Between Love And Lies

Chapter 3: Pressure

Clara didn’t leave her office immediately. She remained seated, her eyes still on the file in front of her. Something about it bothered her.

Not just the missing pages. Not just the restriction, it was the timing. Everything felt– arranged.

A soft knock came from the door. But she didn’t look up immediately.

“Come in.” The door opened slowly.

Naomi stepped in, holding a small tablet. “Miss Clara,” she said, careful with her tone. “There’s a board meeting scheduled in thirty minutes.”

Clara finally looked up. “A board meeting?”

Naomi nodded. “It was arranged this morning.”

Clara frowned slightly then leaned back a little. “Who called it?”

Naomi hesitated. “…Mr. Lawson.”

Clara’s brows drew together. Victor Lawson, one of the senior board members. Not someone who made sudden decisions.

“Alright,” Clara said calmly. “I’ll be there.”

Naomi nodded and left. Stella leaned forward immediately. “Okay, now it’s getting worse… or clearer” she said, standing up

Stella blinked. “Clearer?”

Clara picked up the file. “If they’re moving this openly, then they’re not hiding anymore.”

Stella stared at her. “You say things like that so calmly.”

Clara gave a small, almost tired smile. “I’m trying not to think too far ahead.”

But she already was. As they stepped out of the office, the atmosphere hadn’t changed. If anything, it felt heavier.

Near the hallway, two staff members were talking in low voices. They stopped immediately when Clara passed. Clara didn’t react, but Stella noticed.

“See that?” she muttered.

Clara kept walking. “I saw.” They turned the corner, and almost ran into someone.

Clara stopped just in time. The man standing in front of her didn’t move. He was tall, composed, and dressed too sharply to be just another employee.

For a brief second, neither of them spoke.

“My fault,” Clara said simply, stepping slightly to the side. The man’s gaze lingered on her a second longer than necessary. Not rude, not polite either. Just… observant like he was trying to place her.

“It’s fine,” he said, his voice low and controlled.

Clara nodded once and moved past him while Stella followed, but not without turning back for a second.

“…Who was that?” she whispered as they walked.

Clara didn’t look back. “Someone new, I guess.” But something about that brief moment stayed with her and she couldn’t explain it.

Behind them, the man remained where he was, watching. Then he turned away, pulling out his phone.

“She’s here,” he said quietly. And ended the call.

Inside the boardroom, the tension was already waiting.

Men in suits. Low conversations. Serious faces.

Clara stepped in, then everywhere went quiet.

Victor Lawson looked up. “Clara,” His tone was neutral.

“Mr. Lawson,” she replied, then took her seat without hesitation.

Stella remained behind, near the wall, observing

The meeting started immediately. No small talk, no delay.

“We’ll keep this simple,” Victor began. “There have been adjustments made to internal access and operational control.”

Clara’s gaze didn’t move from him. “I noticed.”

Victor nodded once. “Good.” Then he paused for a second.

“These changes are necessary.”

Clara tilted her head slightly. “Necessary for what?”

Victor didn’t answer immediately. Meanwhile, the other board members avoided her eyes.

“For stability,” he finally said.

Clara let out a quiet breath. “Whose stability?”

Stella shifted slightly behind her. The room felt tighter now.

Victor folded his hands. “This isn’t personal, Clara.”

Clara’s expression didn’t change, but something in her eyes hardened. “Then explain it properly.”

Another voice spoke up from the far end of the table. “You’ll understand soon enough.”

Clara turned her head to look at the person. The man sitting there didn’t look at her.

He was focused on the documents in front of him and looked too calm.

Clara studied him for a second, then looked back at Victor. “No,” she said quietly. “I’d rather understand now.”

Clara leaned back slightly. Her fingers rested on the table, but her chest felt tight. Not from fear, but from something else. Something closer to anger.

“…Alright,” she said finally. “If no one wants to explain, then I’ll find out myself.”

Victor didn’t stop her. The meeting continued. But Clara stopped listening. Because at that moment, she understood something clearly. This wasn’t confusion anymore. This was control.

Outside the boardroom, Stella caught up with her. “That didn’t feel right.”

Clara didn’t slow down. “Because it isn’t.” As they walked down the hallway, Clara’s mind replayed everything. The documents. Her father. The meeting. The silence. And then… that man.

She stopped walking suddenly. Stella almost bumped into her. “What?”

Clara didn’t turn. “That man we saw earlier…”

Stella blinked. “The one you almost ran into?”

Clara nodded slowly. “…He was in the room.”

Stella frowned “Wait… what?”

Clara’s expression remained calm, but her thoughts weren’t. “I didn’t notice him coming in.”

“Did you?” she asked quietly.

Stella didn’t answer.

That silence said everything.