Chapter 16: A Brewing Storm (2/2)

**Victor's POV**

I gave her a nod and moved on, but my curiosity was piqued. Something had definitely changed between Elena and Sienna. And while I wasn't entirely sure what it was, I knew it was something I could use to my advantage.

As I walked into my office and closed the door behind me, I couldn't help but smile. This was going to be fun.

Sitting down at my desk, I pulled up my laptop and began reviewing the project files. I had already laid the groundwork for the sabotage; now, it was just a matter of waiting for the right moment to strike. But with Elena distracted by whatever was going on between her and Sienna, that moment might come sooner than I expected.

I leaned back in my chair, my mind already spinning with possibilities. Elena had always been so untouchable, so above it all. But now, with David in the picture and whatever tension was brewing between her and Sienna, she was vulnerable. And that made her the perfect target.

I reached for my phone and dialed a number I had memorized long ago. The line rang twice before a voice answered.

"Victor," David's voice came through, cold and clipped. "What do you want?"

"Just checking in," I replied smoothly. "I wanted to see how things were progressing on your end."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I could almost picture the calculating look in David's eyes. "Everything is going according to plan. Elena's getting rattled, just like you said she would. But I'm not here to play games, Victor. I want results."

"Patience, David," I said, my tone oozing with confidence. "We're just getting started. Let Elena sweat a little more. She'll make a mistake soon enough, and when she does, we'll be ready to pounce."

David didn't respond immediately, and I could hear the faint sound of him exhaling a long, frustrated breath. "You'd better be right about this, Victor. I didn't agree to help you just to watch Elena slip through my fingers again."

"Trust me," I replied, leaning forward in my chair. "By the time we're done, Elena won't have anything left. Not her career, not her reputation, and certainly not Sienna."

There was a brief pause, and then David's voice came through, colder than before. "Don't forget, Victor—Sienna is mine to deal with. I'll make sure she knows exactly what happens to people who get in my way."

A chill ran down my spine at his words, but I kept my composure. I needed David on my side for this to work, and that meant keeping him focused on Elena.

"Of course," I said calmly. "I wouldn't dream of interfering with your plans for Sienna. Just remember our deal—Elena first, then you can have your fun with Sienna."

David let out a low, humorless chuckle. "I haven't forgotten, Victor. Just make sure you hold up your end of the bargain."

The line went dead before I could respond, and I set the phone down with a sigh. David was becoming increasingly unpredictable, and that made him both a useful ally and a potential liability.

But for now, I would keep playing my part, letting him believe he was in control. Because as long as David was focused on Elena, I could continue working behind the scenes, setting the stage for my own plans.

I glanced at the clock on my desk, noting that it was still early. Plenty of time to put the next phase of my plan into motion.

I pulled up the files on my computer, reviewing the changes I had made to the project. Everything was in place; now, it was just a matter of waiting for the right moment to strike.

And when that moment came, Elena Harper would finally see just how far I was willing to go to take her down.

**Sienna's POV**

After my conversation with Elena the previous night, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in my chest. There was something she wasn't telling me—something that went beyond the usual stress of the project.

And then there was that almost-kiss. The way she had leaned in, her lips so close to mine, only to pull back at the last moment... It left me feeling confused and more than a little hurt.

I tried to push it out of my mind as I walked into the office, but it was no use. My thoughts kept drifting back to Elena, to the way she had looked at me with a mixture of longing and fear. I didn't understand it—why was she holding back? What was she so afraid of?

I sighed as I sat down at my desk, determined to focus on work. But as I pulled up the project files, I noticed something odd. Some of the data didn't match up with what I had reviewed earlier in the week. It was subtle—just a few numbers here and there that seemed off—but it was enough to catch my attention.

Frowning, I double-checked the calculations, my concern growing with each discrepancy I found. This wasn't a simple mistake—someone had deliberately altered the data. But why? And more importantly, who?

I was so absorbed in my work that I didn't notice Elena standing behind me until she spoke.

"Sienna?"

I jumped, my heart racing as I turned to see her watching me with a worried expression. "Elena, you scared me!"

"Sorry," she said, but her eyes were focused on the screen in front of me. "What are you working on?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to tell her. If someone was sabotaging the project, I needed to be careful. But this was Elena—she deserved to know the truth.

"I was just going over the project files," I began slowly, "and I noticed something strange. Some of the data doesn't match up with what we had earlier."

Elena's expression darkened, and she leaned in closer to look at the screen. "What do you mean? What data is off?"

I pointed to the discrepancies I had found, explaining the changes as best I could. As I spoke, I could see the tension in Elena's shoulders growing, her jaw tightening with each word.

"This is bad," she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. "If these changes go unnoticed, it could ruin the entire project."

"Do you think Victor is behind this?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to jump to conclusions but unable to ignore the possibility.

Elena was silent for a moment, her eyes still fixed on the screen. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and determined. "It's possible. But I don't think he's working alone. There's someone else involved—someone who has access to these files."

I swallowed hard, the implications of her words sinking in. If someone inside the company was working against us, we were in serious trouble.

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Elena turned to look at me, her eyes fierce and protective. "We stay vigilant. We don't let them win. And we keep this between us for now—I don't want to tip our hand until we're sure who's behind this."

I nodded, trusting her judgment. But as I looked into her eyes, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else she wasn't telling me—something bigger than the project, bigger than Victor.

And as much as I wanted to press her for answers, I knew now wasn't the time. There were too many variables at play, too many unknowns. But one thing was clear: whatever was going on, Elena was in the thick of it.

And I wasn't going to let her face it alone.

**Elena's POV**

As I watched Sienna dive back into the files, a knot of dread settled in my stomach. The pieces were starting to come together, and the picture they formed was anything but pretty. Victor's meddling, David's threats, and now these discrepancies in the data—it was all connected, I was sure of it.

But what scared me the most was the thought of Sienna getting caught in the crossfire. She was too good, too pure for this kind of deceit and manipulation. And yet, here she was, right in the middle of it all because of me.

I clenched my fists, my resolve hardening. I had to find a way to protect her, to keep her safe from the storm that was brewing. Even if it meant making sacrifices, even if it meant pushing her away.

But as I looked at her, so focused and determined, I knew it wouldn't be easy. She was already in too deep, and I wasn't sure I could pull her out without dragging her down with me.

"Elena?" Sienna's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I realized she was looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

I forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about our next move."

She didn't seem convinced, but she let it go, turning back to her work. I watched her for a moment longer, my heart aching with a mix of love and fear.

Whatever happened next, I knew one thing for sure: I wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Not Victor, not David, not anyone.

Even if it meant putting myself in the line of fire.