Chapter 5

That night, Heathen stood on the balcony of his penthouse looking out into the city. What he'd witnessed through the day flooded through his head, but one thought loomed larger than all the others: Aria Chen.

He couldn't deny that she had impressed him, not just with her work but with her poise in the face of Marcus's subtle intimidation.

There was a fire in her, a strength that reminded him of the person he used to be before tragedy had hollowed him out.

But that fire also made her a target.

Heathen knew Marcus wouldn't stop at veiled threats. The man would exploit any weakness to get what he wanted and Aria's involvement in the project had put her squarely in his crosshairs.

For the first time in years, Heathen felt a twinge of something unfamiliar: concern.

Aria awoke to an unusual sense of tension in the air. Even though her mornings usually began with the hum of her alarm and the soothing ritual of her tea, today felt different.

There was a weight hanging over her a lingering unease from the meeting with Marcus Stone and the subtle warning he had given.

She dismissed the sensation as she got dressed, favoring functionality over flair, and left for the site.

Work was an excellent distraction, and the west wing project was a point where something had to be decided.

The construction site pulsed with activity, the drilling and hammering echoing off the incomplete rooms.

Aria was checking where custom beams should be when her phone buzzed. It was Anna.

"Mr. King wants to see you in his office," Anna's clipped tone announced.

Aria frowned. Another summons? She quickly made her way to the sleek skyscraper of King Enterprises, her thoughts racing.

Heathen's office was as imposing as the man himself.

The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline, but Aria barely noticed it as she stepped inside.

Heathen was seated behind his massive desk, his expression unreadable.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked, keeping her tone professional.

He gestured for her to sit. “I’ve been reviewing the updates on the west wing. Your work is impressive, Miss Chen.”

The unexpected compliment caught her off guard.

“Thank you,” she said, trying to keep her composure.

“But,” Heathen continued, his tone dropping, “there’s a complication.”

Aria stiffened. “What kind of complication?”

Heathen leaned forward, his piercing gray eyes locking onto hers. “Marcus Stone has taken a sudden interest in the west wing project. He’s submitted a bid to acquire the property, claiming structural concerns and delays. If his bid succeeds, everything you’ve worked on could be scrapped.”

Her stomach churned. “Can he do that?”

"He can try," Heathen said grimly. "Marcus is known for using underhanded tactics to undermine my projects.

"This isn't just about the property. It's about me."

Aria took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

"What can we do?"

Heathen examined her for a moment as though checking her resolve.

"We fight back. But that means you are going to be on display now more than ever. Can you handle that?"

Aria nodded in reply, determination flickering through the embers.

"I didn't make it this far to let someone like Marcus ruin everything. I will do whatever it takes."

That night, she came back to her place with lots of ideas and tactics. As she browsed through her notes on her device, an alert caught her attention.

An article: west wing project.

She hit the button on her device for it; as she scrolled her eyes started dropping to the news headline:

"Is West Wing Project Collapsing Beneath Lack of

Experience?"

The article described Marcus's claims of instability, but in a subtle way, questioned Aria's qualifications without actually mentioning her name. It portrayed her as a liability: a young, untested designer who was in over her head.

Anger flared in her chest. She knew Marcus was behind this smear campaign, but what stung more was the implication that her hard work was being dismissed without merit.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Heathen.

Did you see it?" he asked without hesitation.

"Yes," she said tightly.

"Don't let it get to you," he said his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Marcus is trying to rattle you. Stay focused on the work. That's what matters."

His words were surprisingly comforting, and for a moment, the walls she had built around herself felt a little less sturdy.

After work one evening, Heathen found that he wanted to go there as Aria and explore the site. This turned the scale heaved stress by also a weird feeling of comfort.

As they strolled within the construction area, Heathen stopped in front of an almost-complete wall.

"Tell me something, Miss Chen," said he, with a broody air.

"What gives you the drive to persist pushing on, even when there appears a sea of impossibility looming about against the chances?

Aria was taken aback by the personal question.

"I suppose. I've always felt like I had something to prove. To myself, really. I want to create something lasting, something that matters."

Heathen nodded his expression thoughtful.

"A noble ambition. But be careful it's easy to lose yourself in the pursuit of perfection."

His words struck a chord, a quiet warning laced with the weight of experience.

As the day went on, Aria saw herself working alongside Heathen. The dynamic of their interactions had changed her remarks at him remained razor-edged, but underneath this edge was a growing feeling of respect for each other.

She had a break, and to her surprise, Heathen stepped out with her for a coffee on the patio that looked out over the site.

"Do you always micromanage your projects like this?" she quipped, sipping at the cup.

He smirked, a rare flicker of humor crossing his face.

"Only when the stakes are high."

"And are they?"

"Higher than you realize," he admitted, his gaze distant.

Aria studied him for a moment.

"You know, for someone who claims to care only about business, you're awfully invested in this project."

Heathen's smirk faded, replaced by something more serious. "This project isn't just about business. It's personal.

He hadn't gotten to ask what he meant by the statement before his phone began to buzz. He glanced at the screen and hardened.

"I have to take this," he said, getting to his feet.

"Stay sharp, Miss Chen. Things are about to get more complicated."

As evening drew near, Aria was reviewing plans when she overheard a heated conversation between two workers.

"The materials were swapped out without approval. Something about a mix-up, but it doesn't add up."

Her heart sank. Could this be another of Marcus's schemes?

Determined to get to the bottom of it, she pulled one of the contractors aside. "What's going on with the materials?"

The man hesitated before answering. "We noticed some discrepancies in the delivery reports. It's probably nothing, but with everything happening, it's suspicious."

Aria's mind was racing. If Marcus was doing the wrong thing on the project, it could be cataclysmic not just for the west wing, but for her reputation.

By the time Aria walked to her apartment that evening, exhaustion and unease weighted heavily on her. As she sat down on the couch, scanning the blueprints laid before her, a silent vow was made.

Marcus Stone may be a great opponent, but Aria was not one to back down.

Now or ever.

Because this wasn't about the west wing anymore. It was about showing the world that she belonged here and perhaps her too.

And if Heathen King believed in her, then perhaps, just perhaps, she could start believing in herself too.