Chapter 14: A Web of Secrets

**Elena's POV**

The days following Victor's visit were a blur of meetings, paperwork, and barely contained anxiety. I could feel the walls closing in on me—Victor's fabricated discrepancies, David's relentless presence, and the undeniable pull I felt toward Sienna. It was all becoming too much.

I threw myself into work, hoping the distraction would dull the chaos swirling around me. But no matter how much I tried to focus on the blueprints and designs that usually brought me peace, my thoughts kept drifting back to Sienna. Her smile, her laugh, the way she looked at me as if she could see right through all the masks I wore—it was all too distracting.

Sienna, for her part, seemed determined to keep things normal between us, though I could tell she was struggling just as much as I was. We danced around our growing connection, each of us unwilling or unable to acknowledge it directly. But the tension between us was palpable, especially in the quiet moments we shared, like the one we found ourselves in now.

It was late, and the office was almost empty. The soft glow of the desk lamp cast a warm light over Sienna's face as she worked beside me, reviewing some documents. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, admiring the way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way her fingers tapped rhythmically against the edge of the desk.

I wanted to reach out, to touch her, to feel the warmth of her skin under my fingers. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.

"Elena," she said, breaking the silence. "Have you noticed something strange about these numbers?"

Her voice snapped me back to reality, and I turned my attention to the papers in front of her. I leaned in closer, our shoulders nearly touching as I examined the documents she was pointing to. My pulse quickened at the proximity, but I forced myself to focus.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Sienna's finger traced a line of data, her touch light but deliberate. "There's something off here. These numbers—they don't match up with the original projections. It's like someone's been tampering with them."

My heart skipped a beat. Victor. It had to be him.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "You're right. This isn't just an error—this is deliberate."

Sienna looked up at me, her eyes wide with realization. "But why? Who would want to sabotage this project?"

"Victor," I said, the name slipping out before I could stop it.

She blinked, surprised. "Victor? But why would he do that?"

I leaned back in my chair, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "Victor's been looking for a way to undermine me for a long time. He's ambitious, and he wants to take me down so he can rise to the top. And if he can use this project to do it, he will."

Sienna's eyes narrowed, her expression hardening. "That bastard. We can't let him get away with this."

I couldn't help but smile at her fierceness. "We won't," I said, determination rising in me. "But we need to be careful. If Victor's willing to go this far, he won't hesitate to do worse."

Sienna nodded, her resolve clear. "We'll figure this out, Elena. Together."

Her words sent a warmth through me that I hadn't felt in a long time. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to have her by my side, not just as an intern or an assistant, but as something more. The thought was dangerous, but I couldn't help it.

I reached out, my hand brushing against hers. The contact was brief, but it sent a jolt of electricity through me. Sienna looked up, her eyes meeting mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just the two of us, connected by something neither of us could fully understand or control.

But before I could say anything, the door to my office swung open, and David walked in. His presence was like a bucket of cold water, dousing the fire that had been building between Sienna and me.

"Elena," he said, his voice sharp with irritation. "We need to talk."

I pulled my hand away from Sienna's, trying to compose myself. "David, this isn't a good time."

He glanced at Sienna, his eyes narrowing. "I'm sure it can wait. This is important."

Sienna stood up, gathering her things. "I should go. We can continue this tomorrow."

"No," I said, a bit too quickly. "Stay. Whatever David has to say can be said in front of you."

David's eyes flashed with anger, but he forced a tight smile. "Very well. If that's how you want it."

I could feel the tension in the room ratchet up as David stepped closer. He was too close, his presence suffocating. I wanted to push him away, to tell him to leave, but I knew that would only make things worse.

"Elena," he said, his voice low and threatening. "We need to talk about us."

"There is no 'us,' David," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Not anymore."

He laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. "You think it's that easy? You think you can just walk away?"

I glanced at Sienna, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. I didn't want her to see this, didn't want her to be caught up in the mess that was my relationship with David. But it was too late for that.

"David," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "We've been over this. Our relationship is over. I've moved on."

"Moved on?" he hissed, his eyes flicking to Sienna. "To her?"

I stiffened, the accusation in his tone cutting deep. "That's none of your business."

His eyes darkened, and I could see the rage building in him. "You think I'm just going to let you throw everything away? For what? For some fling?"

I stood up, trying to put some distance between us. "It's not like that, David. You and I… we were never right for each other. You know that."

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You're making a mistake, Elena. And I won't let you ruin everything."

Before I could respond, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed was heavy, the air thick with the tension he'd left behind.

I sank back into my chair, my hands trembling. Sienna reached out, her hand resting gently on my shoulder.

"Elena," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, but the truth was, I didn't know if I was okay. David's words had rattled me more than I wanted to admit. He wasn't just angry—he was dangerous. And I had no idea what he would do next.

But one thing was clear: this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

**David's POV**

I stormed out of Elena's office, my blood boiling with rage. How dare she? How dare she try to throw everything away for that… that girl? Did she really think she could just walk away from me?

I knew Elena better than anyone. She was strong, determined, and stubborn as hell. But she also had a weakness—a weakness that I was more than willing to exploit.

I wasn't going to let her ruin everything we had built, everything we were supposed to be. If she thought she could just replace me with some intern, she was sorely mistaken.

I pulled out my phone, dialing a number I knew by heart. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

"Hello?"

"It's me," I said, my voice cold and calculated. "We need to talk."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then the voice responded, "What do you need?"

I smiled to myself, the plan already forming in my mind. "I need you to help me with something. Something… delicate."

The voice hesitated. "What kind of something?"

"Let's just say," I said, my smile growing, "it's a matter of loyalty."

I ended the call, slipping my phone back into my pocket. Elena thought she could get rid of me, that she could move on with her life and leave me behind. But she was wrong. I wasn't going anywhere.

Not until I got what I wanted.