Rose stared at the note in her hand, her thoughts swirling like a storm. The handwriting—it looked so much like Sylus's—but something about it felt off. She paced her room, the note clenched tightly in her hand.
"Careful, kitten," she muttered under her breath, repeating the words. It sounded like something Sylus would say, but why leave it anonymously? If it was from him, wouldn't he have just said it outright?
By the time she reached the office, her nerves were frayed. The sight of Sylus leaning against the glass wall of her workspace only made her pulse race harder. He turned his head, his sharp gaze locking onto hers as she approached.
"You look tired," he said smoothly. "Late night?"
"Something like that," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral.
Sylus tilted his head, studying her with that maddening intensity. "Something bothering you?"
She hesitated. Should she confront him? The thought of accusing him, only to be wrong, made her stomach churn. Instead, she shook her head. "Just work stress."
"Hm," he said, unconvinced.
Before he could press further, the elevator doors slid open, and Lucas Hart stepped out, a relaxed smile on his face. Rose's heart skipped a beat as Sylus's jaw tightened.
"Morning," Lucas said cheerfully, his eyes flicking between her and Sylus. "Am I interrupting something?"
Sylus's voice was ice. "Always."
Rose cleared her throat, desperate to escape the tension. "I have a meeting to prepare for. Excuse me." She ducked into her office, shutting the door behind her.
But the moment she sat down, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:
"Trust no one, kitten. Not even him."
Her breath caught. Her eyes darted toward the glass walls of her office, where Sylus and Lucas stood talking—no, arguing. Both men glanced toward her, their faces unreadable.
---
As the day wore on, Rose couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She found herself jumping at shadows, her mind racing with questions. Who sent the note? And now the text?
That evening, she stopped by a café to clear her head. As she sipped her coffee, a woman slid into the seat across from her.
"Rose Kylie," the stranger said, her tone light but her eyes sharp. "You don't know me, but I know you. And I know Sylus."
Rose blinked, startled. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled. "Elena Vance. Sylus's sister."
Before Rose could respond, Elena leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I hope you're paying attention, because you've just walked into a game where everyone's playing, but no one's showing their cards."
---