtatious.

"Mr. White," Alex said coolly, ignoring Rosalie’s advances. "Let’s get straight to business."

Henry grinned, leaning back in his chair. "I won’t waste your time, Mr. King. If you want my shares in Foster Industries, there’s one condition: you marry my daughter."

Rosalie beamed, sliding closer. "So you’ll marry me, Alex?" she asked, her voice dripping with sweetness.

"It’s Mr. King to you," Alex said, his tone ice-cold as he met her gaze with steely eyes. "I won’t repeat myself."

Ariana handed Alex a folder without hesitation. "Here, Alex," she said.

"Didn’t you hear him? He’s Mr. King, not Alex," Rosalie snapped, clearly feeling slighted.

Without missing a beat, Ariana raised her hand and slapped Rosalie across the cheek. The sound echoed through the room as Rosalie’s hand flew to her reddening face. "Mind your business," Ariana said calmly. "He told me to call him Alex. Got a problem with that?"

"You… You slapped me?" Rosalie stammered, her voice shaking with anger and humiliation.

"Try me again, and I’ll do it twice," Ariana warned, raising her hand again.

Henry shot up from his seat, grabbing Ariana’s wrist. "Touch my daughter again, and I’ll end you," he snarled.

Before Ariana could respond, Alex stood, his entire demeanor shifting. "Release her. Now," Alex ordered, his voice low and dangerous.

Henry hesitated but released Ariana’s wrist under Alex’s piercing glare. Alex pulled Ariana protectively to his side, his arm around her waist. "Let’s focus on the matter at hand. Read the file."

Henry opened the folder, his eyes widening in horror. He turned to Rosalie and, in a flash of rage, slapped her across the face.

"Papa!" Rosalie cried, shocked.

"Shut up!" Henry roared. "I can’t believe you’d humiliate me like this."

"What are you talking about?" she sobbed.

"See for yourself," Henry barked, throwing the file at her.

Rosalie opened it with trembling hands, her face draining of color as she saw explicit photos of herself with her ex-boyfriend and several other men. "These… These are fake!" she pleaded.

"Fake?" Henry scoffed. "They’re verified. How could you be so careless?"

Alex smirked, watching the drama unfold. He leaned back, pulling Ariana down beside him.

"Well, Mr. White, I trust you know what needs to be done now," Alex said smoothly.

Defeated, Henry signed over the shares without further protest. As he left with Rosalie, her sobs echoed in the hallway, followed by Henry’s furious scolding.

As the door closed, Alex turned to Ariana. "What did you think?"

Ariana smirked. "You’re a devil in disguise."

Alex laughed. "And you’re my perfect accomplice."