Crack In The Foundation

Elias Vaughn wasn't a man who tolerated betrayal.

Seated in his penthouse office, he reviewed the latest reports, his fingers drumming against the mahogany desk. The Hale deal had been his first major play against Damian, a move meant to weaken Blackwood Holdings from the inside. But now, whispers suggested Hale was hesitating—stalling where there should have been action.

Vaughn's jaw clenched. He had underestimated Lena.

She wasn't just a trophy wife in Blackwood's empire she was a strategist. He had seen the way she carried herself at the gala, the way she spoke with the same cool confidence as Damian himself. She was learning. And worse, she was proving to be a problem.

He picked up his phone and dialed.

"Status?" he demanded.

A voice on the other end hesitated. "Hale is being cautious. He hasn't backed out yet, but he's not moving against Blackwood either. He's waiting."

Vaughn's grip tightened around the receiver. "Then it's time we remind him what's at stake."

The Blackwood Estate – Midnight

Lena couldn't sleep.

She lay awake in the dim glow of her bedside lamp, staring at the ceiling as the weight of the evening settled over her. Winning over Hale had been a step forward, but she knew Vaughn wouldn't let it go unanswered.

A quiet knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts.

She sat up as Damian entered, his tie loosened, the first few buttons of his shirt undone. He looked as exhausted as she felt, but his expression was unreadable.

"I take it you heard," she said, watching as he leaned against the doorframe.

He nodded. "Hale is hesitating, but Vaughn won't let him go without a fight."

Lena swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Then we need to make sure Hale doesn't scare easily."

Damian studied her for a long moment before stepping closer. "You surprised me tonight," he admitted.

She arched a brow. "Is that so?"

A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "You handled Hale like a natural."

Lena tilted her head, meeting his gaze. "Did you expect me to sit back and let you fight this war alone?"

Damian didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. The touch was brief, almost hesitant, but it sent an unexpected warmth through her.

"I don't know what I expected," he murmured.

For a moment, the air between them shifted- less about strategy, more about something unspoken. Then, just as quickly, Damian stepped back, the walls returning to his gaze.

"Get some rest," he said, his voice back to its usual controlled tone. "Tomorrow, we prepare for Vaughn's next move."

Lena watched him leave, her heart pounding harder than it should have.

She was in deeper than she realized.

And not just in this war.