Page 81 of Titus

Wyatt crossed his arms loosely. “I say we go for Seychelles.”

I glanced over at him.

“The outer islands,” he continued. “Less saturated than the Maldives. More exclusive. Better long-term privacy positioning for Crown Reserve.”

Colton nodded. “I actually agree with Wyatt for once,” he muttered. “The conservation protections alone increase prestige value.”

I looked back toward the Newport skyline, quietly imagining it. Thirty private villas. Ultra-elite access. Complete isolation. Hawk Crown Reserve wasn’t being built for ordinary wealth anymore. It was being built for people powerful enough to disappear entirely from the world.

And honestly? I had to agree with Wyatt for the first time, too. Seychelles fit that vision better anyway. Why the hell didn’t I think to explore this location before?

Nobody interrupted Hawk Enterprise’s board meetings, which was why I ignored the subtle vibration of my phone against the conference table behind me as I continued to envision my project coming to life at this suggested location.

Then it vibrated again. Annoyance flickered through me briefly before I finally turned back to the table and glanced down. It was a single message from my receptionist for the executive floors.

Elizabeth: Ms. Catalina Veléz is here to see you. She said there’s no rush and she’s happy to wait until your meeting concludes

Instantly, silence settled in my head. I hadn’t heard a word from the woman since she was able to be by her sister’s side after Amelia nearly lost the baby. I had texted John twice to ensure all was well, leaving Cat and her sister alone to recover.

Across the table, Colton kept talking about projected expansion margins while my attention wandered completely for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Cat was here. At Hawk Enterprise. Voluntarily. Holy shit.

I looked toward legal. “We’ll finish this tomorrow.”

The entire room went still because I never postponed board meetings. Ever.

“Everything okay?” Wyatt asked.

“Yes,” I answered simply before gathering my tablet from the table.

The room stayed unusually quiet as several executives watched me far too closely.

Good, let them wonder.

Without another word, I exited the boardroom and crossed the executive floor toward Elizabeth’s desk.

The second she looked up, she immediately recognized that something had shifted. “Please call down to security and approve Ms. Veléz for executive access,” I instructed.

“Yes, sir,” Elizabeth nodded quickly. “I’ll have someone escort her up.”

“No.” That word stopped her instantly. “I’ll retrieve her myself.”

For the first time since Elizabeth had worked for Hawk Enterprise, the woman looked surprised.

The private executive elevator descended in silence through Hawk Enterprise as morning sunlight spilled across the glass-and-steel structure surrounding me. Every inch of this building had been deliberately designed to intimidate. Black imported stone. Towering glass walls overlooking Newport Harbor. Architectural water features. Matte steel. It was controlled luxury, expensive enough that it spoke for itself.

Hawk Enterprise wasn’t simply a headquarters; it was a statement. One that reminded everyone entering it exactly who built the empire surrounding them.

Normally, I appreciated that reaction from people. The hesitation, the intimidation, and the awareness that power operated differently within these walls, but today, my focus stayed entirely elsewhere.

The elevator doors opened directly into the lower executive lobby, and the atmosphere shifted the second several employees noticed me stepping out unexpectedly from the private executive elevators.

Anyone who knew me in this building knew that I never came downstairs to greet people. Not for anyone.

Quiet movement continued throughout the massive lobby as sunlight reflected across the sleek marble flooring, with the towering glass walls overlooking the harbor beyond. The executives crossed the space in tailored suits, carrying tablets and coffees, while discreet security remained positioned carefully enough to blend into the architecture itself.

But that’s not what caught my attention. Seated near the wall of windows overlooking the water was Cat.