I Bite Hard

Chloe rubbed her temples, trying to push back the lingering headache left by Damien's presence.

"What do you want, Sienna?" she asked, settling into her chair.

Sienna stood in front of her desk, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "You have some nerve, you know that?"

Chloe exhaled, already tired of whatever fight Sienna was trying to pick. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't play dumb Chloe, you went to see Mom."

Of course. Their father must have gone home and put up a fit, spinning the narrative in his favour. Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes, I went to see Mom. And?"

"And," Sienna paused, her expression hardening, "you shouldn't have."

Chloe let out a sharp breath, a humourless laugh escaping her lips. "Where do you get off saying shit like that?" Her voice was edged with irritation now, the initial restraint slipping.

Sienna's eyes flinched, and she stepped closer to the desk. "You think you can just waltz her back into our life like nothing happened? After all these years?"

"You make it sound like she abandoned us," Chloe shot back. 

"Do I need to remind you how she left us Chloe?" 

Chloe's jaw clenched. "I don't need you to tell me how Mom left."

"Really? Because it sure seems like you don't care," Sienna challenged. "Or did you think her showing up now would magically fix everything?"

Chloe put her hand over her head trying to keep her temper in check. "I just wanted to see her, Sienna. That's all. I didn't expect anything more."

Sienna studied her for a moment, then shook her head. "You never think about the consequences, do you? You always want to do you, Chloe."

Chloe felt a flicker of something between hurt and anger. "Funny, coming from you," she murmured.

Her sister stiffened, her eyes focused on Chloe "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it," she said, standing up from her chair. "Why are you here Sienna? Because we both know you don't give a damn about Mom, so what do want?"

Sienna's expression shifted as if being caught in an act.

"I want you to talk to Dad. Get him to give Ryan a place in the company."

Chloe laughed hard. Hard enough to stir up a sting in Sienna's chest.

"You're kidding right?"

"Does it look like it?" Sienna snapped.

"Definitely, because you did not just walk into my office asking me to help the man who betrayed me….and may I add…..with you."

"Oh Chloe please, I have tried to be gentle with you, to be good with you again but you just won't let go, when would you get over it? Ryan chose me, and I think it's best for you if you just admit it to yourself."

"I have admitted it to myself Sienna, and that's why I'm choosing to stay away from it and from you.

You can speak to Dad yourself, I don't give a shit about Ryan."

"You are so bitter." Sienna scoffed.

"Well, maybe I am, Sienna, but I push myself to be better, unlike you who believes the world revolves around her."

Chloe paused to take a breath. "You know, it's quite bold of you to even think that I'd help you, let alone Ryan."

"And the only reason why I'm in a position you can ask for my help is because I got this far. So my advice, why don't you focus less on being a desperate pick me and then maybe when you've managed to do that you can ask Dad about your pathetic boyfriend yourself."

Before Chloe could utter another word, the sharp sting of a slap cracked through the air.

Her head snapped to the side, her cheek burning from the impact. For a moment a brief silence lingered between them.

Then, slowly, she turned back to face her sister, and she squeezed her palm into a fist.

"Find your way out of my office, now!" She pointed toward the door, her tone leaving no room for argument.

But Sienna didn't move, but instead took a step closer, her eyes narrowing with something dangerously close to resentment.

"You think you're better than me, don't you? Sitting here in your fancy office acting like you own the place. But deep down you're still that same pathetic little girl desperate for daddy's approval."

"Be careful Sienna, your fangs are showing," Chloe said, unmoved by her words.

Sienna scoffed while taking a step back.

"You know what Chloe-"

But before she could continue a voice cut in from the doorway.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked.

"No, Noah," Chloe blurted.

Sienna was just leaving." She said hoping that would make her sister get out even faster.

Without another word, Sienna strutted toward the door, the sound of her heels louder with every step. Slamming the door behind her.

Chloe let out a breath, her heart pounded but she refused to let the anger consume her.

She turned to face Noah, "How much of that did you see?"

"Pretty much everything." He said. "Things are still tense with Sienna it seems."

"Yes, they are," Chloe said adjusting her jacket. "So what brings you to this wing?"

"Well, first of all, congratulations on sealing the deal with Damien Cross." He said clapping his hands. "The whole company is proud of you."

"I see," Chloe said absentmindedly. 

Noah Sinclair watched as she sorted out her desk, how her hands gracefully picked up her pieces of equipment and put them in place.

He had been a consultant for Bennett Industries for 2 years and he had developed a liking for Chloe, but how could he ever let her know that?

She was intimidating, she knew what she wanted, and how to get it. And he respected that. However, she was in a relationship with Ryan. And Chloe was madly in love, he could sense that they didn't go well together but who was he to question her choices?

"If you keep staring like that I'll be forced to believe you're in love with me." Chloe interrupted his thoughts as she smiled at him.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you about tonight." He said embarrassingly.

"Okay, and what's happening tonight?"

"Uhm….The Morelli auction…Day 1." He said snapping his fingers as though trying to wake up her thoughts.

"Oh shit, that's today?"

"You forgot," Noah said crossing his arms on the table.

"No, just utterly distracted."

"I see…well, I was wondering if you wanted to go together…..maybe make a few bids as well." He said winking at her.

Chloe thought for a moment, of course, Noah was joking, but she couldn't help but think how nice that would be and she didn't want to give Sienna the satisfaction of walking in there alone. 

After all, that was Sienna's specialty, the socialite. She could never close a deal but she could close down a party with just her presence and she would probably be there tonight…..with Ryan.

Without a second thought, Chloe blurted out, "Yes, I'd love to go with you, Noah."

"Very well," he said..crossing his feet.

"I heard Damien Cross would be there." It might be the Morelli event but I can tell Damien's the star of the show." 

"Hmmm," Chloe thought briefly.

"Do you have any idea why there's so much surrounding his name….the mystery….the excitement, everything? Why did he go into hiding like everyone says."

"Well from what I hear, CrossCorp suffered a fatal blow…there were inside embezzlements, lots of stolen resources and intel, contracts falsely signed in the Cross name. Let's just say it was a whole lot."

"I see. Chloe said slowly nodding her head.

"Carlisso Cross, Damien's father, really had a lot to clean up. Damien was never really one for the spotlight. But then again, he couldn't deal with the pressure and backlash the company faced in New York….so he started afresh….built CrossCorp back from the ground up and became a name without a face. So Damien wasn't exactly in hiding, he just wasn't out there to begin with..a lot like you."

Chloe took it all in, this was the first time she really understood Damien and not just his name.

However, she looked up as if none of what was said, moved her in any way.

"Damien Cross is nothing like me."

"If you say so," Noah insisted. Standing up on one foot.

"So, what do you say? Pick you up at 8?"

Chloe nodded slowly. "Pick me up at 8."

As Noah stepped out of the office, she began to revel in all he said.

CrossCorp was an empire before it came to Atlanta, and Damien had run it behind the scenes alongside his father. Who could have done so much just to bring the company to the ground? And why?

Chloe stared outside the window, her mind lost in thought, fingers absently tapping against the glass.

With everything she now knew about Damien, it all started to click. The way he talked, the way he moved, the way he demanded control when he had no right.

He was hurt. He was cold. He was ruthless. He built a dynasty from the shadows, wielding power in a way that made him almost untouchable.

She knew him now and people like Damien? They bite. And they bite hard.