Chapter 8

The following days were a blur of anxious whispers, hushed phone calls, and meetings in dimly lit rooms that felt more like war councils than business arrangements. Maya had been thrust into a world she barely understood, and every moment spent in Elias's presence only deepened the uncertainty gnawing at her.

She had thought signing the contract would be the hardest part—just a matter of pretending to be someone she wasn't. But now, she realized that the real challenge lay in surviving the game Elias had drawn her into.

The file Adrian had given Elias remained locked in his office, untouched. She hadn't dared ask about its contents again, but the fear in Elias's eyes when he'd looked at it spoke volumes. Whoever was behind the leak had done their homework, and they weren't playing around. They knew everything about Elias's family—and they had something on Maya, too.

Maya's mind kept returning to her own past. Her father's debts. The lies she had told just to survive. She had buried those secrets deep, but now, they were coming back to haunt her.

And Elias. Elias was the only thing that kept her tethered to this world. But was he really someone she could trust?

That question lingered in her mind as she sat in the penthouse, staring out at the city below. Elias had become more distant, his focus consumed by whatever battle he was fighting behind the scenes. He was no longer the man who had seduced her with charm and wealth. Now, he was a shadow of that man—cold, calculating, and ruthless.

The door to his office opened, and Elias stepped out, his expression unreadable. He paused when he saw her sitting on the couch, the weight of his gaze making her stomach tighten.

"Maya," he said, his voice softer than usual. "We need to talk."

Her heart skipped. "About what?"

"The leak," Elias began, his eyes flicking toward the closed door as if to ensure they were alone. "I've found out who's behind it."

Maya's breath hitched. "Who?"

"Someone from within my company. Someone I trusted." Elias clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening. "A close associate. They've been feeding information to a rival family. They've been using you, Maya, as leverage."

Her mind raced. A rival family? She thought about the brief glimpse of fear Elias had shown in the meeting with Adrian. It hadn't been about just business. It had been personal.

"They're going to use your past," Elias continued, his voice colder now. "Everything they have on you, they'll use to tear us apart."

Maya stood, her legs weak beneath her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why keep me in the dark?"

Elias turned his gaze to her, his face momentarily softening. "I didn't want you to get hurt. I thought I could handle it without dragging you into it."

"You've already dragged me into it," she snapped, her voice rising. "I'm in this mess whether you like it or not."

Elias sighed, stepping toward her. He reached out, his hand hovering near her shoulder, but he didn't touch her. "I know. I'm sorry. But I need you to trust me. I need you to stay close to me, even if it's dangerous."

Maya felt her anger slip away, replaced by something darker—fear, doubt, confusion. She had trusted Elias once, and it had led her here. What would trusting him again cost her?

"Stay close to you?" Maya whispered. "What if I can't?"

His eyes darkened. "You don't have a choice. Not anymore."

The words cut through her, but she didn't know how to respond. What had she really signed up for? Protection? Safety? Or was she just another pawn in his game?

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Elias," she said quietly, her voice breaking. "I don't know if I can keep pretending to be someone I'm not."

Elias's gaze softened, but only for a moment. "You're not pretending to be someone you're not, Maya. You're surviving. Just like me."

Her breath caught in her throat. He had a way of making her feel small, insignificant, like her choices didn't matter. But then, why had she chosen him in the first place? For protection? For security? Or was there something more?

"I can't do this on my own," she said, her voice trembling. "I need you to be honest with me. I need to know what I'm really involved in."

Elias paused, looking at her as though weighing his options. "You want the truth? You've been dragged into a war. This is bigger than us, Maya. The people behind this—they'll stop at nothing. They want to destroy everything I've built. And they'll use you to get to me."

Her stomach turned. A war? She hadn't signed up for this. She had wanted a way out, an escape from her past. Not to be thrust into a battle that could cost her everything.

"I can't keep living like this," Maya whispered, the weight of her words sinking in. "I need to know that there's a way out. That I'm not just a pawn."

Elias stepped closer, his gaze intense, his expression hard. "There is no way out, Maya. You're already in it. We both are."

The finality of his words left her breathless. She had known it was dangerous. She had known that Elias wasn't the man she had hoped he would be. But now, with the truth staring her in the face, she understood the depth of the game she had been caught in.

"Then what now?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Now," Elias said, his voice low and determined, "we fight back."