Chapter 2: Bound by a Deal

Evelyn Moore barely registered the hum of the elevator as it descended from the top floor of Kane Enterprises. The gleaming walls reflected her tense expression, but she refused to look at herself. Instead, her mind spun with the weight of the deal she had just struck.

Fifty million dollars.

It was a number most people would sell their souls for. But Evelyn knew better. Money from Felix Kane didn't come without a price. He was a man who calculated every move a predator in a world of prey. And now, she was part of his game.

The elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime. The bustling lobby of Kane Enterprises greeted her, marble floors gleaming beneath the soft afternoon light. Executives in tailored suits rushed by, their conversations low and purposeful.

But Evelyn felt like an outsider.

Her phone buzzed in her bag. She pulled it out, the name flashing across the screen making her chest tighten.

"Lena."

She quickly answered. "Hey."

"How did it go?" Lena's voice, full of cautious hope, echoed through the line.

Evelyn hesitated. "I got it."

A sharp gasp followed. "You mean...

"Fifty million. But it's complicated."

"Evelyn!" Lena practically squealed. "This is huge! The Moore Initiative can finally expand! We can build the learning center in Brooklyn. Maybe even launch the mobile literacy program!"

"I know." Evelyn rubbed her temple. "But there's a catch."

"Of course there is. What did he want?"

"I have to report directly to him. Six months. He'll be breathing down my neck the whole time."

The excitement on the other end dimmed. "Felix Kane," Lena muttered. "The Alpha billionaire himself. Evelyn, you've read the stories. He's ruthless."

"I can handle him," Evelyn said, though the words rang hollow.

She wanted to believe it. Felix Kane was just another powerful man who thought the world bent at his will. She'd dealt with difficult people before. But something about him unsettled her. That sharp, unrelenting gaze. The dark energy that seemed to linger even after she left his office.

"You know I'll support whatever decision you make," Lena said softly. "But be careful. Men like him don't just hand over money without expecting something in return."

Evelyn nodded, though her best friend couldn't see her. "I will."

But even as she said it, doubt twisted inside her.

---

Two Days Later

Felix Kane sat at the head of the long, polished conference table, his fingers tapping lightly against the cool surface. The executives seated around him droned on about market expansions and quarterly projections, but his mind remained elsewhere.

Evelyn Moore.

She was a puzzle — one he hadn't solved yet. Unlike the women who usually sought his attention, she didn't fawn over his wealth or status. There had been no calculated charm in her gaze. Just raw determination.

And that intrigued him.

The thought of her signature now inked on the contract satisfied him. She was in his world now. Bound to him.

"Mr. Kane?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. It was Richard Hale, his CFO. "Do you have any concerns about the upcoming acquisition?"

Felix leaned back in his chair, his icy blue eyes narrowing. "None. Proceed as planned."

The room shifted uneasily. Felix's word was final. No one questioned him. But the tension that followed spoke volumes. They'd noticed his distraction.

Good. Let them wonder.

"Dismissed," Felix ordered, and like obedient pawns, they filed out of the room.

Only Claire, his assistant, remained. She approached cautiously, a tablet in her hand. "Miss Moore has confirmed her attendance for this afternoon's meeting."

Felix's lips twitched. "Punctual. Good."

"And Mr. Kane," Claire added, lowering her voice, "you might want to tread carefully with her. She's not like the others."

"I'm counting on that."

---

Later That Afternoon

Evelyn stepped into the sleek black car that had arrived at her modest office — a stark contrast to the towering presence of Kane Enterprises. She hated the luxury of it. Every detail screamed power and control, as if Felix had personally orchestrated even the air she breathed.

The car wove through the city, but her thoughts remained fixed on what awaited her. She didn't regret accepting the deal. Not yet. But the thought of facing Felix again stirred something beneath her resolve.

Anticipation. Anxiety. Maybe both.

When the car finally pulled to a stop in front of Kane Enterprises, Evelyn took a steadying breath. The towering glass facade loomed before her, reflecting the storm clouds gathering in the sky. A fitting omen.

Inside, Claire greeted her with polite efficiency. "Mr. Kane is expecting you."

"Of course he is," Evelyn muttered under her breath.

She followed Claire through the expansive lobby, her heels clicking softly against the marble. Every eye seemed to linger on her, as if questioning how someone like her had earned a meeting with Felix Kane.

But she kept her chin high. She belonged here. Even if no one else believed it.

The office door opened, and there he was.

Felix Kane stood by the window, the city skyline stretching behind him. He was as commanding as she remembered — tall, sharp, exuding an air of effortless dominance. The dark navy suit clung to his frame, tailored to perfection. But it wasn't the clothes that made him dangerous. It was the eyes. Calculating. Piercing. As if he could see straight through her.

"Miss Moore," he greeted, his voice smooth. "Punctual this time."

"I didn't want to give you any reason to question my dedication."

Felix's gaze darkened with amusement. "Good."

He gestured toward the chair across from his desk. "Shall we begin?"

Evelyn's heart pounded, but she refused to show it. She would face him, stand her ground, and prove that not even the Alpha billionaire could break her.

But as Felix Kane's smirk deepened, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd already stepped into a game she wasn't prepared to play.