Chapter 51Strings AttachedDamien“Name your price, Mr Lucas.” Sophia's words made me draw in a sharp intake of breath and I was secretly stunned, I could tell she was serious. The other two men sat impassively, I couldn't get anything from their expressions but their silence meant Sophia could speak on their behalf. As for the hidden meaning in between her words, I didn't consider it. It was strange, but I felt the Sophia before me was subtly different. Price? What price could I actually name for her? I wondered, sinking deeper into my thoughts. I didn't worry about her intentions behind this deal, she was acting out of necessity. The problem was, what price would be appropriate?“I'll need to speak to my people,” I finally broke the silence, my eyes meeting hers. “You see, they'll also have to evaluate your offer and…” I trailed off, putting a conflicted expression on my face. “I—” Sophia looked surprised but she quickly adjusted her expression and she nodded. “I'll be waitin
Chapter 52Contingency PlanElena The drive home was silent as I sat in the back seat, my nerves taut from the tension that filled my frame. I occasionally sneaked glances at the cold expression of the man at the steering wheel, he'd been silent ever since we got into the car. I'd just glanced at him when he met my gaze in the rearview mirror, his gaze was sharp and cold. “Mummy,” Lily's voice snapped me out of my daze and she tugged my sleeves lightly. “What's wrong?” I tried to look calm and I leaned in closer to her. Lily had been quiet ever since we got into the car, I'd almost forgotten she was there. “He's scary,” she whispered, her bright eyes fixed on the man in the driver's seat. Damien had called him Priest I recalled, such a strange name. “Oh my baby,” I chuckled after stealing a glance and making sure Priest didn't have any reaction. He didn't. “He's just taking us home,” I whispered while stroking her hair. Lily pouted but she didn't do anything else except snugg
Chapter 53Venomous ThreatsElenaI was still jumpy the next morning while I dressed up, getting ready to go to work. Priest's discovery the previous day had left me rattled. A tracker on my car? The thought left me feeling petrified, I hadn't been able to sleep at night, my mind wandering with stray thoughts. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Heavens knew how long it'd been in the car I thought, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were slightly swollen from the lack of sleep, I was only grateful that Jenna had taken Lily to school so she hadn't noticed it. I didn't waste time, within minutes I was all dressed and ready to go. I was stunned when I stepped outside, a sleek black car was parked at the curb. Before I could react the glass winded down, revealing Priest. “I'll be taking you to work, Miss Elena,” he nodded by way of greeting. I stared, my stomach twisting with dread as images of yesterday flashed through my mind. Damien's orders. That was the only reaso
Chapter 54Jealousy And TurmoilElena My heart skipped a beat and I froze, unsure of what to say. However the next second my eyes constricted, a tall beautiful woman just walked out of the office behind Damien. Sophia? What was she doing here? I wondered, my eyes flickering with different emotions. “Come on, Damien,” the woman ignored Clara and me, her entire attention was fixed on Damien. “You gave me assurances, remember?” “And I never remember promising you anything,” Damien hissed, his attention fixed on the woman. “Just speak to her,” Sophia's tone surprised me and I maintained a cool expression, her words seemed to be about me. “Uhm…” I cleared my throat, catching their attention. Damien looked surprised when he saw me and an emotion I couldn't place flashed past his eyes. “I didn't notice you,” he muttered, turning back to the woman. “Sophia this is Elena, Elena, Sophia.” Damien introduced us quickly. Not like he needed to, I thought, forcing myself to keep my gaze co
Chapter 55Close Call With DeathThe atmosphere in the office was cold and forbidding, Luther shifted uncomfortably in his seat and he wiped off the thin layer of sweat on his brows. Frightened, spooked, and terrified. Luther was all of this and more, his eyes were white from excessive shock and he kept glancing at his cell phone, half expecting a call to clarify that what he'd heard hadn't happened. He'd just received word that Jansen, one of the directors, had been killed in a car crash, normally such an incident wouldn't have raised Luther's alarm but this wasn't the first. Three out of the five directors who'd betrayed Damien with him were dead, all accidental deaths. But were those accidents truly accidental? Luther would've been dumb to believe that. Who wanted them dead? Who would stand to benefit? Luther found the issue increasingly becoming more dangerous. Damien or Victoria were his prime suspects, no one else would benefit from the deaths of a few ex-directors. “Damn
Chapter 56New safetyA gunshot? Luther's blood ran cold and he shivered uncontrollably on the spot, his eyes wide with fear. He must've been daydreaming he thought, but the stinging pain in his eardrums reminded him it wasn't a dream. A scream pierced the air abruptly and despite the closed door, Luther heard it loud and clear. Oh God no! Luther's eyes widened with full-blown shock and his back was drenched in cold sweat. He didn't hesitate to lock the door immediately, his hands were badly shaking and he leaned on the wall beside the door, taking in large gulps of air. His phone suddenly buzzed, startling him and Luther picked up the call without delay. “Hello,” Luther whispered, half scared that someone might listen to him, even now his mind raced with thoughts. “That could've been you just now, Mr. Luther,” the lady's voice spoke over the line, her tone was light and breezy.“Yo—you—” Luther stuttered, words failing him. “You knew—” he trailed off, his tone incredulous. Indee
