Aaron's POV
I sat in my office, the cool glass of whiskey in my hand, swirling it slowly as I stared out at the city skyline. A low hum of traffic buzzed faintly below, but my mind was elsewhere, wrapped in the silent war that was gradually heating up. I had felt it the moment I saw Mia's eyes harden during our little exchange in her office. She thought she could stand up to me, how cute. I twirled the amber liquid in my glass, the faint clink of ice against crystal almost soothing.
But Mia wasn't the problem. The real issue?
Ryan.
I had been watching him for weeks now, quietly pulling the strings behind the scenes, acting like the puppet master he thought he was. He believed he was so clever, maneuvering in the shadows, making his moves to undermine me. It was almost impressive, his stealth, his patience. Almost I said, Almost. But Ryan had forgotten one crucial thing, I had always been ten steps ahead. I let him think he had control, just like I let Mia believe she was in charge of her own fate. They didn't know it, but they were both dancing to my tune.
A soft creak broke the silence as the door to my office opened. Mark stepped in, his presence as predictable as the plan I had in motion.
"Everything's in place, sir." he said, his voice steady, but I caught the hint of hesitation.
"Good, Now we wait" I said, leaning back in my chair. "Let's see how long it takes them to make their move."
Mark hesitated, glancing around the room as though he sensed something wasn't right. "Are you sure about this? They might not—"
"They will," I cut him off, my voice calm but firm. "Ryan's too predictable. He's always been soft when it comes to women, and Mia? She's just another weakness he's going to regret."
Mark nodded and left without another word,the door clicking shut behind him leaving me alone again with my thoughts.
I took a long sip of the whiskey, letting the burn settle in my chest. Ryan's little alliance with Vanessa had been amusing to watch.
"Vanessa thought she had the upper hand, they thought they had me cornered, gathering information like squirrels hoarding nuts for winter". I scoffed.
But the truth was, she had been mine from the start. I knew every move she made, every secret she held. She was playing a dangerous game, but she didn't realize she was just a piece on my board.
Ryan thought he had leverage, but I had known about his plans with Vanessa for weeks now. I had let them believe they were gathering dirt on me, but the documents Vanessa had were worthless, a carefully curated trail leading to nowhere. Just enough to keep them interested, but not enough to bring me down.
Tomorrow, when they made their move, I'd be waiting.
A knock interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see Vanessa standing at the door. She looked nervous, her usually confident posture stiff with tension. she hesitated at the doorway before stepping forward.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked, her voice tight as she cautiously walked towards my desk.
I gestured for her to sit on a chair opposite me, watching her closely as she complied. Vanessa was no exception. She sat, stiff, her fingers twisting in her lap as her eyes darted to the door.
"Yes, Vanessa. I thought it was time for a little… catch-up." I remarked
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes darting to the door as if she were already planning her escape. I smiled.
"You've been busy lately, haven't you?" I said, keeping my tone light. "Meeting with Ryan, plotting behind my back. It's almost as if you've forgotten who helped you when you needed it most."
Her eyes widened, just for a second, before she smoothed her expression into something cooler. "I don't know what you're talking about, Aaron." she denied
A low chuckle escaped my lips as I leaned forward, letting my eyes lock onto hers. "You've always been a terrible liar, Nessa. That's why I liked you, you're way too easy to predict and manipulate."
Her face reddened with anger. "I'm not your pawn anymore." she decreed
"No," I agreed, my voice turning cold. "You're just a fool who thinks she can outsmart me."
For a moment, the silence between us was thick, tension settling in the air like smoke from a smoldering fire. I could see the fear in her eyes now, the realization that she was trapped.
"What do you want, Aaron?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I want you to go through with your plan." I stood, walking around the desk, the floor beneath my feet creaking faintly as I circled her. "Give the documents to Ryan. Let him think he's won. And when the time is right, I'll take you both down."
Vanessa shook her head, her hands trembling slightly. "You don't have anything on Ryan. He's not like you."
"Isn't he?" I asked, my smile widening. "You see, Vanessa, you're too sentimental. You believe that just because Ryan is against me, he's somehow better. But he's not. He's just as ruthless, just as willing to betray those closest to him when it suits his agenda. Do you think he's doing this for you? For Mia? No. He's doing it for himself, to prove he's better than me. And when it is over, he'll throw you under the bus just like I would."
Her eyes flashed with defiance, but I could see the doubt creeping in.
"I'll tell him everything," she ranted, her voice hardening. "About you, about your threats."she continued trying to sound firm, but I could hear the uncertainty.
I laughed, the sound echoing in the room.
"Go ahead. But you and I both know Ryan won't believe you. He's already too far gone, too wrapped up in his hatred for me. He'll use you until he doesn't need you anymore. And by then, it'll be too late."
Vanessa stood abruptly, her hands shaking, her face pale.
"You're wrong. I won't let you control me anymore." she insisted
I stepped closer, towering over her. "Then prove it. Go ahead and meet with Ryan tomorrow. But know this: when this is over, you'll be nothing to him. Just like you're nothing to me."
Her face crumbled, and for a brief moment, I almost felt a twinge of pity. Almost.
She stormed out of the office, and I watched her go, my smile never fading. Let her run. Let her believe she could still change the outcome. The truth was, the trap had already been set, and tomorrow, when Mia and Ryan thought they were getting their victory, I would pull the rug out from under them.
Because the thing about playing with fire was that someone always got burned.
The next day, I arrived at the warehouse where the meeting was scheduled to take place. It was an old, abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. I parked my car a few blocks away, away from prying eyes and walked to the site. Ryan's car was already there, parked outside, and I knew Mia would be with him. They would be inside by now, waiting for Vanessa to hand over the "evidence" they thought would ruin me.
"Fools." I mocked
I moved quickly, silently,every sense alert, the faint smell of damp concrete and rust filling the air as I made my way toward the entrance. This would be the moment they realized how deeply they had underestimated me.
In the dim light, I saw them, Ryan and Mia standing near an old table, Vanessa across from them. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I didn't need to. Everything was falling into place.
I stepped out from the shadows, and the room went still. Mia was the first to notice, her eyes widening in shock, then narrowing with something close to hatred. Ryan followed, his posture tense, his fists clenching at his sides, as his gaze locked onto mine
Vanessa's face paled.
"Well, isn't this a lovely reunion?" I commented, stepping forward with a smirk. "I thought I'd join the party, hope I'm not interrupting."
"What are you doing here, Aaron?" Ryan demanded, his voice tight and I could see the rage boiling under the surface.
I shrugged, my footsteps echoing softly as I closed the distance. "Just tying up some loose ends." I see you've been busy." I responded.
Mia stepped forward, her voice laced with resentment.
"It's over, Aaron. We have everything we need to expose you." she disclosed
I giggled, shaking my head. "Do you really think I didn't see this coming? That I'd let you walk out of here with anything that could hurt me?"
Ryan took a step toward me, his fists clenched. "You're done, Aaron. This time, you lose."
I smiled, my gaze locking onto his. "We'll see about that, my dear brother. We'll see."
As the tension in the room thickened, I knew one thing for certain, this wasn't over.
This was just the beginning.