CHAPTER ONE

Mace Sinclair sat in his opulent office, surrounded by the trappings of power and success. His face was the epitome of gruff determination as he meticulously filled out paperwork, each stroke of his pen a testament to his unwavering focus. The room exuded an air of authority, from the towering shelves filled with leather-bound volumes to the massive oak desk that dominated the space.

Outside his office, the atmosphere was far from serene. Commotion had erupted in the hallway, and the usually poised and professional staff were in disarray. Mace's 17-year-old niece, Seraphina Sinclair, was the epicenter of the chaos, her fiery spirit on full display.

Seraphina was a force of nature, a striking blend of youthful exuberance and stubborn determination. She had long, flowing auburn hair that cascaded down her back in untamed waves, a perfect match for her fiery personality. Her eyes, a piercing shade of emerald green, held a spark of mischief and defiance.

She stormed down the hallway, her footsteps echoing with authority, her voice carrying through the walls as she berated Mace's secretary and executive assistant.

"I can't believe you're blocking me from seeing my dear uncle!" Seraphina exclaimed, her voice filled with righteous indignation.

"Do you know who I am? I'm Seraphina Sinclair, and I have every right to see him whenever I please!"

Mace had made it clear that he was not to be disturbed, a fact that his loyal staff was well aware of. But Seraphina had never been one to bow to authority, especially when it came to her beloved uncle.

His secretary, Lorraine, a poised and composed woman who had weathered many storms in her role, tried to reason with the fiery teenager.

"Miss Sinclair, I understand your eagerness to see Mr. Sinclair, but he's in an important meeting right now. I promise I'll let him know you're here as soon as he's available."

Seraphina's emerald eyes flashed with impatience as she shot back,

"I don't care about his stupid meetings! I demand to see him now!"

Victor, Mace's executive assistant, stepped forward, his voice a mix of authority and patience. "Seraphina, we're just doing our jobs. Mr. Sinclair will be finished with his meeting soon, and then he'll see you. You can't just barge in like this."

But Seraphina was having none of it. She felt entitled to her uncle's attention, and she wasn't about to let anyone stand in her way.

"You both are just a couple of glorified paper-pushers! I could have your jobs with a snap of my fingers!"

As her tirade continued, her threats escalated, and it became evident that Seraphina was not one to be trifled with. She had inherited her uncle's stubbornness and determination, and when she set her mind to something, she pursued it with unwavering resolve.

With a final, fiery declaration, Seraphina made her move, barging her way past the beleaguered staff and into Mace's office. The scene that greeted her was one of gruff elegance—her uncle, immersed in his paperwork, his face etched with a stern expression.

Mace looked up from his desk, his stormy gray eyes meeting Seraphina's fiery green ones. His brows furrowed in annoyance as he demanded, "What is the meaning of this intrusion, Seraphina?"

Seraphina, undaunted by her uncle's stern demeanor, crossed her arms and gave him a defiant glare.

"I needed to see you, Uncle Mace. You've been avoiding me, and I won't stand for it!"

Mace Sinclair's sigh was laden with frustration as he watched his defiant niece standing before him. He leaned back in his plush, expensive chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. His stormy gray eyes bore into Seraphina's emerald ones, a silent warning of his displeasure.

"Sit." he finally demanded in a voice that brooked no argument.

Seraphina hesitated for a moment, her fiery spirit flickering with uncertainty. She shot her uncle one last defiant look before reluctantly taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Mace's attention turned to his telecom on the desk. He picked it up and pressed a button, summoning his secretary, Lorraine. The air in the room seemed to grow tense as they waited for her arrival.

A few moments later, there was a polite knock on the door, and Lorraine entered, her presence marked by a nervous energy. She greeted Mace with a respectful nod and a slightly shaky smile. "Mr. Sinclair, how may I assist you?"

Mace's stern gaze bore into Lorraine, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"Lorraine, explain to me why my niece, Seraphina, is standing in my office when I specifically instructed that I was not to be disturbed."

Lorraine's nervousness became palpable as she stammered,

"I...I tried to contain her, Mr. Sinclair, but she insisted on seeing you. I thought it would be best to—"

Mace cut her off with a curt wave of his hand. "Enough excuses, Lorraine. I gave you a direct order, and it appears you were unable to carry it out. You let someone in when I clearly said I didn't want to be disturbed."

Lorraine attempted to explain herself further, her voice trembling.

"I thought it was important, Mr. Sinclair, and I tried to handle the situation as best as I could."

Mace's patience had worn thin. He spoke with a sharp edge to his voice, his temper flaring. "Clearly, your best is not good enough. You failed to uphold a simple directive. I don't tolerate incompetence."

Seraphina, who had been watching the exchange in silence, couldn't resist jumping into the fray. "Uncle Mace, it's not her fault! I insisted on seeing you, and she tried her best to stop me. I'm not a nuisance."

Mace turned his steely gaze towards Seraphina, his expression darkening.

"Seraphina, I told you not to disturb me during my meetings. You should respect that."

But Seraphina was not one to back down easily. She retorted with a stubborn determination, her fiery spirit unyielding.

"I needed to talk to you, Uncle, and you've been avoiding me. I won't be ignored."

Mace's patience had reached its limit. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

"Seraphina, you will sit down and be quiet. You have no business interfering in my work affairs."

Seraphina bristled at her uncle's words, her green eyes flashing with defiance. She opened her mouth to argue further, but Mace's cutting interruption left her momentarily stunned.

"Enough," he declared, his voice like a whip crack. "I will not tolerate this insubordination any longer. Lorraine, you're fired for failing to carry out a simple task. Leave my office."

Lorraine's face paled as she processed the abrupt termination. She stammered her apologies and quickly made her exit, leaving behind a tense atmosphere in the room.