Chapter 57Overt PloyElena What was Sophie doing here? The question remained with me when I walked back to my office, unanswered questions filling my mind. I couldn't help the faint jealousy that sprang up when I'd spotted Sophia walking out of Damien's office, were they back together? I wondered, or had they always been together? Perhaps the only good thing that'd happened was Damien promising to take care of Connor, I didn't know how but I'd found myself believing him. Perhaps Connor's actions wouldn't pose much of a threat, if Damien was that confident, he probably had a reason for his confidence. I'd just turned the corner when I nearly bumped into a trolley carrying a thick pile of files and some stationeries. “Watch where you're going!” I snapped, my annoyance temporarily spilling over for a moment and I moved aside to let the trolley move past. I was stunned to see another trolley following the first, it was also loaded with some things. Someone was moving? I wondered,
Chapter 58Undeniable TruthElena The ride home was dead silent, I didn't notice the death grip I had on the steering wheel. Damien's last words to me at the briefing kept echoing in my head, as did images of his cold detached expression when he'd walked past me. “You disappoint me.” His words pierced into me even then and I felt the knots in my belly tighten. I shouldn't think about this I thought, shaking my head but the thoughts lingered, like a weight I couldn't shake off. I felt a wave of exhaustion flood me when I finally got home, it was late already but the house lights were still on, meaning Jenna was up. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of her having to pick Lily up from school and tuck her in after work. “Elena?” Jenna called out the moment I walked in, her voice faintly cheery. “It's me,” I said, forcing a smile. “Hey.” Jenna was busy at her laptop, her hands dancing above the keyboard as she clicked away. “What's wrong?” Jenna's sharp gaze saw
Chapter: 63: Where You Belong ElenaRing,Ring.Alarm noises filled the air waking me up from sleep. I don’t have an alarm, so why was I being woken up by one?I fluttered my eyes open as a pang of headache hit me. “Ahh,” I winced. Panic bubbled in my chest as I took in my surroundings. “What the hell.”I sat up quickly, my head spinning in the process. Think, Elena. Think.Bits and pieces of the night before made their way through my mind which only meant I was at Damien’s house. But why was I naked? “Did he? Did we,” confusion set in. I hadn’t gone all the way yet with Damien, and quite frankly I wasn’t ready too.The door creaked open, and I held my breath.A tall shirtless Damien stepped in. “You’re finally awake,” his voice came in smooth and calm, a stark contrast to how I felt on the inside. “What did you do to me?” “Where are my clothes?” I questioned annoyance etched on my face.“Whoa, whoa slow down Elena,” he said gesturing with his hands for me to calm down. “One
Chapter: 62: A Dangerous GameElenaThe alcohol was yet to kick in so I was still aware of my surroundings and could still speak normally. We kept walking in the cool night air without Damien saying a word. It was unsettling how he could be so silent while my mind was spinning with thoughts.“Are we going somewhere?” I asked, breaking the silence.He didn’t answer.I huffed. “What about the business you wanted to talk about?”Still nothing.I frowned, my steps starting to falter. “How long are we going to be walking for? I’m tired.”I exhaled sharply. “Won’t you at least say something?” I kept bombarding him with questions.“Why—,” left my mouth before he cut me off.“You talk a lot for someone who claims to be tired,” he finally spoke, amusement flicking in his eyes.“Well— my leg hurts not my mouth,” I shot back. His lips curved into a smirk. “So are you asking that I carry you?”I hesitated for a moment. ‘He wasn’t serious, was he?’ I thought, peeking at him from the corner of m
Chapter: 61:Unplanned EncountersElenaWith a click of the door.Nothing, nothing happens “I locked the door when I came in,” Damien whispers in my ear. Relief at the sound of his words washed over me but it was short lived as Ethan’s voice came through.“Elena I know you’re in there, lunch break is going to be over soon.”We usually ate together during lunch breaks so it’s not surprising that he came looking for me.“Damien,” I whispered giving him a look that needed no explanation.“I’m coming Ethan,” I said awkwardly but loud enough to be heard outside the door.We both arranged our clothes, well mostly mine.Damien helped me, wiping the bodily fluids that sipped out of my mammary glands and eccrine glands. We were now both good as new for the most part. “I’ll see you later,” Damien said to only my hearing as I opened the door. It was hard to miss the surprised look on Ethan’s face. Damien paid him no mind walking past him casually. “Girllll, what just happened?” He remarked
