Chapter 5: Someone Else Beside Her
1477 Words
The city never slept.
Neither did power.
From the top floor of Hayes Group, the skyline stretched endlessly—cold lights, sharp edges, a world built on ambition and control.
And tonight—
It felt different.
Because somewhere in that city…
Alexander Knight was no longer ignoring me.
He was watching.
Morning — Hayes Group Headquarters
“Miss Evelyn, your 10 AM meeting has been confirmed.”
Arman stood beside me as I walked down the corridor, heels clicking softly against the polished floor.
“Who is it with?” I asked, flipping through the tablet in my hand.
“Mr. Adrian Cole.”
I paused.
Just for a second.
Then continued walking.
“Adrian Cole?” I repeated.
“Yes. CEO of Cole Holdings. He personally requested the meeting.”
A faint smile touched my lips.
Interesting.
“Did he give a reason?”
Arman adjusted his glasses slightly. “He said… he prefers to discuss it in person.”
Of course he did.
Men like Adrian Cole didn’t make unnecessary moves.
If he were here—
It meant one thing.
Opportunity.
Meanwhile — Knight Group
Alexander stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, his expression dark.
“Say that again.”
Daniel swallowed.
“Miss Evelyn has a meeting this morning… with Adrian Cole.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Alexander’s grip on the glass tightened slightly.
Adrian Cole.
One of the most powerful men in the industry.
Rich.
Untouchable.
And worse—
Interested.
“What kind of meeting?” Alexander asked.
Daniel hesitated. “…It wasn’t disclosed.”
A humorless smile appeared on Alexander’s lips.
“Of course it wasn’t.”
His gaze darkened.
“Prepare the car.”
“…Sir?”
“I’m going out.”
Hayes Group — Conference Room
The doors opened smoothly.
And he walked in.
Adrian Cole.
Tall.
Impeccably dressed.
Sharp features.
Calm eyes that observed everything… and missed nothing.
He carried himself differently.
Not aggressively like Alexander.
But confidently.
Dangerously composed.
“Miss Hayes,” he said, his voice smooth. “It’s a pleasure.”
I stood.
“Mr. Cole.”
We shook hands.
Firm.
Equal.
No power imbalance.
He noticed that.
I could tell.
“Please, have a seat,” I said.
He smiled faintly. “Thank you.”
As we sat down, the room fell into a professional silence.
But beneath it—
There was something else.
Curiosity.
Assessment.
A quiet game of power.
The Deal
“I won’t waste your time,” Adrian said, leaning back slightly.
“I’m interested in partnering with Hayes Group.”
Straightforward.
Efficient.
I liked that.
“For which sector?” I asked.
“Technology.”
My fingers paused briefly over the document.
Of course.
Everyone was aiming for the same thing.
Aurora Grid.
The project that would redefine the entire market.
“And why Hayes?” I asked calmly.
Adrian’s gaze held mine.
“Because you’re the only one not playing safe.”
A beat.
Then he added—
“And because you’re the only one who can beat Knight Group.”
Silence.
Arman shifted slightly beside me.
But I didn’t react.
“Is that so?” I said.
“It is.”
Adrian leaned forward slightly.
“And I prefer to stand with the winning side.”
A bold statement.
But not wrong.
I studied him for a moment.
“Then you should know,” I said softly, “I don’t form alliances lightly.”
He smiled.
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
The tension in the room shifted.
From formal—
To something sharper.
More personal.
Outside — Uninvited Guest
The elevator doors opened.
And Alexander stepped out.
His presence alone changed the atmosphere.
Employees straightened immediately.
No one dared to stop him.
No one dared to question him.
Because when Alexander Knight walked like this—
It meant one thing.
Trouble.
Back Inside
“So,” Adrian said, “shall we discuss terms over lunch?”
I tilted my head slightly.
“Lunch?”
“A more relaxed environment,” he said casually. “Unless you prefer staying here.”
Before I could answer—
The door opened.
Without knocking.
Without permission.
Without hesitation.
Alexander Knight walked in.
The temperature dropped instantly.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Alexander’s gaze swept across the room—
And stopped.
