As I stared down at Oliver's message, a sickening knot formed in my stomach. "I hope you're not making decisions without me." It was as if he knew exactly where I was headed. Every part of my body tensed with the weight of that realization. I was on the cusp of something dangerous, a tangled mess I couldn’t yet fully grasp. I needed answers, but more importantly, I needed to know who was playing me—and how deep this game went.The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped out, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. As I made my way to the parking lot, the cold, crisp air hit me like a slap in the face. I was about to head toward my car when my phone buzzed again. This time, it was Claire, my trusted assistant."Emily, we’ve got a serious problem," she said, her voice panicked. "You need to get back to the office right now."The dread in her tone made my pulse race. "What is it?""Our servers… they’ve been breached. Someone’s stolen sensitive data. And it’s bad, Emily."I froze. This coul
I sat in my office, staring at the clock as it ticked closer to 7 PM. My stomach twisted in knots, knowing I had to face Daniel tonight. What was his endgame? Why was he so invested in my downfall? As I prepared mentally for our meeting, a knock on my office door snapped me out of my thoughts. Claire peeked her head in, holding a manila envelope in her hands."Emily, I think you’ll want to see this," she said cautiously, stepping inside."Now’s not the best time, Claire. I’ve got a meeting with Daniel in less than an hour.""I know," she said, her voice low. "But this... this is important. It’s about your mother."At the mention of my mother, my heart tightened. My mother had passed years ago, and even though she’d always been a distant figure, her loss still left a lingering ache. "What about her?"Claire handed me the envelope. "I got this from her lawyer. It’s her will. There’s something in there you need to know."I stared at the envelope, my hands shaking slightly as I tore it op
I left the restaurant in a haze, Daniel’s words still echoing in my mind. You need me.What was his game? Why did my mother tie me to him in such a way? It felt like I was walking through a maze, only for the walls to keep closing in on me. My thoughts swirled, the cold night air barely registering as I made my way back to my car.The ride home was suffocating. I gripped the steering wheel tighter than I should have, trying to suppress the growing anxiety clawing at me. Every corner I turned in my life lately seemed to lead me back to Daniel. He was everywhere, haunting my every step, like a shadow I couldn’t shake.By the time I reached my apartment, my phone buzzed incessantly in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. I parked and fished it out, seeing an unfamiliar number. Hesitant, I answered."Hello?""Ms. Carter," a smooth voice purred on the other end. "I hope I’m not interrupting your evening."The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it. "Who is this?"A pa
The shock of seeing Evan at my doorstep was something I wasn’t prepared for. His confident stance, the smirk on his lips, and the briefcase that seemed almost too heavy with unspoken intentions sent a chill down my spine. "What are you doing here, Evan?" I asked, trying to mask my unease with a calm I didn’t feel.He shrugged casually as if showing up uninvited to someone’s home in the middle of the night was the most normal thing in the world. "I told you, Emily, we need to talk. And I figured it would be better to have this conversation somewhere… private."I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe, making it clear that I wasn’t inviting him in. "I told you I’d think about your offer.""And I respect that," he replied smoothly. "But I think you need to hear the rest of what I have to say. There are things in play that I don’t think you fully understand yet."The way his eyes glinted in the dim hallway light made me uneasy. I wasn’t in the mood for more cryptic games. "I’m n
I sat in my car outside Oliver’s office, the weight of the document I’d found still heavy in my lap. The name “Derek” kept echoing in my mind, pulling me back into memories I had long since tried to bury. But I couldn’t afford to think about that now. There was a more immediate threat on my plate—Oliver’s connection to Daniel, and whatever game they were playing.The sleek black building that housed Grant Enterprises loomed in front of me, its glass reflecting the muted light of the cloudy sky. I clenched the steering wheel, trying to steady my nerves. Whatever this document meant, it was time to confront Oliver about it.Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the car and headed inside. The receptionist, a tall brunette with a perfect posture and a piercing gaze, smiled politely as I approached.“Miss Carter, Mr. Grant is expecting you. His office is on the top floor.”“Thank you,” I replied, giving her a tight smile before heading to the elevator.As I ascended to the top floor, my m
The elevator ride back down to the lobby felt agonizingly slow. I leaned against the cool metal wall, my mind spinning in every direction. Rachel Moore, here in Oliver’s office, implying she was involved in whatever twisted game they were playing? That was the last thing I needed. Whatever was brewing between them, I was right in the middle of it.When the doors finally slid open, I stepped out into the vast lobby, the air thick with tension I couldn’t shake. I needed answers, and not just about Rachel. I needed to know exactly where Oliver stood in all of this. I headed to the parking lot, but my phone buzzed before I could unlock my car. I pulled it out and saw a text from Oliver: We need to talk. Come back upstairs.I hesitated, fingers hovering over my phone as I debated ignoring him. But something told me that leaving now, with half the story, would only make things worse. I needed the full picture. With a reluctant sigh, I turned back toward the building.Minutes later, I was
I left Oliver’s office feeling more confused than ever. The air outside felt heavy, and my mind buzzed with questions I couldn’t answer. Could I trust anything Oliver had said, or was he just another player in a game far bigger than I realized? And Rachel... What did she mean when she said I was more involved than I knew?But one thing was clear—if I was going to survive this, I needed answers. And there was someone who might have them: Sam.I had spent weeks wondering how Sam, my right-hand man, could have been involved in sabotaging my company. I had trusted him with everything—he was practically family. But the evidence was stacking up against him, and I couldn’t ignore it any longer.My footsteps echoed in the hallway as I approached his office. My heart pounded, and my palms were sweaty, but I kept moving. I had to confront him. Whatever the truth was, I needed to hear it from him.I pushed open the door to Sam’s office without knocking. He looked up from his desk, startled, his
The message from Daniel lingered on my phone screen like a dark omen. We need to talk. Meet me tonight. It’s urgent. I stared at it, the words dancing in front of my eyes, trying to decipher their real meaning. Urgent? From Daniel, that could mean anything from a calculated move to a trap. I had been burned too many times by his games to take his words at face value.I sat back in my chair, my mind racing with possibilities. After Sam’s confession about Daniel’s plans to take over my company, I couldn’t afford to ignore this. But meeting Daniel alone? That felt like walking into the lion’s den.Sam was sitting quietly across from me, watching the tension play out on my face. “You’re not actually considering meeting him, are you?” he asked, his voice cautious.I didn’t answer right away. My thoughts were a whirlwind of doubt, fear, and anger. “What choice do I have? If Daniel has another move planned, I need to know what it is. I can’t keep reacting. I need to stay ahead of him.”Sam s