Lena stood frozen, Damian's words reverberating through her mind.
"A mistake from my past. And now, it seems, a problem for our future."
She had known there were shadows in Damian Blackwood's life secrets buried beneath his polished façade. But hearing the name Elias Vaughn spoken aloud sent a ripple of unease through her.
Damian turned away from her, pouring himself a drink at the bar in the corner of his office. The sound of ice clinking against glass filled the heavy silence.
Lena took a slow step forward. "Who is he?"
Damian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a measured sip of his drink before setting it down with a quiet clink. When he finally met her gaze, there was something guarded in his eyes.
"A man who should be dead," he said flatly.
Knight, still standing by the door, exhaled. "Years ago, Vaughn was one of Damian's business rivals. A dangerous one. He built an empire the way men like him always do through blood and betrayal. Then, one day, he disappeared."
Lena frowned. "Disappeared?"
"Vanished," Knight clarified. "Some say he fled after a deal went wrong. Others believe he was taken care of." He glanced at Damian. "But if he's back, it means he never truly left."
Damian's fingers tightened around the glass.
Lena studied him carefully. "And you think he's the one who sent someone here tonight?"
Damian's voice was quiet, but firm. "I know he is."
A chill ran down her spine.
Lena was no stranger to power plays. She had grown up watching her father navigate the ruthless world of business, but this was different. This wasn't about hostile takeovers or boardroom deals. This was something deeper. More dangerous.
"You think he's after you?" she asked.
Damian shook his head, his expression darkening. "No, Lena. He's after us."
She swallowed hard.
"Vaughn doesn't make idle threats," Damian continued. "If he's resurfaced, it's because he wants something. And if history has taught me anything, it's that he doesn't stop until he gets it."
Lena's stomach tightened. "And what does he want?"
Damian's gaze was unreadable. "Me. Ruined."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Lena could feel the weight of it pressing against her chest. Whoever Elias Vaughn was, he wasn't just an enemy he was a reckoning.
She squared her shoulders. "Then we stop him."
Damian arched a brow. "We?"
Lena met his gaze without hesitation. "I may not have chosen this marriage, Damian. But if someone thinks they can threaten me in my own home, they're wrong." She lifted her chin. "So yes. We."
A slow, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of Damian's lips. It wasn't amusement. It was something else something darker.
Possessiveness.
"Careful, Lena," he murmured, stepping closer. "You might just make a Blackwood out of yourself yet."
She didn't back down.
If Elias Vaughn wanted a war, then she would make damn sure he got one.