𝕋𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕆𝕓𝕤𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 : 𝔸 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝖐𝖑𝖞𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑_𝖗𝖍𝖞𝖒𝖊𝖘 PART 2/2 The air inside Eclipsa pulsed with the deep thrum of bass, the club’s dim lighting casting golden hues over crystal glasses and bodies moving in sync with the music. Tammy Harrington sat in the VIP section, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her wine glass as her thoughts warred against her emotions. She shouldn't have come here and yet, she had. And across the room, Dylan Carter leaned against the bar, his posture relaxed, as if he hadn’t just unraveled her world. He had single handedly dismantled her father’s case in court, costing Harrington Enterprises millions, tarnishing its reputation, and making Gerald Harrington look weak. That alone should have made him her enemy. But then, why was she here, watching him? Why did her skin prickle when his gaze finally met hers from across the club? A slow, knowing look passed between them. A challenge. Tammy inhaled sharply, downed the rest of her drink, and stood. She was done playing defense. Dylan had been expecting her. By the time Tammy reached him, he was already ordering a drink for her, his deep voice barely audible over the music. "You always drink white wine when you’re thinking too hard." She glared at him. "I don’t think too hard. I calculate." Dylan chuckled, sliding the glass toward her. "And what have you calculated tonight, princess?" Tammy ignored the way the nickname sent a shiver down her spine. "That you like to destroy things just for fun. And that you enjoy watching me struggle." Dylan studied her for a moment, then leaned in, his voice just for her. "You’re not struggling, Tammy. You’re evolving." Tammy's breath caught, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "That supposed to impress me?" Dylan tilted his head slightly, as if considering. "No. But I think something else might." Before she could demand what he meant, he stepped closer, his lips just brushing her ear. "Come with me." The invitation was simple. But the way he said it, with that deep, velvety voice, was anything but. Tammy should have refused. She should have walked away. Instead, she drained her glass and followed him out of the club. The ride to Dylan’s apartment was quiet, the air between them thick with something unspoken. Tammy sat beside him in the backseat of his sleek black car, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her thigh. It wasn’t until they were inside his penthouse floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the glowing city skyline that she finally broke the silence. "Why did you do it?" she demanded, arms crossed. Dylan poured himself a drink, took a slow sip, then met her gaze. "Do what?" Tammy clenched her jaw. "Tear my father apart in court. Jeopardize everything." Dylan set his glass down. "Because your father built his empire on deals that bury people. I don’t take cases unless I believe in them." Tammy let out a bitter laugh. "So you believe in ruining my family?" Dylan stepped closer, his presence suffocating in the best and worst ways. "I believe in you." Tammy blinked. "What?" Dylan’s eyes darkened with something unreadable. "Your father is never going to hand you real power. He’ll string you along, let you play CEO while he pulls the strings. But you don’t want to be a puppet, do you?" Tammy’s lips parted, her heart pounding. "You don’t know me." Dylan reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch light but electric. "I know exactly who you are. You want the empire. But you want to build it on your terms." Tammy hated that his words struck something deep inside her. She had spent years proving herself to her father, trying to make him see her as more than just his daughter. Trying to make him respect her. Dylan leaned in, his voice a low whisper against her skin. "I didn’t destroy your father. I freed you." Something inside Tammy snapped. Before she could think, before she could stop herself, she grabbed Dylan by the collar and crushed her lips against his. The kiss was fire and fury, a clash of dominance and desire. Dylan groaned against her mouth, his hands gripping her waist as he backed her against the wall. The taste of whiskey lingered on his lips, intoxicating. "You hate me," he murmured between kisses. "Shut up," Tammy whispered, pulling him closer. Dylan chuckled against her lips before lifting her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her toward the bedroom. Her mind screamed at her to stop. But her body? Her body had already surrendered. Tammy barely registered how they