"Shut up, Layla!" Declan's voice suddenly roared through the silence of the office, making Layla freeze where she stood. Her eyes widened in disbelief—this was the first time in her life she had ever seen him raise his voice at her. The warmth she had always been met with from him was gone, replaced with a stern, cutting edge.
Declan stood tall, his face a mask of pained composure as he struggled to rein in the storm inside. "The property and assets you're talking about were founded by my grandfather. I was only the caretaker of that legacy. I don't get to choose where it goes." His voice was lower now, but it carried a distinct weight—a heaviness only someone truly hurt could deliver.