On him.
Adrian Cole.
Then—
On me.
Something dark flickered in his eyes.
“Well,” Adrian said calmly, leaning back in his chair. “This is unexpected.”
I didn’t turn to Alexander.
Not immediately.
Instead, I closed the file in front of me.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Then—
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
Cold.
Detached.
As if he were nothing more than an interruption.
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“I should be asking you that.”
I raised a brow slightly.
“You entered my building. My meeting.”
A beat.
“You don’t have that right.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Clash of Men
Alexander stepped further into the room.
His gaze never leaves Adrian.
“Cole,” he said coldly.
“Knight,” Adrian replied smoothly.
No handshake.
No courtesy.
Just recognition.
And rivalry.
“I didn’t know you were this desperate,” Alexander continued.
“To show up uninvited.”
Adrian chuckled softly.
“I could say the same to you.”
The tension spiked.
Sharp.
Explosive.
And I—
Remained seated.
Unmoved.
Because this wasn’t about them.
This was about control.
And neither of them realized—
They were already playing in my territory.
The Line
“Gentlemen,” I said calmly.
Both of them looked at me instantly.
Good.
“Take your egos somewhere else,” I continued.
“This is a business meeting.”
Silence.
Then—
Adrian smiled faintly.
“My apologies.”
Alexander didn’t.
Of course, he didn’t.
His gaze returned to me.
“You’re having lunch with him?”
There it was.
Not a question.
An accusation.
I leaned back slightly.
“And if I am?”
His eyes darkened.
“You’re working with him?”
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Without explanation.
Without permission.
And that—
That was the breaking point.
Obsession Ignites
“You’re not partnering with him.”
The words were low.
Dangerous.
Possessive.
I looked at him.
Completely calm.
“Watch me.”
Silence exploded in the room.
Alexander took a step closer.
“Evelyn—”
“Miss Hayes,” I corrected.
Sharp.
Instant.
Final.
The correction hit harder than anything else.
Because it wasn’t just a name.
It was a distance.
It was rejection.
It was finality.
Alexander’s expression darkened further.
“You’re making a mistake.”
I stood up.
Now facing him directly.
“No,” I said softly.
“I already made that mistake.”
His jaw tightened.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
A pause.
Then—
“I chose you once,” I continued quietly.
“And I won’t make that mistake twice.”
That was it.
That was the moment.
The final crack.
Adrian’s Interest
Adrian watched everything.
Every word.
Every reaction.
And for the first time—
His interest shifted.
Not just business.
But something more.
“Miss Hayes,” he said calmly, standing up.
“Shall we continue this discussion elsewhere?”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
Alexander’s hand clenched.
“Evelyn.”
I didn’t respond.
Didn’t look back.
Didn’t acknowledge him.
I simply picked up my bag.
And walked toward the door.
Adrian followed beside me.
Equal.
Composed.
Unbothered.
The Final Trigger
Just as I passed him—
Alexander spoke again.
“You think he’s better than me?”
I stopped.
For a second.
Then turned slightly.
Not fully.
Just enough.
“To be honest?”
Silence.
“Yes.”
The words were soft.
But they destroyed everything.
Aftermath
The door closed.
And Alexander stood alone in the room.
His breathing slow.
Controlled.
But his mind—
Anything but.
Daniel stepped forward carefully. “Sir—”
“Find out everything about Adrian Cole,” Alexander said.
His voice was cold.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
“And cancel every deal he’s involved in.”
“…Sir?”
“Destroy his options.”
The command was absolute.
Because this—
Was no longer business.
This was personal.
Final Scene
In the car, Adrian glanced at me.
“You enjoy provoking him.”
I looked out the window.
The city blurred past.
“Not particularly.”
“Then why do it?”
A faint smile appeared on my lips.
“Because he deserves it.”
Adrian chuckled.
“I see.”
A pause.
Then—
“He’s dangerous, you know.”
“I know.”
“And yet you walked away.”
I turned to look at him.
Calm.
Certain.
“Because I can.”
Silence.
Then Adrian smiled slightly.
“Interesting.”
Very interesting.
- Writer