got to the bed. All she knew was the intoxicating heat of Dylan’s mouth on hers, the way his hands roamed her body with a kind of confidence that sent fire straight to her core. Her dress slipped off easily, pooling onto the floor. Dylan took a moment to admire her, his gaze dark, hungry. "You’re beautiful when you’re not trying to fight me." Tammy exhaled sharply, arching into him as his lips trailed down her neck, his tongue flicking against her pulse. "I should be fighting you right now," she whispered, her voice breathy. Dylan smirked, his fingers dancing over the lace of her lingerie. "But you want this, don’t you?" Tammy let out a soft gasp as his hands explored lower, her body betraying her. She hated how easily he unraveled her. Dylan’s lips ghosted over her ear. "Tell me to stop." Tammy’s fingers dug into his shoulders. "I..." Dylan’s touch grew bolder, and whatever she was about to say melted into a moan. "That’s what I thought," he murmured, lips trailing lower, teasing, torturing. Tammy’s head fell back against the pillows, her body arching as Dylan finally gave her what she didn’t dare ask for. Every touch, every movement was deliberate. like he was memorizing her reactions, learning exactly how to unravel her completely. By the time they finally collapsed against the sheets, tangled in each other, the world outside didn’t exist. There was no case. No war between them. No betrayal. Only Dylan. Only this. And that terrified her more than anything. Tammy lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling as Dylan traced lazy patterns along her spine. His breathing was even, calm, but she knew he was awake. She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "This doesn’t change anything." Dylan’s fingers paused. Then, in a voice laced with amusement, he whispered back "Doesn’t it?" Tammy’s heart clenched, but she said nothing. Because deep down, she already knew the answer. Tammy had barely caught her breath. Her skin was still warm from Dylan’s touch, her body still humming from the intensity of what had just happened. The city lights filtered through the windows of her penthouse, casting golden streaks over tangled sheets and scattered clothes. Dylan lay beside her, one arm draped lazily across her waist, tracing slow, deliberate circles against her bare skin. He wasn’t in a hurry to move. "Regretting it yet?" he murmured, his voice thick with amusement. Tammy turned her head to him, her expression unreadable. "Should I be?" Dylan smirked, pressing a slow kiss to her shoulder. "No. But you look like you’re thinking too hard again." Tammy let out a breath, shifting onto her side to face him. "You make me think too much." Dylan brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch lingering. "And yet, you keep coming back." Tammy opened her mouth to retort... Then the door burst open. She barely had time to register what was happening before Sherry stood in the doorway, her face pale, her hands clenched around a folder. For a moment, there was only silence. "What the actual hell?" Sherry’s voice sliced through the air, thick with disbelief and something dangerously close to heartbreak. Her gaze darted between Tammy’s naked form under the sheets and Dylan, his bare chest exposed, completely unbothered. Tammy’s stomach twisted. Dylan? He didn’t even flinch. Slowly, he sat up, reaching for his shirt with infuriating ease. "Sherry," he greeted, as if she had just walked in on a casual business meeting and not caught Sherry’s knuckles tightened around the folder she held, her breathing uneven. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Her voice trembled, caught between disbelief and fury. "Tammy? Him?" Tammy swallowed hard, sitting up and gripping the sheets against her chest. "Sherry..." "Don't," Sherry cut her off, her eyes flashing with something more than anger andpain. Betrayal. "I came here to save you, Tammy. To bring you something that could take this arrogant bastard down. And instead, I find you in bed with him?" Dylan finally pulled his shirt over his head, smoothing out the fabric as if none of this concerned him. "Sherry, you should know by now," he said, voice smooth, slow, deliberate, "I always win." Sherry’s lips parted, her fury only growing. "You manipulative piece of..." "Show me what you have," Tammy interrupted, her voice steady despite the mess unfolding around her. Sherry’s jaw clenched. She hesitated, then threw the folder onto the bed. "Fine. Read it. See for yourself." Tammy grabbed it, flipping it open. Pages of documents, financial records, and supposed dirt on Dylan spilled out. Her eyes scanned through them, her pulse quickening until suddenly, she stopped. Her stomach dropped. This… was nothing. It