Chapter 436

Dominic stared at his phone in confusion, fingers hovering over the call button. His mother's sharp warning echoed in his mind—"Don't call me!"

Of course. Genevieve Sinclair was a woman of relentless ambition. She had no time for his failures. Even if she answered, what could she do?

With a bitter exhale, he exited the call screen and typed a message instead: "I lost. Sorry. Goodbye."

A soft knock interrupted the silence. His secretary stood at the door, clutching a cardboard box.

"Mr. Reeves—"

Dominic waved her off weakly. "Go. Just… go."

He forced himself to stand, swaying slightly as he crossed the office. The floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city below—alive with glittering lights and endless motion. None of it was his anymore.

His mind drifted to the day he first stepped into this office. Back then, Phoenix Labs had been new, but Evelyn Carter's perfumes had taken the market by storm. Affordable yet luxurious, they flew off shelves. Investors lined up. Profits soared.

It had been like lightning in a bottle—just like Celestia Group's recent success.

Dominic had been unstoppable. Wealth. Influence. Power. He had Evelyn, devoted and brilliant, and Vanessa Blake, sweet and adoring in his arms.

He’d truly believed the future was his. That he could prove to Genevieve he didn’t need her. That he could claw his way into the elite circles on his own.

But when had it all unraveled? Where had he gone wrong?

His thoughts blurred. There was no fixing this. No second chances.

Game over.

Dominic staggered out of the bar hours later, drunk and unsteady. He barely made it a few steps before doubling over, retching against the alley wall. Still, he clung to the half-empty bottle. Alcohol was the only thing dulling the ache.

He took another swig, stumbling forward. Muttering.

Then—his foot caught on something.

He crashed to the pavement. Glass shattered. A sharp pain lanced through his palm, but he barely registered the blood. He just lay there, laughing hoarsely at the sky.

That was when the polished leather shoes appeared in his blurry vision.

Dominic squinted up at the shadowed figure.

"You…"