The line went dead in his ear like a door slammed shut.
Malachi sat there for a long second, the silence in the sleek office feeling almost obscene. He rolled the phone between his fingers, watching the black screen as if it might offer an explanation.
That woman seemed to not fear him. She was in trouble and needed help but lashed at him as though he had caused it. She really needed to be taught a lesson. But he was looking forward to meeting her again.
He pressed the call button on the table. The assistant appeared in the doorway within two minutes, immaculate in a gray suit, hair slicked, expression practiced calm.
"Sir?"
"Did you give that woman from last night my card?" Malachi asked, his voice flat and controlled. There was no hurry in it; the control made it worse. He asked though knowing no one else could have done that and also he had seen Felix giving the card from the corner of his eye just as he made a corner on the hallway.
Felix shifted, avoiding Malachi's eyes for a fraction. "Yes, sir. I handed her two. She seemed confused, She had mistook your identity."
Malachi stood, the movement slow, deliberate. He walked to the window, hands clasped behind his back, looking down at the city as if deciding which building to crush first. "Get me everything on Athen Lang," he said.
Felix nodded, already tapping notes into his tablet. Malachi watched him go, the quiet in the room settling like frost.
Malachi sat in his office, trying to focus on the stack of reports in front of him, but his mind kept drifting back to last night. No matter how many times he told himself to forget it, the image of that woman wouldn't leave his head.
It wasn't the first time someone had tried to drug him—he'd faced worse and always come out on top. Whether that woman had warned him or not, he would've handled it. He had already noticed Stacy's strange behavior days ago but decided to play along, before he taught her a lesson she wouldn't forget. Maybe he lacked entertainment and was looking forward to one.
He wanted to see how far she would push it. He wanted to know whether she'd risk everything for a shot at advancement. And truly she didn't disappoint.
But even after all that, it wasn't Stacy who kept bothering him, it was the other woman. The one who had burst into the room, angry and bold. The woman who barged into the wrong room and begun cursing him out. Malachi wasn't the kind of man who let random people occupy his thoughts, yet here he was, replaying that moment like a scene on loop. She wasn't supposed to matter. She wasn't even part of his world.
Her face was plastered all over his mind. And that annoyed him more than anything else.
And then she called him.
Malachi hadn't expected to ever hear from her again, yet there she was, her voice breaking through his phone like an echo from last night. The woman who had barged into his life by mistake had somehow found her way back in. And this time, she needed help.
Felix stood across the desk, going over the morning reports, but Malachi's attention wasn't on the documents spread in front of him. His sharp eyes stared at the papers, though his mind was miles away, still stuck on that unexpected call.
"Sir," Felix began carefully, not noticing his boss's distraction, "Miss Corleone was found this morning together with the waiter. She went to the police to sue you, but reporters caught her first. Her father stepped in before things got worse and sent her to rehab, just like you intended."
Malachi didn't react at first, his expression calm and unreadable. Felix might have thought he was analyzing every word, but in truth, Malachi hadn't heard half of what he said. His thoughts were tangled somewhere else, on a woman, that was the strangest of all. A woman. A guy who had been celibate all his life.
Malachi had been in the industry for a long time. Over the years, he had seen it all, the greed, the flattery, the desperate attempts to win his favor. Many businessmen had tried to push their daughters into his life, hoping to tie their families to his empire through marriage or even a single night of companionship. When rumors once spread that he might be gay, those same men began pushing their sons toward him, just as shamelessly. Malachi never bothered to deny or confirm the gossip; he had long learned how to deal with their games.
He had inherited Phoenix Industries from his grandmother when he was only seventeen, a time when most boys were still figuring out their future. Now, a decade later, at twenty-seven, he had turned that inheritance into something extraordinary. The company had expanded beyond anything it had been before, becoming one of the most powerful financial empires in the world, with branches spread across continents.
His grandmother had managed it well during her time, it had been one of the most respected companies in Country B. But under Malachi's leadership, it became something far greater. Every decision he made carried precision and purpose. Every move was calculated. He wasn't just leading a company anymore, he was shaping an empire.
Soon, Felix walked into the office just few minutes after leaving, his tablet in hand and a careful expression on his face. "Sir," he began, "I sent the email with the details you asked for." Malachi nodded without looking up, his attention still on the document before him. Felix cleared his throat softly and continued.
"Her full name is Athen Lang," he said. "Her father is Judge Jacob Lang." He paused for a moment before adding, "He was caught in a corruption scandal a few years ago and went into hiding. No one's heard from him since."
Malachi finally looked up, his brows lifting slightly in interest. Felix went on, "During that time, Athen signed with Wonder Studios. She was kicked out of her house today—it was repossessed by the company. They provided her accommodation as part of her contract, but after she failed to attend a meeting with Producer Jones at Le Stat, she was immediately removed. Apparently, she confused the rooms that night."
Malachi leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. So that's how it all connected. A simple mistake that had cost her everything.
With that, all of Athen's story was laid bare. Felix stood silently, watching as Malachi finally glanced through the email on his screen. His expression was unreadable—cold, distant, but focused. After a few seconds, he spoke calmly, his tone carrying quiet authority.
"Go pick her up," Malachi said, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "Take her to Hera."
Felix froze for a moment, certain he'd misheard. "S-sir?" he stammered. "You mean… Hera Garden?"
Malachi finally lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp as glass. He didn't repeat himself. He didn't have to. That single look was enough to make Felix straighten immediately.
Hera Garden wasn't just any place, it was his private estate, the one no one was ever allowed to step into. Not guests. No one. And now, for some reason even he couldn't fully explain, he was sending her there.
"Yes, sir." Felix gave a quick bow and left the room, the sound of his footsteps fading down the marble hallway.
It was already late, around six in the evening. The city lights outside had begun to flicker on, washing the skyline in soft gold and silver hues. Malachi sat in silence for a while, staring at the dimming horizon through the wide glass window. His desk was still cluttered with untouched files and open reports, yet none of them could hold his attention.
Thirty minutes passed before he finally stood, the chair sliding back quietly against the floor. He reached for his black coat, slipping it on. But for once, his movements lacked their usual control. His mind had been scattered ever since that phone call. No matter how he tried to shake it off, her voice kept echoing in his head hesitant, frustrated, desperate.
Malachi exhaled slowly, buttoned his coat, and left the office.