was weak, flimsy, barely anything Dylan couldn’t talk his way out of. This wouldn’t defeat him. She looked up at Sherry, realization dawning in her eyes. "Where did you even get this?" Sherry’s face fell. She had thought she had something solid, something powerful enough to break Dylan downnbut she had been played. And now, she stood here, empty handed, watching the man she despised share a bed with her best friend. Tammy exhaled, closing the folder. "This isn’t enough." Sherry took a step back, her hands shaking. "You’re choosing him." Tammy hesitated. "It’s not like that." "Yes, it is." Sherry’s voice was sharp now, full of bitterness. "You slept with him, Tammy. You let him win." Dylan smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You’re acting like this is the first time she’s made a smart business decision." Sherry’s expression crumbled. "You bastard," she whispered, barely holding back tears. Then, without another word, she turned and stormed out. Tammy wanted to go after her. But she didn’t. Because deep down, she knew, there was no fixing this. The scandal broke the next morning. Photos of Tammy and Dylan together, leaked to the press. Not from a hidden camera, not from some tabloid photographer But from Sherry. The headlines were ruthless: Harrington Heiress Caught in Bed with the Enemy Sleeping with the Man Who Took Her Father Down Tammy Harrington’s Secret Affair with Dylan Carter Exposed Tammy barely had time to react before her phone buzzed again, her father’s number flashing across the screen. She swallowed hard, knowing exactly what was coming. She had won Dylan. But she might have just lost everything else. The moment Tammy stepped into Sherry’s apartment, the air between them felt like a loaded gun, seconds from firing. Sherry sat on the couch, arms crossed, jaw set. She had been expecting this. Tammy, however, hadn’t expected the truth she was about to uncover. "You leaked the story," Tammy accused, throwing her phone onto the table, the headline still glaring from the screen. "You ruined me." Sherry exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I didn’t ruin you, Tammy. You did that the second you let him crawl into your bed." Tammy’s fingers twitched. "I trusted you." Sherry scoffed. "Oh, that’s rich coming from you." Tammy narrowed her eyes. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" A bitter laugh escaped Sherry’s lips. She leaned forward, voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "You think you’re special? You think you’re the only one he’s ever played?" Tammy’s pulse spiked. Sherry held her gaze for a long, unflinching moment before delivering the final blow. "I slept with him too, Tammy." The words landed like a slap across the face. Tammy’s breath hitched, her world tilting on its axis. "What?" Sherry leaned back, watching as the realization sunk in. "Yeah. That man you’re so obsessed with? The one you threw everything away for? He had me first." The walls closed in. Tammy clenched her fists. "When?" Sherry smirked, venom laced in every inch of her expression. "Does it matter? You were never the first, Tammy. And you sure as hell won’t be the last." The room felt suffocating. Tammy turned on her heel and stormed out. There was only one person who could give her the truth now, Dylan. Tammy barely knocked before shoving Dylan’s door open. He was sitting in his dimly lit living room, glass of whiskey in hand, as if he had been waiting for her inevitable arrival. "Tammy," he greeted smoothly, tilting his glass slightly. "I was wondering how long it would take." She slammed the door shut. "Did you sleep with her?" Dylan took a slow sip before answering. "You’ll have to be more specific. I tend to leave an impression." Her nails dug into her palms. "Sherry. Did you sleep with her?" Dylan studied her for a beat before setting his glass down. "Yes." Tammy’s stomach twisted, anger burning through her veins. "You bastard." Dylan exhaled dramatically, stretching his arms. "That’s the insult you’re going with? C’mon, Tammy, you’re more creative than that." "Why the hell didn’t you tell me?" He stood now, closing the space between them in lazy, deliberate steps. "Would it have changed anything?" Tammy’s breath was shallow, but she refused to back down. "You used me." Dylan tilted his head, his eyes dark with amusement. "You think you didn’t use me too?" Before she could react, his hands were on her, gripping her waist, pulling her flush against him. "You came here to fight me, Tammy. But we both know how this ends." Tammy wanted to resist. She wanted to hold onto the fury. But Dylan had a way of bending reality until the only thing that existed was him. His lips grazed her ear. "Let me remind you why you keep