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- Herausgeber: WS
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
Kalista Vorlákis knows how to create beauty—but leading a business? That’s a different challenge.
When her engagement to Marius Drakov explodes in betrayal and scandal, Kalista is forced to take control of her family’s luxury empire. But proving she’s more than just a designer means making bold moves—starting with a partnership with the calculating, enigmatic investor Soren Kastellanos.
Their goal: dismantle Marius’s crumbling empire.
Their problem: resisting the fire between them.
As ambition and desire collide, Kalista and Soren must decide—will fear and mistrust destroy what they’ve built, or will love become their ultimate power play?
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Seitenzahl: 105
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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A Better Offer
Alyssa Evans
Copyright © 2024 by Alyssa
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [include publisher/author contact info].
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Book Cover by Alyssa Evans
Contents
Chapter 1
Kalista pressed her phone to her ear, her silk gown brushing against her legs as she paced the room. The candles flickered softly on the dining table, casting shadows against the glass walls of her penthouse. Her phone buzzed, and when she saw Natalia’s name, she sighed but answered.
“This better be quick. Marius is on his way over.”
Natalia’s voice was tight and hurried. “Kali, check your messages. Right now.”
Kalista frowned. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Just read them. You need to see it to believe it.”
The tension in Natalia’s voice made Kalista’s stomach churn. Lowering the phone, she swiped to her texts. There it was—an unread message from Alina Pavlos, an acquaintance who ran in the same circles as her and Marius.
Two images.
She tapped open the first photo, and her world tilted.
Marius. Kissing another woman. His hand gripping her waist like it belonged there. In the second photo, his lips pressed along the curve of the woman’s neck—an intimate, familiar touch.
Kalista stared at the photos, her pulse roaring in her ears. She felt frozen, suspended between disbelief and the crushing weight of realization.
Natalia’s voice filtered back in. “Kali...?”
She forced herself to take a shallow breath. “Thanks, Talia. I’ll call you later.”
“Kali—”
She ended the call, her thumb hovering for a moment before she hit Call on Marius’s contact. The phone barely rang twice before he answered, his voice smooth and casual, like everything was normal.
“Hey, babe. Running a little late—should be there in ten.”
“Don’t bother.”
A beat of silence. Then his voice, still smooth but edged with irritation. “What are you talking about?”
“I know, Marius.”
The silence on the other end stretched—just long enough to feel deliberate. Then came a sigh, so dismissive it made her skin prickle.
“Look, Kali...whatever you think you know, it’s not what it seems.”
Her hand tightened around the phone. “You kissed another woman. I saw the photos.”
“Come on,” he said, as if she were a child throwing a tantrum. “It wasn’t serious. Don’t blow this out of proportion.”
“Out of proportion?” Her voice sharpened. “We’re engaged, Marius.”
His sigh was long and patronizing. “Do we really need to do this over the phone?”
“We really do.”
He clicked his tongue, an exasperated sound. “You’re being dramatic, Kali. It didn’t mean anything. She’s just...someone. You know how these things are.”
The sheer arrogance in his tone knocked the air from her lungs. “No, Marius. I don’t know how these things are.”
“Okay, fine.” His voice was clipped, as if placating her. “I get it. You’re upset. But do you really want to throw away everything we’ve built over one mistake?”
Kalista swallowed the hot lump rising in her throat, forcing herself to stay calm. “What exactly have we built, Marius? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like nothing.”
He sighed, tired now, as if this conversation was a nuisance he didn’t have time for. “Look, I’ll explain everything when I get there. Just—cool off, okay?”
“No.” Her voice was ice. “We’re done.”
She ended the call before he could respond and tossed the phone onto the counter with more force than necessary.
The engagement ring on her finger burned like a brand. She slid it off, holding it in her palm for a moment before letting it drop onto the table.
The soft clink echoed through the quiet room, a sound that carried all the weight of an ending.
Stavros removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, as if the weight of the discussion had been building for a while.
“I’ll be sixty-three next year,” he began. “The board thinks it’s time I start pulling back. They want someone younger at the helm.”
Kalista leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “And that someone is supposed to be me.”
Stavros gave a slow nod. “That was always the plan.”
Kalista let out a frustrated breath. “You know that wasn’t my plan. The idea was for Marius to take over the business side, remember?” She laughed bitterly. “He was supposed to run things, and I’d stay in my lane with the design team.”
Her father’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something—maybe sympathy, or just recognition—before he responded. “I know that was your idea.”
“And obviously, it’s going to take some time to...rethink that,” she added, her words tight.
Stavros gave her a long, steady look. “Time isn’t something the board is willing to give us, Kali. They don’t care that Marius didn’t work out. They care about stability.”
“So marry someone else?” she said dryly. “Is that your solution?”
His lips twitched, but not into a smile. “You know that’s not what I’m saying.”
Kalista pressed her fingers against her temple. “Dad, you’ve been telling me for years that I need to step up, but we both know I’m not the person you want running things.”
Stavros leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. “I don’t want anyone else running things either.”
“You just want me to figure out how to be a CEO overnight?”
“No.” He met her gaze evenly. “But I want you to try. I want you to start thinking beyond just design. Vorlákis Enterprises needs leadership, and it needs to come from someone who understands the soul of the company.”
She shook her head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not a leader, Dad. I don’t even like this part of the business. That’s why I had Marius in the first place.”
Stavros’s expression softened just a fraction. “Marius wasn’t the right man for you—or for this company. You’re going to have to stop hiding behind that plan, Kali. It didn’t work.”
