Chapter 6.

Evelyn fingers shook as she stared at her phone. Lucian’s name had flashed on the screen like a warning, and her chest still throbbed from the adrenaline it brought. The cafe smelled of roasted beans and something faintly sweet, cinnamon maybe, but she barely noticed. The warmth of the lights pressed against her skin, suffocating. She wanted to disappear, but the walls seemed to lean closer, watching every moves she makes.

Theo leaned back in his chair, studying her quietly, as if reading her thoughts. “You’re trying not to think about him,” he said softly.

"I'm not trying",she muttered,staring at the flicker of light on the table. “I can’t....no matter what I do, he’s there.”

Theo’s jaw hardened,a flicker of restraint that didn’t escape her notice. His eyes darkened, and she felt the weight of unsaid words pressing between them. “I know,” he said, his voice low, rough around the edges. “But hiding won’t help.”

Evelyn’s lips pressed into a thin line. She wanted to scream, to throw her hands up, to push him away. Instead, she let her shoulders slump, letting the weight of the day, of everything, press down on her. The quiet hum of the cafè felt too loud that she could hear the the distant clicks of spoons against the cups, the scratch of pens, the low murmur of conversations and it all grated against her nerves.

Theo reached across the table, his hand brushing hers lightly. She left a shiver run through her but didn’t pull away. Her stomach twisted in a mix of anger, longing, and something else she refused to name. “I can’t…” she whispered. Her voice cracked at the edges. “I can’t trust him. Not after everything.”

“You don't have to trust him”,Theo said. His voice was steady,calm and unyielding. But you can’t let fear decide everything either.

“Fear?” The word hit her like a fist to the chest. It had been buried for years, shoved into quiet corners, made to feel small and insignificant. And yet, here it throbbed, alive and jagged, clawing its way through her ribs. She wrapped her arms around herself shivering, but not from the cold, but from the thought of him, from the memory of what he could do, and the knowledge that it wasn’t over.

Why does he…..,the words hanged in her throat. They felt too dangerous. She couldn't say them aloud,not here, not now. Theo didn’t push. He just waited, his eyes steady, patient.

“You know why,” he said quietly, as if completing the sentence she couldn’t.

Her chest coiled, each inhale was sharp and uneven, like she was trying to pull air through a narrow tunnel. His gaze found hers across the room, calm but unshakable, and every instinct screamed to look away, but she couldn’t. Her fingers curled into the edge of the table, nails digging into wood she barely felt. A shiver ran up her spine, crawling through her bones, making her skin itch and tingle all at once. Even in the midst of the crowd, she could feel him there, a quiet anchor she didn’t want and couldn’t resist. The world seemed to tilt, unstable beneath her, and for the first time in forever, she realized just how unprepared she was for the weight of feeling safe.

I don’t even know what I’m doing at work,” she admitted finally,her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I was prepared. I thought I could handle it. But every look, every word, every… nothing he says… it’s like he’s always three steps ahead.”

Theo nodded, leaning back slightly. “That’s exactly why you need to pay attention. Not just to him, but to everything around you. People are making moves. Decisions are being made before you even walk into the room.”

Her stomach sank. She had felt it before, that subtle pressure, that quiet look from colleagues, the murmured whispers as she walked past. She had tried to ignore it, telling herself it was just office politics, just a first-day adjustment. But now she realized it wasn’t just that. There were layers she hadn’t even seen yet, and she was in the center of them whether she liked it or not.

“I don’t know if I can handle it,” she whispered, looking down at her hands, clenching them into fists. “Everything moved too fast. Everyone seems… like they’re watching…. like they are waiting.”

“They are,” Theo said. “But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Not if you start paying attention.”

Evelyn’s chest felt tight, every breath was a struggle. She wanted to argue, to run, to escape. But running wasn’t an option anymore.

Theo leaned forward, his voice quiet enough not to draw attention. “Lucian isn’t the only one making moves. Sophia, the board… even some people you think you can trust. They all have their agendas. And right now? You’re a part of it, whether you like it or not.”

A knot twisted in her stomach, tight and sudden. She had longed for his hand, his presence, something steady to hold onto, but instead, his words cut through the haze, widening the storm raging inside her. Her fingers trembled against her knees, and for a heartbeat, the air felt heavier, sharper, as if the room itself were pressing in.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered, and this time she couldn't hold the tears any longer and she didn’t wipe them away either, and didn’t try to hide it. For once, she let herself feel the exhaustion, the fear, the confusion.

