Chapter 8: Cracks in the Armor

Philadelphia's skyline stretched beyond the glass windows of Emma Carter's office, a breathtaking display of steel and light. Yet, despite the beauty outside, she couldn't shake the tension that lingered from her conversation with Alex Kingston.

"Maybe that's why you've never let yourself lose."

His words had echoed in her mind long after she left the boardroom. She knew how to control situations, anticipate outcomes, and stay ten steps ahead. But Alex? He was unpredictable—dangerously so.

Emma didn't like unpredictable.

She exhaled, pushing the thought away as she turned her attention to her laptop. The Sterling & Co. acquisition was still the top priority, and she had more important things to focus on than Kingston's mind games.

As if on cue, her office door swung open without a knock.

"I thought lawyers were supposed to be polite," she said coolly, barely looking up.

Alex smirked as he leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. "I thought CEOs were supposed to take lunch breaks."

Emma sighed, closing her laptop. "What do you want, Kingston?"

He stepped inside, placing a brown paper bag on her desk. "Figured you wouldn't eat, so I took the liberty of ordering for you."

Emma blinked at the bag, then at him. "You ordered for me?"

Alex shrugged. "Relax, it's not poison. It's from Deluca's. Your usual."

That made her pause. Deluca's was her go-to spot for a quick, no-nonsense lunch. The fact that Alex not only knew that but had ordered her exact meal unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

She kept her expression unreadable. "Are you trying to get on my good side?"

Alex smirked. "Would it work?"

"No."

"Then consider it an investment."

Emma studied him for a beat before finally opening the bag. A neatly wrapped sandwich and a small cup of black coffee—just how she liked it. She took a slow sip, assessing him over the rim of her cup.

Alex watched her, amused. "See? Not everything I do is insufferable."

Emma exhaled, setting her cup down. "You're still mostly insufferable."

He chuckled, moving to sit across from her. "I'll take that as progress."

She shook her head, but for the first time in their interactions, she felt something shift—just slightly. A crack in the wall she had built between them.

Dangerous.

Emma pushed the thought away, returning to business. "Did you come here just to deliver lunch, or is there something else?"

Alex leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. "Actually, I wanted to talk about our meeting with Richard Sterling."

Emma nodded, back in her element. "We need to control the narrative. If Sterling thinks we're taking over, he'll resist."

Alex smirked. "So, we make him think it's his idea?"

"Exactly."

Alex tapped his fingers against the desk, his gaze thoughtful. "You're good at this."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "You sound surprised."

He chuckled. "I'm not. I just don't think you hear it enough."

Something in his voice made her pause, but she quickly masked it. "Flattery won't win you this deal, Kingston."

"Who said I was flattering you?" he murmured.

Emma ignored the way her pulse reacted to his tone. Instead, she reached for a pen and pushed the agenda toward him. "Here's the plan. Study it."

Alex picked up the document, scanning it. After a moment, he looked up, his expression unreadable.

"You know," he said casually, "most people hate working with me."

Emma smirked. "Trust me, I get it."

He chuckled, but there was something behind his gaze—something almost vulnerable. It was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual confidence.

Emma didn't comment on it.

Instead, she picked up her coffee and took another sip.

The war between them was far from over.

But for now, a temporary truce had been drawn.