Chapter: 60: longing for? ElenaIt’s been a few days since my make out session with Damien, I had tried avoiding him but that only made him want to get closer, and one way or the other we ended up being around each other. Whether it was in his office or mine, there was always a reason to be in the same space. Meetings, reports, last-minute approval, anything that required our interaction seemed to stretch longer than necessary. But that wasn’t all, I had found myself after work being driven home by him. I was now expecting to see his car waiting for me at the end of the day. The car rides were nothing close to a silent ride. We had talked so much, probably longer than we ever did throughout our marriage. He never asked if I needed a ride, he simply assumed I would take it. And what was worse? I let him.He felt different now.There was no denying the shift between us. I sighed, lost in thought as I turned the corner in the office hallway, barely paying attention to where I was goi
Chapter 59: Uninvited EncountersElenaMy mornings at Harrington Enterprises were with usual routine, except for the anxiety that always came with knowing I’d have to face Damien. Still, I had chosen to suppress it, to mask it beneath professionalism and composure. Today, however, something felt…off. A strange sense of unease crawled up my spine as I got dressed for work, but I didn’t want to focus on it.I arrived at the company building, walking through the familiar glass doors, my heels clicking softly against the tiled floors. But the moment I stepped into the elevator, my chest tightened.Sophia.She stood there, looking effortlessly beautiful in a fitted white dress, her long chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders. My eyes met her blue ones, and she smiled, the kind of smile that held more meaning than it should.“Good morning, Elena,” she greeted, stepping further inside as if this was her space.I smiled back giving her a curt nod. “Sophia.”The elevator doors slid shut, a
Chapter 58Undeniable TruthElena The ride home was dead silent, I didn't notice the death grip I had on the steering wheel. Damien's last words to me at the briefing kept echoing in my head, as did images of his cold detached expression when he'd walked past me. “You disappoint me.” His words pierced into me even then and I felt the knots in my belly tighten. I shouldn't think about this I thought, shaking my head but the thoughts lingered, like a weight I couldn't shake off. I felt a wave of exhaustion flood me when I finally got home, it was late already but the house lights were still on, meaning Jenna was up. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of her having to pick Lily up from school and tuck her in after work. “Elena?” Jenna called out the moment I walked in, her voice faintly cheery. “It's me,” I said, forcing a smile. “Hey.” Jenna was busy at her laptop, her hands dancing above the keyboard as she clicked away. “What's wrong?” Jenna's sharp gaze saw
Chapter 57Overt PloyElena What was Sophie doing here? The question remained with me when I walked back to my office, unanswered questions filling my mind. I couldn't help the faint jealousy that sprang up when I'd spotted Sophia walking out of Damien's office, were they back together? I wondered, or had they always been together? Perhaps the only good thing that'd happened was Damien promising to take care of Connor, I didn't know how but I'd found myself believing him. Perhaps Connor's actions wouldn't pose much of a threat, if Damien was that confident, he probably had a reason for his confidence. I'd just turned the corner when I nearly bumped into a trolley carrying a thick pile of files and some stationeries. “Watch where you're going!” I snapped, my annoyance temporarily spilling over for a moment and I moved aside to let the trolley move past. I was stunned to see another trolley following the first, it was also loaded with some things. Someone was moving? I wondered,
Chapter 56New safetyA gunshot? Luther's blood ran cold and he shivered uncontrollably on the spot, his eyes wide with fear. He must've been daydreaming he thought, but the stinging pain in his eardrums reminded him it wasn't a dream. A scream pierced the air abruptly and despite the closed door, Luther heard it loud and clear. Oh God no! Luther's eyes widened with full-blown shock and his back was drenched in cold sweat. He didn't hesitate to lock the door immediately, his hands were badly shaking and he leaned on the wall beside the door, taking in large gulps of air. His phone suddenly buzzed, startling him and Luther picked up the call without delay. “Hello,” Luther whispered, half scared that someone might listen to him, even now his mind raced with thoughts. “That could've been you just now, Mr. Luther,” the lady's voice spoke over the line, her tone was light and breezy.“Yo—you—” Luther stuttered, words failing him. “You knew—” he trailed off, his tone incredulous. Indee
Chapter 55Close Call With DeathThe atmosphere in the office was cold and forbidding, Luther shifted uncomfortably in his seat and he wiped off the thin layer of sweat on his brows. Frightened, spooked, and terrified. Luther was all of this and more, his eyes were white from excessive shock and he kept glancing at his cell phone, half expecting a call to clarify that what he'd heard hadn't happened. He'd just received word that Jansen, one of the directors, had been killed in a car crash, normally such an incident wouldn't have raised Luther's alarm but this wasn't the first. Three out of the five directors who'd betrayed Damien with him were dead, all accidental deaths. But were those accidents truly accidental? Luther would've been dumb to believe that. Who wanted them dead? Who would stand to benefit? Luther found the issue increasingly becoming more dangerous. Damien or Victoria were his prime suspects, no one else would benefit from the deaths of a few ex-directors. “Damn