The truth in his words hit her like a slap, and for a moment, all she could do was sit in the quiet weight of it.
“What if I don’t want this?” she whispered.
“Then the board will push for someone else,” Stavros said without hesitation. “An outsider.”
Kalista’s stomach twisted. There was no need to elaborate on what that would mean. If control of Vorlákis Enterprises left their family, everything her father had built—and everything her grandparents had fought for—would be at risk.
“You might not think you belong in this seat,” Stavros continued. “But you’re wrong. You have more potential than you realize.”
Kalista exhaled sharply through her nose, the weight of his words settling over her. She had always run from this responsibility, but now it was catching up with her. Faster than she could dodge it.
“You really think I can do this?” she asked quietly, almost afraid to hear the answer.
“I do.” Stavros’s voice was steady, and for once, it didn’t sound like an expectation. It sounded like belief. “But you have to decide whether or not you’re going to try.”
Before she could say anything, the door swung open and his assistant entered, placing a folder on the table.
Before Kalista could respond, the door opened, and one of Stavros’s assistants stepped in, carrying a slim black folder.
“We’ve identified several companies worth watching,” the assistant said, placing the folder on the table between them. “A few might be viable for acquisition if their financial situations continue to decline.”
Stavros opened the folder and scanned the list, nodding as he flipped through the pages. “Elysium Retail, Corinthian Luxe, and Drakov Holdings...All showing signs of trouble.”
Kalista’s pulse quickened at the mention of the last name.
“The first two have weak liquidity positions,” the assistant continued. “But Drakov Holdings has been sustaining heavy losses for months. If they don’t secure new financing soon, they’ll be forced to liquidate assets.”
Kalista kept her expression neutral, but inside, satisfaction flickered. Marius’s empire was crumbling—just like his promises.
Stavros turned another page. “Any signs of competition?”
“Yes,” the assistant replied. “Soren Kastellanos has already made inquiries about Drakov Holdings.”
Kalista stiffened. Of course Soren was circling. He was always among the first to spot blood in the water. If he acquired Drakov, he wouldn’t just salvage it—he’d gut it, rebuild it, and profit immensely in the process.
Her father closed the folder with a decisive snap and gave her a pointed look. “If we want to move on any of these, we’ll need to act soon.”
But Kalista was barely listening. Her focus had narrowed to one name: Drakov Holdings.
This wasn’t just business—it was personal.
Her father watched her carefully, clearly aware of the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior. “You know what needs to be done, Kali.”
She inhaled deeply, the weight of expectation settling on her chest once again. But this time, the idea of taking action didn’t feel quite as suffocating. If she was going to step up, she would do it on her terms—and her way.
“I’ll think about it,” she said, rising from her chair.
Stavros gave her a small nod, his expression measured. “That’s all I ask.”
The din of polite conversation and the soft clink of champagne flutes filled the grand ballroom, where the city’s elite mingled beneath shimmering chandeliers. Kalista moved through the crowd with effortless grace, though her thoughts were far from the glittering world around her.
Her silk gown, a deep sapphire she’d designed herself, clung perfectly to her frame, but tonight, it felt more like armor. She hadn’t wanted to come to this gala, but Stavros insisted. “People need to see you,” he’d said. “The board needs to see you.” And perhaps, she admitted privately, she needed the distraction.
Still, no amount of champagne or polite conversation could dull the frustration simmering beneath her calm exterior. Everywhere she turned, someone else wanted something from her—whether it was praise for her latest collection or some subtle hint at what was next for Vorlákis Enterprises. But no one asked what she wanted.
She was about to slip away to the quieter edge of the room when she spotted him—Soren Kastellanos.
He cut through the crowd like a shark through water, his gaze sharp and deliberate, every movement smooth and purposeful. He wasn’t just walking—he was choosing where to be, when to be there, and whom to speak to.
And now, his dark eyes were locked on her.
Before she could decide how to react, he was standing in front of her, his presence magnetic. “Kalista Vorlákis.” His voice was low and smooth, carrying just enough intrigue to feel dangerous. “I’ve been meaning to introduce myself.”
She arched an eyebrow, matching his calm energy. “I’d say I’m surprised, Mr. Kastellanos. But I know you make it your business to know everyone.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Only the ones worth knowing.”
There was something disconcerting about how easily he slid into her space, as if he belonged there—comfortable, confident, and already calculating.
“I hear Vorlákis Enterprises is eyeing a few acquisitions,” he said, swirling the champagne in his glass. “Busy times.”
Her lips curled into a polite smile, though her gaze remained guarded. “It’s a crowded field, isn’t it?”
Soren inclined his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “It is. And Drakov Holdings is attracting...quite a crowd.”
Her pulse quickened, though her expression didn’t waver. “You seem very interested in Drakov Holdings.”
“That’s what I do.” He gave a small, easy shrug, as if dismantling companies was just another day’s work. “Find the cracks, pick up the pieces, rebuild what’s worth saving.”
“And profit from the rest,” she added smoothly.
“Exactly.” His smile sharpened. “You understand, then.”
“I understand how this works.” Kalista’s tone was neutral, her expression unreadable. “But that has nothing to do with me.”
Soren gave a slight tilt of his head, studying her as if he found her answer...curious. “Doesn’t it?”
“No,” she said firmly, though the word felt heavier than she wanted. “I design dresses, Mr. Kastellanos. I don’t dismantle companies.”
“Hmm.” He took a slow sip from his glass, eyes never leaving hers. “That’s not what I’ve heard.”
