I'm not gonna Break

ELENA'S POV

 I'm sitting in my office, and I can't just get over the events of yesterday. I'm staring at the black envelope, I received yesterday from the accident, reading the words over and over again.

"Next time, we won't miss. Sell your shares while you still can."

My hands tighten into fists. I know what they want- scare me into giving up everything Dad built.

But I won't be intimidated.

Lucian arrives to check on me, carrying two cups of coffee. I notice how calm he is, how he moves like he's always in control.

" Did you sleep at all?" he asks, setting the coffee in front of me.

I let out a dry laugh. " Do you think anyone could, after almost getting run off the road?"

Lucian leans against the desk. "You should take security more seriously."

I meet his gaze and say " You sound like Samantha."

Later that day, Samantha storms into my office. " Tell me how Lucian was there last night."

I frown. " What do you mean?"

Samantha crosses her arms, " He just happened to be on the same road, at the exact same time, and somehow managed to stop an attack that was meant to look like an accident?" But Lucian saved me—why would he do that if he were involved?

" You're overthinking this" I tell Samantha " He helped me for goodness sake."

Samantha doesn't look convinced. " Maybe. Or maybe he's helping someone else too."

I don't know why this part sticks. I should be doing damage control after the accident but I go to the rooftop to have some time to myself to clear my head. As I bury myself in my thought thinking if the fight is worth it. A quiet footstep behind me sent a prickle of awareness up my spine. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Lucian. He had barely been in my life for a day, yet he was everywhere. Watching. Calculating. Too damn perceptive.

" You're quiet."

I sigh and say " I keep wondering who would go this far to push me out of the company."

I notice how carefully Lucian watches me. " Are you considering selling?"

I shake my head. " Never."

I could see the relief on Lucian's face.

Anger flickered in my chest, He probably thought I would sell my shares over an accident. " You think I'm going to break? Sell my shares and run?"

His expression didn't change. " Most people would."

" I'm not most people."

His lips quirked as if I'd just confirmed something he already knew. " No," he agreed. " You're not."

A wave of silence stretched between us. I should probably walk away and go downstairs, and handle the mess. Then his voice comes out low, sincere. " Elena you don't have to handle this alone. You have people that want to help."

I look up at him, studying his face intently " Do I have you?"

Lucian hesitates for half a second before answering. " Yes."

The next morning, I walk into my office, my confidence restored, my determination back in full force.

Then I saw the look on Samantha's face.

And the unread emails piling up on my screen.

My heart rate spikes as I say, " Tell me this isn't what I think it is," even though I already know the answer.

Samantha grimaced. "It's worse."

I clicked on the news link, and my stomach dropped.

I had to stop to catch my breath. " What--?"

" Someone leaked documents," Samantha explained. " Financial reports showing fraudulent transactions tied to your name."

I could feel my pulse in my ears. " But that's impossible."

" I know," Samantha said. "But whoever did this…. they knew exactly where to hit you."

My mind raced. This wasn't random. It wasn't another business attack.

This was a direct hit.

A calculated move to break me.

And the worst part?

It was working.

My phone buzzed with incoming calls. Emails flooded in faster than I could process. Investors were demanding answers. The media was having a field day tearing apart my reputation.

" This doesn't make sense I murmur as I scroll through the documents. The figures were precise, the fraud expertly crafted—but it wasn't mine.

I had been set up.

Samantha crossed her arms. " It's too convenient. First the accident, now this? Someone is trying to push you into a corner."

I met her gaze, as my stomach churned and twisted. "And I think I know why."

Samantha nodded grimly. "They want you to sell your shares."

I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of my desk. The timing was too perfect, the attack too well-planned.

"They're trying to force me out," I said, my voice coming out steely.

Samantha tilted her head. "So what are you going to do?"

I clenched my jaw.

"Fight."

But even as I said it, doubt gnawed at the edges of my resolve. Because whoever behind this wasn't just after the company…

They wanted to destroy me.

I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to stay composed. The office felt too quiet, too small, like the walls were closing in. Samantha was still pacing, her phone in hand, eyes scanning the endless streams of updates.

Then, another notification popped up on my screen.

My stomach dropped.

An email.

Subject: URGENT—Company Stability at Risk

I clicked on it with trembling fingers.

"Ms. Hart, given the current allegations, we strongly advise reconsidering your position before irreversible damage occurs. The board is expecting an emergency meeting. We need your decision in 24 hours."

My pulse pounded. This was worse than I thought. It wasn't just headlines now—the pressure was coming from within.

Samantha read over my shoulders, hrr lips pressing into a tight line. " Elena this isn't just bad PR. They're testing you."

I swallowed hard. " They want me to fold."

"Of course they do." Samantha turns to face me fully. " If you sell, they win. So we'll fight and we must win."

A sharp knock at the door made us turn.

Lucian stepped inside, his gaze flickering between us. His usual unreadable expression was in place but something in his eyes shifted when he saw the tension in the room.

"What happened?" His voice was calm, measured- too measured.

I stared at him, as the weight of everything came crashing down at once.

Do I tell him? Do I trust him?

I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

But one thing was certain- this wasn't just another business crisis.

This was war.

And it was only just beginning.