Chapter 5: The Unraveling Thread

Sabrina's pulse raced as she left the conference room, her hands trembling from the intense scrutiny she had just faced. It wasn't just Nathaniel's gaze that had thrown her off balance—it was the way he had tested her in front of the client, leaving her feeling vulnerable, exposed, and, ultimately, defeated. She had failed, and that was something she wasn't used to.

She walked back to her desk, the office noise blurring around her; the hum of conversations, the clattering of keyboards, and the soft shuffle of shoes on polished floors seemed distant, as if she were standing in the eye of a storm. The weight of the day pressed down on her shoulders, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Nathaniel was still watching, assessing, as if every second was part of a larger game she didn't fully understand.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was another message from Nathaniel:

"You didn't perform as expected. Come to my office now."

Sabrina took a big breath, and her throat tightened. She understood what this meant. He would analyze her failure, pointing out every imperfection and reminding her that she was not in charge. Again. Despite her nervousness, she could not bring herself to back down. She couldn't afford to exhibit vulnerability right now.

She walked to Nathaniel's office, each step echoing in the empty corridor like a countdown to her approaching doom. When she arrived, she paused briefly before knocking. There was no answer at first, but just as she was ready to turn the handle, his voice came out, smooth and forceful.

"Come in."

Sabrina stepped inside, her heart hammering in her chest. Nathaniel was standing by the window again, his back to her. He didn't look at her as she entered, and for a moment, the silence between them felt suffocating.

"Close the door," he instructed.

She did as told, the soft click of the door locking her in with him. Sabrina stood there, waiting for him to speak, her anxiety growing with each passing second. Finally, Nathaniel turned around, his eyes locking with hers. There was something darker in his gaze today, something that made her stomach churn.

"You failed today," he said, his voice low and devoid of emotion. "And not just in the meeting. You failed to understand the gravity of your position here."

Sabrina clenched her fists at her sides, forcing herself to stay calm. She had anticipated this, but hearing it from his lips still stung.

"I understand, Mr. Knight," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'll do better next time."

Nathaniel took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "It's not about doing better next time," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "It's about whether or not you can handle this job. Whether or not you can handle me."

Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected him to say it so plainly, but there it was. The real test wasn't the work—it was her. It was how far she was willing to go, how much she was willing to sacrifice to prove herself.

"I'm not sure you can," Nathaniel continued, his lips curling into a small, almost amused smile. "You're not cut out for this world, Sabrina. Not yet. You don't understand power, control. You think you can earn respect through hard work, but that's not how things work here."

Sabrina's heart pounded in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Nathaniel stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. He was inches away now, his breath warm against her skin. Sabrina wanted to step back, but she couldn't. His gaze was like a trap, pulling her in.

"It's about more than work," he said, his voice a whisper. "It's about bending the world to your will. It's about making people afraid of you, respecting you, wanting to be in your favor. And if you don't have that, you're nothing."

Sabrina swallowed hard, her thoughts a whirlwind. Was he right? Was she truly out of her depth? The world she had stepped into was nothing like what she had known. It wasn't just about competence—it was about control, manipulation, dominance. And in this game, Sabrina had been nothing more than a pawn.

"I'm willing to learn," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Nathaniel's eyes flashed with something unreadable, and for a moment, she wondered if she had said the wrong thing. But then his lips curled into a small, approving smile. It was the first time she had seen any sign of approval from him, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

"Good," he said simply. "But learning comes with a price."

Sabrina frowned. "What price?"

Nathaniel's expression hardened, his gaze cold once again. "Your soul. Your integrity. The things you think you can't live without." He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. "You think you can stay innocent, that you can keep your hands clean in this world. But that's a lie. We all have to get our hands dirty if we want to survive. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll stop failing."

The weight of his words hung heavily in the air. Sabrina felt a knot form in her stomach. She wasn't sure what he meant, but it was clear that he was testing her, pushing her further into a corner where the only option would be to fight back—or break.

Nathaniel turned away from her once more, glancing out the window as if the conversation had stopped. Sabrina stood there, her head racing and her ideas conflicting. Part of her wanted to walk away from this twisted game. But another half, which had begun to relish the power struggle, wanted to stay. To fight. To prove herself.

Before she could make up her mind, Nathaniel spoke again, his voice sharp and commanding.

"You're dismissed, Sabrina. But remember this: If you fail again, I won't just be disappointed. I'll make sure you regret it."

Sabrina nodded, her heart beating against her chest. She wanted to say something, confront him, but the words stayed in her throat. Instead, she turned and left the office, leaving Nathaniel behind.

As she closed the door behind her, Sabrina couldn't shake the feeling that she had just taken the first step down a dark and dangerous path. And there would be no turning back.

Back at her desk, Sabrina tried to refocus on her work, but the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind made it impossible. What was Nathaniel's game? What did he really want from her? And what price would she have to pay to survive in his world?

As the hours passed, Sabrina couldn't help but feel that the unraveling thread of her own life had already begun. And she had no idea where it would lead.