Mace's attention turned back to Seraphina, who was now glaring at him with a mixture of anger and frustration. He didn't mince words as he delivered a final, stinging reprimand.

"Seraphina, you will learn to obey my instructions, or there will be consequences. I won't tolerate disruptions in my workplace, family or not."

Seraphina, her fiery spirit momentarily quelled by her uncle's stern authority, begrudgingly nodded. She remained silent, her gaze still locked with Mace's, a battle of wills between the powerful businessman and his headstrong niece.

The tension in Mace Sinclair's office remained palpable as the argument with his headstrong niece, Seraphina, continued to escalate. Her defiance clashed with his strict demeanor, creating an atmosphere thick with unspoken resentment.

Seraphina's fiery spirit was not easily subdued, and she was determined to have her say.

"Uncle Mace, you can't just fire Lorraine like that! It's not her fault I barged in."

Mace's jaw clenched, his patience wearing thin. "Seraphina, I make the decisions in this company, and I won't tolerate insubordination from anyone, including my employees."

But Seraphina was undeterred, her green eyes flashing with a mix of anger and entitlement. "You're always so uptight, Uncle. You need to loosen up and stop taking everything so seriously."

Mace's expression remained stern as he leaned forward, his voice icy.

"This is my business, Seraphina, and I take it very seriously. Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss?"

Seraphina's defiance seemed to shift into a different form of manipulation as she batted her long lashes and put on a sugary-sweet tone. "Well, Uncle, since you were so kind to fire Lorraine, I was thinking you could do something else for me."

Mace raised an eyebrow, his suspicion growing. "And what is that, Seraphina?"

A sly smile tugged at Seraphina's lips as she leaned closer to her uncle's desk, her tone dripping with spoilt entitlement.

"I want you to give me your Amex card. There's this amazing shopping spree I've been dying to go on."

Mace's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms, his patience reaching its limit.

"Seraphina, you're pushing your luck. I won't indulge your extravagant desires."

But Seraphina was not one to back down easily. She leaned even closer, her voice a sultry whisper. "Come on, Uncle Mace, you're the richest guy in the city. What's a little shopping spree to you? It's not like you can't afford it."

Mace's jaw clenched, and he reached into his pocket to retrieve his Amex card. He handed it to Seraphina, his voice low and threatening.

"Here, Seraphina. But let me be clear. This card comes with a warning. If you misuse it or exceed the limit, there will be consequences."

Seraphina took the card with a triumphant smile, her eyes gleaming with victory.

"Don't worry, Uncle Mace. I promise to be responsible."

Mace's gaze bore into hers, a hanging threat in his words.

"Remember what I said, Seraphina. Don't test my patience."

As Seraphina left the office, armed with her uncle's Amex card and a smug grin, it was clear that their tumultuous relationship was far from resolved.

Mace Sinclair sat in the solitude of his office, surrounded by the towering stacks of paperwork and contract files that were his daily companions. His focus was unwavering as he reviewed the details of a particularly complex deal, his stormy gray eyes scanning the fine print.

A knock at the door interrupted his solitude, but Mace's expression remained as hard as ever. "Come in," he grumbled, his voice a low rumble that matched his imposing demeanor.

Victor, his efficient executive assistant, ushered a man into the office. The man offered a polite nod of greeting, his demeanor professional and unassuming.

"Mr. Sinclair, may I introduce Mr. Jacobson from the construction team."

Mace spared the man only a cursory glance before returning his attention to his paperwork. "What do you want, Mr. Jacobson?"

Jacobson, accustomed to Mace's gruff demeanor, exchanged pleasantries and introduced himself more formally.

"I hope you're well, Mr. Sinclair. I wanted to discuss an expansion of the construction site at the Sinclair Heights development."

Mace continued to peruse the contract file, his voice cold and uninterested.

"Get to the point, Jacobson."

Jacobson cleared his throat, undeterred by Mace's brusque attitude.

"Well, sir, we've encountered a small issue. There's a bungalow adjacent to the property, and it's not part of the space you purchased."

Mace finally looked up from his paperwork, his steely gaze locking onto Jacobson's.

"What's the problem? Buy the bungalow and demolish it if it's in the way."

Jacobson hesitated for a moment before he explained,

"Sir, the occupants of the bungalow are refusing to leave. They claim it's not part of your purchased space, and they have every right to stay."

Mace's lips curled into a sardonic smile, his sarcasm evident in his tone.

"Are you telling me that a group of squatters is holding up my construction project?"

Jacobson nodded, his expression apologetic.

"Yes, sir, it appears they have some legal standing to stay there."

Mace leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. He regarded Jacobson with a calculated intensity.

"Then do whatever it takes to get them out. Buy the property if you must, with or without their consent."

Jacobson hesitated once more, the weight of Mace's demand heavy on his shoulders.

"Sir, it might be a bit more complicated than that. The bungalow is owned by someone who isn't willing to sell."

Mace's response was devoid of sympathy, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm.

"Mr. Jacobson, you seem to have a talent for stating the obvious. If they're unwilling to sell, find a way to make them willing."

Jacobson took a deep breath, bracing himself for Mace's reaction.

"Very well, sir. I'll explore all available options to resolve the matter."

Mace leaned forward, his cold, gray eyes locked onto David's.

"Mr. Jacobson, do you know who I am?"

Jacobson swallowed hard, fully aware of Mace's reputation as a ruthless business mastermind. "Yes, Mr. Sinclair, I do."

Mace's voice remained unyielding as he issued his final command.

"Then make it happen. That bungalow is now a part of my project, whether they like it or not."

Mace's gruff demeanor remained unyielding as he dismissed Jacobson with a wave of his hand. "That's your job, Mr. Jacobson. Make it happen."

As Jacobson left the office, Mace's icy gaze returned to the contract file before him.