Chapter 2: The Game Begins
Sebastian St. Louis wasn't accustomed to being challenged. He had grown up in a world where everything was within his grasp, his father's wealth and power stretching like an endless sea. But it wasn't just money that made people tremble when they spoke his name—it was the quiet force of his presence. The way he commanded attention without saying a word. The way he made people feel insignificant without even trying.
But Maya Clyde? She was different.
He didn't like it. He didn't like that she had managed to worm her way into his life with her cool, calculated smile. She played the game better than he ever expected. And that made her dangerous.
He had tried to push her to the back of his mind. She was just another employee—someone to use, someone to manipulate. But with every passing day, as he saw her in the halls of St. Louis Enterprises, he felt a growing tension in his gut. There was something about her—something elusive that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
That night, he found himself in his private office, looking out over the city. The soft hum of his phone on the desk brought him back to the present. He picked it up and saw the text from his father, Harry St. Louis, flash across the screen:
"Don't forget your purpose, Sebastian. This company is now yours to break and rebuild. Use it to destroy your enemies. Start with her."
His jaw tightened as he read the words. His father's influence still lingered, even after his retirement. The old man hadn't let go of the reins yet, not entirely. Sebastian knew what his father expected. He wanted Maya's life crushed—destroyed just like her father's had been. And Sebastian would do it. He always did what was expected of him.
But with Maya, it was complicated.
---
Maya had always been able to control her emotions—had to, in order to survive in a world that had shown her nothing but cruelty. But something about Sebastian made it harder to keep that control. She could feel his presence when he entered the room, the weight of his gaze on her as if he could read her every thought. The last few days had been a whirlwind, her plan unfolding piece by piece, yet every interaction with him felt like a challenge she hadn't fully prepared for.
Her office was dark when she returned that evening. The building was nearly empty now—everyone else had gone home, leaving only a handful of late-night workers behind. The silence was soothing, but it didn't calm the storm brewing in her chest. Her thoughts were constantly on Sebastian. His cold, calculating eyes. The tension between them that lingered even when they weren't speaking.
She moved to the desk, placing the stack of documents she'd been reviewing on the surface. Her fingers hovered over the phone, the thought of calling him making her heart race. She had been careful, patient, but tonight—tonight was different. She wasn't just going to let the game play out. She was going to make her move.
---
Sebastian leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. His thoughts were tangled. He couldn't get Maya out of his mind. It had been weeks, yet the image of her face lingered, as sharp and precise as the blade of a knife. Her calculated moves, her cold demeanor—she was playing him, but he couldn't figure out how.
She had been in and out of his office at least once a day for the past week, always composed, always professional. But there was something in the way she carried herself, the way her eyes flashed with something deeper when they made contact. He knew she wasn't just playing at being the ice queen. There was something beneath that cold exterior—something that made her a force to be reckoned with.
It was clear that she was no fool. She was smart. But that only made her more dangerous.
And yet, despite the layers of mystery surrounding her, Sebastian found himself intrigued. Drawn to her in a way that unsettled him. He wanted to break through the walls she had built, expose the cracks, and see what lay underneath. But she was guarded, keeping her distance in the same way he did. She wasn't about to let anyone get too close, not even him.
He had to admit it. He was intrigued. More than intrigued. And it bothered him.
---
It wasn't long before Sebastian's phone rang, and Maya's name appeared on the screen.
His heart skipped a beat, an involuntary reaction he quickly pushed aside. He answered on the second ring, his voice low, controlled.
"Maya."
"Sebastian," she said, her tone warm but unmistakably businesslike. "I need a moment of your time. There's something I think we need to discuss."
His pulse quickened. He couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't a casual conversation. There was intent in her voice, something sharp that immediately put him on edge.
"Of course," he replied, trying to maintain control. "Come to my office."
---
Minutes later, Maya stepped into his office. She was dressed in a black pencil skirt, her blouse tucked perfectly, her demeanor as poised as always. But there was something in the way she moved tonight—a quiet urgency that sent a ripple of curiosity through him.
She didn't waste time with pleasantries. The door clicked shut behind her, and she turned, eyes locking onto his with the precision of a hunter.
"I've been thinking," she began, voice steady but carrying an edge. "You're the new CEO, but you still have a lot to prove. And I believe you'll need someone who knows the ins and outs of this company—someone who understands its history."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you have in mind, Miss Clyde?"
Her lips curled into a smile, and for a moment, it was almost predatory. "I think we can help each other."
He stared at her, watching her every movement, every twitch of her fingers as she stood there. There was a sense of inevitability in her presence, something that told him this was just the beginning of something far more dangerous than either of them anticipated.
"Let me make this clear, Maya," he said, leaning forward, his voice low and intense. "I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone."
"I know," she replied, the smile still on her lips. "But you will. Eventually."
---
And so it began. The game.
Each of them playing their part—each with their own motives, their own agenda. But neither of them prepared for the way the stakes would rise. Neither of them expected that the thin line between power and obsession would soon blur into something neither of them could control.
The first move had been made.
And it was only the beginning.