choosing me." Her resolve shattered. His fingers made quick work of the buttons on her blouse, the silk sliding down her shoulders as his mouth left a burning trail down her neck. Tammy gasped as he pressed her against the wall, his hands exploring, teasing, commanding. "Dylan..." "Shhh," he murmured, undoing her skirt and letting it pool at her feet. "I’m not done playing with you yet." Her legs trembled as he lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to the bedroom. He took his time, savoring every inch of her skin, every gasp, every moan. When he finally took her, it wasn’t gentle. It was raw, consuming, dominant. Tammy surrendered completely, her body betraying her as she shattered beneath him—again and again—until the world blurred and she collapsed into exhaustion. Dylan smirked as she fell asleep in his arms. "Sweet dreams, CEO." The moment Tammy drifted into slumber, her body tangled in the sheets, her breathing soft and steady, Dylan slid out of bed with the quiet precision of a man who had planned this night down to the last detail. His muscles ached, but not from exhaustion, it was the satisfaction of knowing he had finally maneuvered every piece into place. He pulled on his slacks, the cool air brushing against his bare chest as he moved to the bar cart in the corner of the room. Pouring himself a drink, he let the amber liquid swirl in his glass, savoring the moment. This was the final act. The checkmate. He rolled his shoulders, loosening the tension that had been building for weeks. With one hand, he picked up his phone and dialed. As soon as the call connected, he spoke, voice smooth and precise. "It’s time." There was a pause on the other end. Then, a low chuckle. "You sure about this, Carter?" Dylan took a slow sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle before answering. "Gerald Harrington is done. Pull the trigger." The plan had been in motion for weeks,no months. Dylan had spent sleepless nights gathering intel, studying every weakness, every crack in Gerald’s empire. He knew the old man was hiding financial discrepancies, knew he had been moving money through off the books transactions. Dylan had let him think he was untouchable until now. By the time morning came, Gerald Harrington would be forced to step down as CEO. The scandal would be too great, the evidence too damning. The board would have no choice but to remove him. And Tammy? She would wake up with everything she ever wanted, the company, the power, the legacy she had fought so hard to prove she deserved. Whether she was ready for it or not. Dylan glanced back at the bed, at the way she lay there, blissfully unaware that the man she had just given herself to had pulled the ground out from under her father. He leaned against the counter, exhaling slowly. Tammy had been fighting for control her whole life. She just didn’t realize Dylan had always been the one pulling the strings. Months Later… Tammy stood at the glass window of her office, staring down at the city. Her company was thriving. Profits had skyrocketed. Clients who had abandoned ship were now crawling back, desperate to align themselves with the empire she had rebuilt. And she had done it without her father. The board had forced Gerald out after an anonymous tip exposed his financial mismanagement. He had no choice but to resign in disgrace. Tammy had stepped up. And she had won. The irony wasn’t lost on her. Everything she had fought for… everything she thought she needed to destroy Dylan for… She wouldn’t have achieved it without him. A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Dylan strolled in, his signature smirk firmly in place. "You look powerful," he mused, taking a seat across from her. Tammy crossed her arms. "You did this." Dylan took a sip of his coffee. "Did what?" She narrowed her eyes. "You took my father out." Dylan chuckled. "Tammy, you really should give yourself more credit. You took him out. I just removed the obstacles in your way." She exhaled, shaking her head. "Why?" Dylan leaned forward, his voice low. "Because I always knew you’d be unstoppable. You just needed a push." Tammy hated how much that thrilled her. Still, something didn’t sit right. "Dylan," she said slowly. "Who tried to set you up?" His smirk faded slightly. He reached into his pocket and slid a small envelope across the desk. Tammy hesitated before picking it up. Inside… was a photo of Sherry and his closest friend. Tammy’s stomach dropped. "No way." Dylan leaned back, his expression unreadable. "I trusted him, Tammy. And he sold me out." Tammy swallowed hard. "What are you going to do?" Dylan tilted his head, his smile returning sharp, dangerous, knowing. "Oh, sweetheart...I’m going to ruin him."