Elena Carter paced her apartment, phone wedged between her ear and shoulder as she yanked open her closet, rifling through the limited number of power suits she actually liked.
"This is a disaster," she muttered, pulling out a navy-blue blazer and tossing it onto the bed. "Victor Caldwell is spreading rumors, investors are skittish, and Nathan is breathing down my neck about the financials."
"You think that's bad? Try explaining to our employees why their stock options might be worthless in six months," Sophia Martinez shot back through the phone. "You need a major investor, and fast."
"I know," Elena groaned, stepping into a sleek pencil skirt. "That's why I agreed to this meeting."
"Who is it with again?"
Elena grabbed a pair of earrings from the dresser, sliding them in with a little more force than necessary. "Some high-profile investor Harrison connected me with. Supposedly a game-changer."
Sophia snorted. "If this guy is so amazing, why hasn't he swooped in to save the day already?"
"That's what I plan to find out," Elena said, pulling on her blazer. She glanced in the mirror, smoothing her auburn hair into a neat ponytail. Professional. Polished. In control—even if, internally, she was barely holding things together.
"Just… don't let them see you sweat," Sophia warned. "And if this guy gives off even a hint of vulture energy—"
"I'll rip up the contract and walk." Elena smirked. "I got this."
She hung up, grabbed her bag, and made her way to the restaurant where her fate—her company's fate—would be decided.
Elena straightened in her seat, forcing herself not to react as Damian Wolfe leaned back in his chair, exuding the kind of confidence that came from knowing he always got what he wanted.
"I'll make this simple," he said, sliding a sleek, leather-bound portfolio across the table. "Wolfe Enterprises will acquire Aurora Systems for a generous price. You walk away with millions. No stress, no uncertainty."
She didn't even look at it. Instead, she crossed her arms and met his icy blue stare with a glare of her own. "Let me make this simple," she said, voice like steel. "No."
The corner of Damian's mouth twitched, almost like he was amused. He folded his hands together, watching her like a predator evaluating its prey.
"You do realize," he said smoothly, "that your company is on the verge of collapse? Cash flow issues, investor hesitations, and let's not forget the recent… setbacks."
Elena clenched her jaw. She knew exactly what he was referring to—the security breach that had nearly cost them their biggest client. A breach that should never have happened. A breach that, deep down, she suspected wasn't an accident at all.
"My company isn't for sale," she snapped. "Not to you. Not to anyone."
Damian exhaled a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "I admire your stubbornness, Carter. Really, I do. But idealism doesn't keep the lights on." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to something almost dangerous. "You're out of time. And the moment investors hear that Aurora is sinking, they'll pull out faster than you can blink."
Elena gripped the edge of the table, resisting the urge to throw the portfolio back at his smug face. She knew what he was doing—pushing, testing, waiting for her to crack. But she wouldn't.
Because she wasn't wrong about him. Damian Wolfe didn't just buy companies—he dismantled them. He'd gut Aurora Systems, strip it for parts, and toss aside everything she had built.
She refused to let that happen.
Forcing herself to relax, she leaned back, mirroring his infuriatingly calm posture. "I'll find another way," she said. "One that doesn't involve selling my soul to you."
Damian's lips curled slightly, like she had just entertained him. "I'll give you a week," he said, standing and adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit. "Then I'll make the offer again."
He turned to leave, but just before reaching the door, he paused. "Oh, and Elena?"
She refused to acknowledge the way her stomach twisted at the way he said her name.
"You should be careful who you trust," he said lightly, almost like an afterthought. "Sabotage has a way of coming from the inside."
And with that, he was gone, leaving her gripping the table so hard her fingers ached.
Outside Wolfe Enterprises' towering glass headquarters, Elena sucked in a breath of crisp Manhattan air, willing herself to calm down. She needed a plan. Fast.
Her phone buzzed. A message from Sophia, her best friend and marketing director.
Sophia: Investors are spooked. Caldwell's spreading rumors. You need a strategy. ASAP.
Elena's stomach dropped. Victor Caldwell. The same rival CEO who had been circling Aurora like a vulture.
Another buzz.
Sophia: Also, tell me you didn't just meet with The Devil himself.
Elena exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. She had to fix this. She had to convince investors Aurora was still solid. That they weren't on the verge of drowning.
And then, like a reckless, desperate lightning bolt, the idea struck.
The only thing more powerful than business? Scandal.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she typed back.
Elena: What if I told the world I was dating Damian Wolfe?
The dots blinked. Then:
Sophia: …You've lost your damn mind.
Maybe. Probably, I have lost my mind gosh I'm losing it .