Chapter 15: Closing In

**Elena's POV**

The following morning, the remnants of last night's confrontation with David still lingered in my mind like a bad dream. I tried to shake it off as I walked into the office, but the tension was impossible to ignore. The way David had looked at Sienna—it was as if she were a threat, an obstacle in his path. And I had no doubt that he was going to do something about it.

Sienna arrived shortly after me, a bright smile on her face that momentarily lifted my spirits. She was wearing a simple yet elegant outfit—a white blouse tucked into a high-waisted skirt that accentuated her slender figure. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face. She looked beautiful, and it took everything in me to focus on the task at hand.

"Good morning, Elena," she greeted me cheerfully. "I brought you coffee. Figured you could use a pick-me-up after yesterday."

I smiled, accepting the cup from her. "Thanks, Sienna. I really appreciate it."

She settled into her chair across from me, her expression turning serious. "So, about those numbers we were looking at last night…"

I nodded, already dreading the conversation. "We need to confront Victor about it. We can't let him sabotage this project."

Sienna hesitated, biting her lip as she considered her words. "Are you sure it's safe? I mean, if Victor's willing to go this far, who knows what else he's capable of."

Her concern touched me, but I knew we had no choice. "We don't have a choice, Sienna. If we let this slide, it could ruin everything I've worked for."

She nodded, her resolve hardening. "You're right. We'll take him down together."

A knock at the door interrupted our conversation, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw who it was—Victor. He sauntered into the room with his usual smug expression, his eyes flicking between Sienna and me.

"Good morning, ladies," he said smoothly, taking a seat without waiting for an invitation. "I trust you're both well?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "What do you want, Victor?"

He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Why, Elena, I'm simply here to check in on the progress of our project. After all, it's important that everything runs smoothly, don't you think?"

His words were laced with hidden meaning, and I knew he was testing me. "The project is fine, Victor. In fact, Sienna and I were just discussing a few discrepancies we noticed in the recent reports."

Victor's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but his smile didn't waver. "Discrepancies, you say? That's concerning. Perhaps I should take a look."

He reached for the documents on my desk, but I was quicker, snatching them up before he could touch them. "I don't think that will be necessary. Sienna and I have everything under control."

His smile faltered, replaced by a hard, calculating look. "I see. Well, if there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."

His tone was polite, but the underlying threat was clear. He was warning me not to interfere with whatever he had planned. I held his gaze, refusing to back down.

"Thank you, Victor," I said coolly. "But we've got it covered."

For a moment, the room was filled with a tense silence, the three of us locked in a battle of wills. Finally, Victor stood up, smoothing down his suit jacket.

"Very well," he said, his voice icy. "I'll leave you to it, then. But do keep me updated. After all, we're all on the same team here."

With that, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving a suffocating tension in his wake. I exhaled slowly, realizing I'd been holding my breath.

Sienna looked at me, her eyes wide with concern. "Elena, what are we going to do?"

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of anxiety that clouded my thoughts. "We have to be careful. Victor's playing a dangerous game, and we can't afford to make any mistakes."

She nodded, her expression serious. "I'll go through the rest of the reports and see if I can find any more discrepancies. We need to gather as much evidence as we can."

"Good idea," I said, grateful for her support. "And Sienna… be careful. Victor's not someone to be underestimated."

She gave me a reassuring smile, but I could see the worry in her eyes. "I will, Elena. You too."

As she left the room, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. Everything was spiraling out of control, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep it together. David, Victor, the project… it was all too much.

But I couldn't afford to fall apart. Not now, when everything I'd worked for was at stake. I had to stay strong, for the sake of the project, for the sake of my career. And, though I was hesitant to admit it, for the sake of Sienna.

The thought of her brought a small measure of comfort, and I allowed myself a moment to imagine what it would be like if things were different—if I didn't have to worry about Victor, or David, or any of the other complications that seemed determined to destroy everything I'd built. What if it were just the two of us, free to explore whatever it was that was growing between us?

But that was a fantasy, and I knew it. The reality was far more complicated, far more dangerous. And if I wasn't careful, I could lose everything.

I took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts aside. There was no room for daydreams, not when the stakes were this high. I had to focus, had to be strong. For myself, for Sienna, for everything that mattered.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings and paperwork, but my mind kept drifting back to the conversation with Victor, and the unspoken threats that lingered in his words. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was planning something, something that could destroy everything I'd worked for.

By the time evening rolled around, I was more than ready to head home. But just as I was gathering my things, my phone buzzed with a text message. I glanced at the screen, and my heart sank when I saw who it was from.

David.

*We need to talk. Meet me at the usual place.*

I stared at the message, a sense of dread settling over me. I knew I should ignore it, should cut him out of my life once and for all. But something told me that this wasn't something I could avoid. Not if I wanted to keep Sienna safe.

Reluctantly, I grabbed my coat and headed for the door, my mind racing with possibilities. What did David want now? What was he planning?

I didn't have to wait long to find out. When I arrived at the small, secluded café where we usually met, David was already there, sitting in a corner booth with a glass of whiskey in front of him. His expression was dark, his eyes hard as he watched me approach.

"Elena," he said, his voice low and tense. "Sit down."

I did as he asked, my heart pounding in my chest. "What's this about, David?"

He took a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know exactly what this is about."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. "David, whatever you think is going on—"

"Don't," he interrupted, his tone sharp. "Don't lie to me, Elena. I know what's going on. I've seen the way you look at her."

My blood ran cold. "David, I—"

"I've given you everything," he continued, his voice rising with anger. "I've stood by you through everything, and this is how you repay me? By throwing me aside for… for her?"

His words cut deep, but I refused to let him see how much they affected me. "David, you and I… we were never right for each other. You know that."

He leaned forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "I don't care, Elena. I don't care if we weren't 'right' for each other. You're mine. And I'm not going to let you throw everything away for some fling."

I flinched at his words, but I held my ground. "I'm not yours, David. I never was."

His expression darkened, and I could see the fury building in him. "You're making a mistake, Elena. A huge mistake. And I won't let you ruin everything."

"David," I said, my voice shaking. "Please, just let this go. We can both move on—"

"No," he snapped, his voice filled with venom. "I'm not moving on. And neither are you. If you think you can just walk away from me, you're wrong. I won't let you."

I felt a chill run down my spine at the cold determination in his voice. "David, what are you saying?"

He leaned back in his seat, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "You'll see, Elena. You'll see."

I left the café feeling more shaken than I'd ever been. David was dangerous, that much was clear. But what scared me more was the feeling that I was losing control of everything—my career, my relationship with Sienna, even my own safety.