Theo reached out, this time letting his hand rest on top of hers. “Then don’t do it alone,” he said. “Even if you feel like the world is against you, even if it feels like everyone is waiting to see you stumble, you’re not alone. Always remember that I'm always with you.

She closed her eyes, taking in the warmth of his hand. She wanted to cling to it, to let it anchor her, to let it remind her that not everything was chaos, not everything was out of control.

When she opened her eyes, the café was quieter now. The shadows had shifted with the fading light outside, and for a moment, the city felt distant, almost like a dream she wasn’t part of.

We should go back,” she said softly, more to herself than to him. “I need…then she let out a soft laugh, i don’t know what I need.”

Theo nodded. “Back to the storm, then. But you won’t be facing it blindfolded”.

They left the café together, walking side by side through the empty streets. Evelyn’s heels clicked against the pavement, a steady rhythm that reminded her she was still moving, still breathing, still capable of facing what came next.

The next morning at Cross Corp, the tension was obvious.Evelyn felt it the moment she stepped off the elevator. Conversations paused mid-sentence. Heads turned, eyes tracking her movements. She clutched her bag tighter, pretending not to notice, pretending she wasn’t aware of every whisper and every glance.

Sophia Lane was near the elevators,her phone pressed to her ear. Her posture was perfect, her expression serene, but Evelyn could see the who was really behind the mask. The boardroom had whispered its decisions, and now they were waiting for her to make a mistake.

Her desk was exactly as she had left it the night before. Files neatly stacked, a note on top in precise handwriting: “Review before ten.” No signature. Evelyn didn’t need one. She flipped through the pages, scanning quickly but carefully, grounding herself in the familiar rhythm of work to fend off panic.

Her phone buzzed

Unknown number: Some doors close for a reason.

Her fingers froze. She had no idea who was sending these messages, or why. Her stomach was in knot,the unease from yesterday swelling into something heavier, darker. She glanced toward Lucian’s office. Behind the glass wall, he sat perfectly still, his silhouette was rigid against the morning light. He didn’t look at her, but her gut screamed that he knew, always knew everything.

Emails, schedules, memos, everything blurred together as she tried to focus. Every movement, every word in the office, felt amplified. She could feel eyes on her, always just beyond her vision, whispering judgments she couldn’t hear but could sense.

By mid-morning, Theo appeared, leaning casually against her desk. “Good morning,” he said softly. His eyes scanned the room, cautious, protective. “Everything okay?”

She forced herself to nod. “Fine.” But her voice lacked certainty.

He didn’t push. Instead, he left her with a small, reassuring smile before moving away. Evelyn exhaled sharply, the weight on her chest easing for a fraction of a second before it settled again, heavier than before.

As the day progressed, Lucian’s presence became a constant shadow. Not interacting directly, not yet, but she felt it in the subtle adjustments of his office, in the way meetings shifted slightly when she walked past, in the occasional glance that lingered a fraction too long. It was a quiet, terrifying power, and she hated that it both frightened and fascinated her.

By evening, Evelyn sat at her desk long after the others had left, trying to organize files, trying to anchor herself in normalcy. Her hands were tired and her mind buzzing with unease. A quiet tension settled over her, a sense that this was only the beginning, that the game had already started, and she was moving across the board without knowing the rules.

She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. The city outside the glass walls was alive and indifferent, but she felt exposed, like a single figure under a spotlight. Something had shifted in her, something beyond her control, and she had no idea how to stop it.

Her phone buzzed again

Unknown number: “watch who you trust”

A hollow ache settled in her ribs. She froze, unsure whether to move or stay, unsure whether the warning was meant for her or against her. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t a mistake. Someone had already started moving against her, and whatever choice she made next would matter more than she realized.

The boardroom loomed, every polished surface reflecting her chest. Lucian’s gaze held her in place, unblinking, like a blade hovering just above her skin. Her hands trembled at her sides, and the air felt thick, heavy, pressing down with every heartbeat. For the first time since stepping into Cross Corp, she couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t escape the storm gathering all around her.