Episode 2

The boardroom slowly emptied, one stiff suit after another hurrying out as if the air had grown too heavy to breathe. Soon, only Elena and the man who had thrown her entire world off balance remained.

Lorenzo!....

He didn’t move, didn’t even pretend to leave. Instead, he leaned lazily against the table, like he had all the time in the world. His dark eyes followed her every step, sharp and unblinking, a gaze so heavy she almost felt it pressing against her skin.

Her phone still buzzed in her hand. That message burned in her mind—

He knows your secret.

Elena’s throat went dry. She locked her screen quickly and slipped the phone into her bag, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

But he smirked. That infuriating, knowing smirk that curved one corner of his lips.

“Is something wrong, Miss Vora?” His voice was smooth, lazy, but his eyes gleamed with dangerous amusement.

“Nothing that concerns you,” she said flatly, keeping her face calm.

Inside, her pulse was racing.

Lorenzo pushed himself off the table and walked toward her. Each step echoed in the silent room, slow, deliberate, almost taunting. He didn’t stop until he was close—too close. She could smell his cologne, sharp and dark, mixing with the faint scent of smoke.

“You hide it well,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly as his gaze scanned her face, “but I see the cracks.”

Elena forced herself not to flinch, not to give him the satisfaction. “You don’t know anything about me.”

That made him chuckle. The sound was deep, low, and dangerous. He leaned in slightly, his lips brushing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Oh, Elena… I know enough. And when I want something…” His eyes dropped briefly to her lips before locking back onto hers, sharp and merciless. “I take it.”

Her jaw clenched. She crossed her arms, a shield for the unease rolling through her. “And what is it you want?”

His smile widened, slow and wicked. The kind of smile that could make a person shiver without realizing it. He didn’t answer. Instead, he let his silence do the talking, his eyes burning into hers until she had to look away.

For a moment, she hated herself for that.

But Lorenzo noticed. He always noticed. His smirk deepened, his gaze glittering with triumph.

“Run if you like,” he whispered, leaning so close his breath tickled her ear. “Hide behind your empire. Behind your power. But remember this—everything you’ve built… everything you protect…” His hand brushed the edge of the table beside her, trapping her in his shadow. “It already belongs to me.”

Elena’s breath caught. She hated the way his words slipped under her skin, hated the way her chest tightened even as her brain screamed to push him back.

She swallowed hard, lifting her chin. “You don’t scare me.”

His laugh was soft, but his eyes—those eyes—were merciless.

“Then you’re lying to yourself.”

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air between them felt electric, sharp enough to cut. She couldn’t tell if he would lean closer… or walk away.

And then—movement.

Out of the corner of her eye, through the glass walls of the boardroom, Elena saw a figure. Standing in the shadows of the hallway. Watching her.

Her chest tightened. Another set of eyes. Another presence.

She turned her head quickly, but by the time she looked again, the figure was gone.

Still, the weight of being watched lingered.

Her fingers curled tightly around the strap of her bag as she forced her gaze back to Lorenzo. He was still watching her, his smirk calm, patient, as if he knew exactly what she had seen.

As if he wasn’t the only danger circling her...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***