Nadia had always been good at compartmentalizing. She could wall off fear, anger, even exhaustion when the business demanded it. But she couldn't wall off what happened last night.
The kiss replayed in her mind all morning as she dressed for court. She told herself it was nothing, a slip in a moment of weakness. Yet her body remembered the heat of his lips, the steadiness of his hands, the way he hadn't pushed for more. That restraint made it worse—it meant it hadn't been about power or impulse. It had been about her.
"Coffee?" Tom asked as he stepped into the bedroom, already in his tailored suit. His tone was casual, but his eyes lingered on her as if he, too, couldn't forget.
She took the cup without meeting his gaze. "We should go. The lawyers want us there early."
"Of course."
Neither spoke again on the drive to the High Court. The silence between them wasn't hostile. It was charged.
The courtroom smelled faintly of old wood and paper. Reporters clustered outside, their cameras flashing as Nadia and Tom entered side by side. Blake was already seated with his legal team, his expression smug.
Nadia's attorney leaned close. "Remember: this isn't about proving your technology works. It's about showing Verdant didn't steal anything."
She nodded, gripping her folder until her knuckles whitened. Tom's hand brushed hers under the table, steadying her. She didn't pull away.
Blake's lawyer rose first, speaking smoothly. "Your Honor, Blake Energy has reason to believe Verdant Power's battery technology incorporates proprietary methods stolen from confidential research. We request an injunction to halt Verdant's commercial rollout until an independent review is completed."
A murmur rippled through the gallery.
Nadia's lawyer stood next. "Your Honor, Verdant's patents are original, filed years before Mr. Blake's supposed 'confidential' research even began. This is a blatant attempt to cripple a competitor under the guise of legal procedure."
As arguments volleyed back and forth, Nadia forced herself to stay calm. But every time Blake's lawyer spoke, she felt rage coil in her chest. He was twisting the truth, using doubt as a weapon.
At one point, Blake leaned forward, catching her eye across the aisle. He smiled faintly, as if daring her to lose control. She held his gaze without flinching.
The session lasted hours. When it finally adjourned, no ruling was given. The judge promised a decision within the week.
Reporters swarmed as soon as they stepped outside.
"Ms. Petrova, is Verdant guilty of theft?"
"Mr. Kingsley, are you protecting your wife's company because of personal ties?"
Tom slipped his arm around her waist, guiding her through the chaos. "No comment," he said firmly, shielding her with his body.
Once inside the car, Nadia exhaled shakily. "That was brutal."
Tom loosened his tie. "It was round one. We're still standing."
"But if the injunction passes—"
"Then we fight harder," he cut in. His hand covered hers again. "Nadia, Blake can't win unless you let him break you."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to lean into his certainty. But the memory of last night made her wary. If she let him too close, he could break her in ways Blake never could.
Back at the penthouse, she retreated to her study, staring at spreadsheets without seeing them. Hours passed. At last, a knock came at the door.
Tom stepped in, sleeves rolled up, two glasses of wine in hand. "Truce," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Truce?"
"You've been glaring at numbers for three hours. I say we call a temporary ceasefire."
Against her better judgment, she accepted the glass. He sat across from her, stretching out like he owned the space.
They drank in silence at first. Then Tom spoke. "About last night—"
Nadia's pulse quickened. "Don't."
"We can't pretend it didn't happen."
She set her glass down sharply. "It was a mistake. We were tired. Stressed."
"Maybe you were," he said softly. "I wasn't."
Her chest tightened. "Tom—"
He leaned forward, his voice steady. "I won't push. But I need you to know something. When I said I don't regret this marriage, I meant it. Not as a deal. Not as a façade. I meant you."
She couldn't breathe. His words pierced through every wall she'd built. And that terrified her.
"You shouldn't say things like that," she whispered.
"Why not?"
"Because if this is just strategy, I can survive it. If it's real, I…" She trailed off, unable to finish.
He didn't move closer, didn't press. He just held her gaze. "It's real."
Her heart pounded. She wanted to tell him to stop. She wanted to tell him to keep going. Instead, she stood abruptly. "I need air."
She walked out onto the balcony, the city lights stretching below. Tom didn't follow. He knew pushing her now would only drive her away.
The next morning, the papers were worse. Blake had leaked a new angle: emails from Verdant engineers taken out of context, twisted to look like they'd discussed "borrowing" concepts from rivals.
Nadia slammed the paper onto the table. "He's manufacturing evidence now."
Tom scanned the article, his jaw tight. "Then we hit back. Harder."
"How?"
"We put you front and center. No more hiding behind lawyers. You give a press conference. You speak directly to investors. Show them who you are."
She stared at him. "You think that'll work?"
"I know it will. Because the one thing Blake doesn't understand is you. He thinks you're just another CEO he can scare into silence. Prove him wrong."
Her instinct screamed against it—she hated public displays, hated opening herself to scrutiny. But part of her knew Tom was right.
And part of her wanted to believe in him.
That evening, she stood at a podium with cameras flashing, investors watching worldwide. Tom stood just behind her, a silent pillar.
"My name is Nadia Petrova," she began, her voice steady despite the fear clawing inside. "I founded Verdant Power to create clean energy solutions that are transparent, ethical, and revolutionary. Blake Energy's accusations are false. Our research is documented, our patents secure, and our mission unchanged."
She paused, forcing herself to look directly into the cameras. "This company isn't just a business to me. It's survival—for communities, for the planet, for the future. I will not allow fearmongering or false claims to derail what we've built."
Applause erupted from some corners of the room.
As she stepped back, Tom squeezed her hand briefly, hidden from the cameras. "You were perfect," he murmured.
Her chest swelled with something she didn't want to name.
Late that night, alone in her bedroom, Nadia replayed the day. She had faced Blake head-on. She had leaned on Tom, just enough. And it hadn't destroyed her.
But it scared her more than failure ever could.
Because for the first time, she wondered what she would do if she lost him.