Chapter Twenty -Two

Leilani POV

Leilani sat at her kitchen table, the morning light filtering through the sheer curtains, the light drizzle of rain streaked the glass, matched her mood perfectly while casting a gloomy glow on new rented apartment she and the kids had just moved into, it was far from her parents but close to her father's job so he could stop by after work, and close to her sisters home.

Her coffee had gone cold, untouched for the last hour as she stared blankly at her laptop screen.

She needed a job, and she really needed to be doing something to get one instead of thinking about Gustin Winchester.

It had been days since her meeting with Gustin, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Not a single call. Not even a message.

She had half-expected him to reach out, to at least check in on the children, since he had been so adamant to seeing.

But the phone had stayed silent, and with each passing day, she was beginning to accept the fact that—maybe he didn’t want to be in their lives after all.

She had tried to prepare herself for this. Gustin had never been fatherhood material in all the time she knew him but a part of her had hoped—against all reason—that he was different because, he had his little son with Bellamy.

Even if it was just to talk about their children’s future.

But nothing.

It wasn’t just Gustin’s silence that was pressing down on her, that was the least of her problems.

It was everything. Her savings were dwindling, and she needed to find a job—fast.

The problem was, the London market didn't seem to like her very much after sending out countless resumes and attending interviews, all she had hit was a wall of rejections.

No one wanted to hire a mother of two with a gap of two years in her resume, no matter how capable she was. The rejection emails were piling up.

She had been scouring the market for days since her return, applying to anything that seemed remotely promising.The rejections came swiftly and some companies didn’t bother responding; others sent polite but impersonal emails stating that they had gone with more qualified candidates.

As she scrolled through another list of job postings on her laptop, one particular listing caught her eye. It was a position at Gustin's company, she was almost tempted to click on it,the job opening matched her skill set perfectly.

In fact, it would have been the easier option because she was almost certain, Gustin would give her the job but the idea of working under him, of crossing paths with him again, filled her with annoyance. She wanted freedom from him.

There was another posting, Spectre Industries, one of the leading tech companies in the city.

She knew the name, of course most people did —Spectre was Gustin’s main rival in the corporate world. The two companies had been competing for years, and there was no love lost between them. Leilani hesitated, her finger hovering over the mouse.

She clicked on the application for Spectre Industries without giving herself time to think about it and started filling out the form.

Working for Gustin’s rival might not have been her finest moment , but at this point, she didn’t have the luxury of being picky.

She needed to provide for her children, and Spectre was offering a competitive salary and benefits package plus the added advantage of not having to see his face.

She clicked send and watched the page refreshing for a long time, giving her the option of cancelling the whole thing but she didn't once it was done, she sighed and, she closed the laptop and pushed her chair back, walking toward the window.

The city below buzzed with life, people going about their day with purpose, something she seemed to have lost in the past few weeks.

Her thoughts drifted to the twins, playing quietly in their room. They didn’t understand any of this, and she was grateful for that.

She had to make a decision. She couldn’t wait for Gustin any longer, herself and her children did not really need that drama.The twins needed stability and that started with getting a job.

If Spectre Industries was offering her a chance, she had to take it.

The next morning, Leilani stood in front of the tall, gleaming building that housed Spectre Industries. It was sleek, modern, and imposing—everything she imagined a place run by Sebastian Wolfe would be.

She had done her research,the CEO of Spectre, Sebastian Wolfe, was known for his ruthless tactics and charming persona. The media painted him as a playboy and a risky figure, always lurking on the edges of scandal but never fully caught in it.

She had no idea what she would face in there,she adjusted the collar of her blazer, her nerves lifting little butterflies from her stomach to her chest.

She had been invited for an interview, so this was her chance even though it felt more like stepping into enemy territory.

Taking one last deep breath,she straightened her jacket and walked inside, through the revolving doors,the cool air of the lobby hitting her as she made her way to the reception desk.

The interior was just as sleek and modern as the exterior—high ceilings, polished marble floors everything exuded sophistication.

"Leilani Jordan " she said, smiling nervously at the receptionist.

"I have an interview at 10."

The receptionist, a woman with sharp features and a professional smile, nodded and typed something into her computer.She was polite as she directed her

"Yes, Ms. Jordan you’re expected. Please take the elevator to the tenth floor and someone will be with you shortly."

The elevator ride felt like an eternity, her stomach churning with nerves. When the elevator doors opened, she was greeted by something different, a minimalist office space, all glass walls and steel accents.

It was beautiful in a cold, calculated way. Leilani stepped out, and a sharp-looking woman in a tailored suit approached her. Her hands fluttered nervously.