Mia's POV
The soft knock on my office door broke the silence, making me glance up from the financial reports I had been scrutinizing. Aaron stood there, his shoulder casually leaning against the frame. His presence filled the space, making the room feel suffocating. He didn't need to say a word for me to feel the threat lurking behind his smug smile.
"Mia," he purred, his voice slipping into the room like a snake, slick and malicious.
"I thought we should have a little chat." he added, still maintaining the same posture
"What do you want, Aaron?" I inquired, straightening my posture on the chair and pushing aside the papers I was working on.
Without waiting for an invitation, he stepped inside, eyes sweeping across the office, soaking in every detail like he was assessing his territory. The faint scent of his cologne trailed after him, a reminder of how much he enjoyed asserting his dominance.
"You've been quite the busy bee lately. We haven't had much... time to catch up." he remarked, as he continued surveying my office
"I've been handling things,Aaron, running a company isn't exactly easy, as I'm sure you know." I replied coolly
A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he settled into the chair across from me, all too comfortable.
"Oh, I know all too well. But you see, I've always found that the key to success is making sure you've got the right people in your corner."Aaron, responded
His words were drenched in unspoken meaning, hanging in the air like the suffocating humidity before a storm. He didn't have to spell it out—I knew exactly what he was saying. Without him, this position, this company, wouldn't be mine.
"Is there something you want to say, Aaron?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. I wasn't going to let him rattle me. Not today.
His smile widened, but there was something predatory in his eyes as he leaned forward, elbows resting on my desk. "I've been hearing things, Mia. About you. About Ryan, is there something I should be worried about." he inquired, more like he is inspecting me.
The mention of Ryan's name made my heart skip a beat, but I kept my expression neutral.
"And what exactly have you been hearing?"I urged,
His gaze darkened, the air between us thick with tension.
"Oh, you know, whispers. Rumors. People love to talk, especially when they think no one's listening. But I am always listening, Mia."he answered, his response sounded more like a warning.
I held his stare, refusing to blink, refusing to react. He was fishing, testing how much I knew, how rattled I might be. But if Ryan and I had learned anything in the past weeks, it was that Aaron thrived on fear. And I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing mine.
"If you have something to say, Aaron, just say it." I don't really have time for your games," I voiced as I stood up, needing to move, to break the hold he had over the room. The soft carpet cushioned my steps as I circled the desk, trying to regain control of the space.
Aaron rose to his feet, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I always knew you had fire in you, Mia. It's what made you such a perfect choice for this little arrangement of ours. But don't forget whose world you're playing in. And in my world, Mia," he stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous, "I always win." he whispered.
My skin prickled with heat, anger boiling beneath the surface. I wanted to lash out, to scream at him. But I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Not today. Instead, I met his gaze, steady and unflinching.
"Is that what this is to you? A game?"I asked in a low voice.
"Oh, it's more than a game, love" he whispered, stepping closer, his breath warm against my skin. "It's survival. And the sooner you realize that, the better." he added.
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me.
"Then let's stop pretending Aaron, you and I both know this marriage was never real. It was a contract, nothing more. But don't think for a second that I'll let you destroy what I've built. Not without a fight." I fired back at him.
For a brief moment Aaron's smile faltered, and I saw a flash of something across his face—surprise?, maybe even respect. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced with that same infuriating smile.
"You've got guts, Mia, I'll give you that," he said, backing away. "But guts only get you so far, you can't win a war with only guts, I hope you're prepared for what's coming."
And then, just like that, he turned and walked out, leaving the air heavy and cold in his wake. I stood there, heart pounding, his words echoed in my mind. Aaron was onto us. He didn't know everything, but he knew enough.
I sank back into my chair, my hands trembling as I tried to process what had just happened. Aaron was onto us. He didn't know the full extent of what Ryan and I were doing, but he knew enough to be dangerous. Enough to threaten everything Ryan and I had worked for. And if he had Vanessa In his sights, it meant we were running out of time.
I picked up my phone and dialed Ryan's number, my pulse quickening as I waited for him to pick up. It barely rang once before he answered
"Ryan," I whispered the moment he answered, my voice barely audible. "We have a problem."
Later that evening, I met Ryan in his office. The air in Ryan's office was thick with tension, the kind that came from knowing we were standing on the edge of something dangerous.
"We need to move faster," I said, pacing the room. "Aaron knows something. He's been watching us, listening. I don't know how much he's pieced together, but he's definitely onto us."
Ryan was leaning against his desk, his arms crossed, his expression tense. "I spoke to Vanessa," he spoke, his voice low. "She's agreed to help, but it's risky. If Aaron finds out what she's doing…"
"He'll destroy her," I cut in, pacing the length of the room. My shoes clicked softly against the floor, a rhythm that mirrored the pounding in my chest.
"Just like he's trying to destroy us."I completed
Ryan nodded, his eyes dark with concern. "She's scared, but she's ready to make her move. she knows this is her chance to break free from him. If we play this right and get our hands on the documents she has, we can finally bring Aaron down before he does any more damage."
Ryan nodded, his gaze dark. "She's scared, but she knows this is her chance to finally break free from him. If we play this right, we can stop Aaron before he does any more damage."
I stopped pacing and looked at him. "What's the plan?" I requested
He pushed off the desk, walking over to me, his eyes locked onto mine. "Vanessa has documents—proof of Aaron's shady deals, evidence that he's been manipulating Hartley Enterprises and several other companies. If we can get our hands on those, we can blow this wide open."
I crossed my arms, biting my lower lip. "And how do we get them without tipping him off?"
Ryan's eyes locked onto mine with intense and unwavering. "We'll have to be careful, Mia. Vanessa agreed to meet us tomorrow night. She'll hand over everything, but we need to make sure Aaron isn't onto us before we make our move. Once we have the evidence, it's game over."
I nodded, but the room felt heavy with the weight of what we were about to do. It was a dangerous game we were playing, and the stakes were getting higher by the minute. It wasn't just Aaron we were up against , it was the life he had built, the power he wielded. One wrong move, and he would destroy everything.
But I couldn't back down now. Not when everything I cared about was on the line.
"I'm in," I said, meeting Ryan's gaze. "Whatever it takes, we'll bring him down."
For a moment, we stood there in silence, the tension between us thick. There was something more in Ryan's eyes—something that made my pulse quicken. But I pushed it aside. There wasn't time for whatever this was. Not now.
"We'll meet Vanessa tomorrow," Ryan said finally, his voice steady. "And after that, we finish this." he assured me
As I left his office that night, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change. We were getting closer to the truth, but with every step forward, the risk multiplied.
And as much as I wanted to believe we could come out of this unscathed, I knew better.
Aaron wasn't going to let us go without a fight.
And I wasn't sure we were ready for what was coming.