CHAPTER 8 — You Started This
1669 Words
The city lights shimmered against the glass walls of the high-rise building, casting reflections that made everything look sharper, colder… more dangerous.
Evelyn stood by the window of her office, her arms loosely crossed, her gaze fixed on the skyline below.
From up here, everything looked small.
Cars.
People.
Even problems.
That was the difference between her old life… and now.
Before, she had lived inside a cage built by expectations and humiliation.
Now?
She owned the cage.
A soft knock broke the silence.
“Come in,” she said calmly.
The door opened, and her assistant stepped inside, holding a tablet. “Miss Mahendra, the meeting with Orion Logistics has been delayed.”
Evelyn didn’t turn.
“Delayed?” she repeated, her tone neutral.
“Yes. They said… something urgent came up.”
Evelyn’s lips curved slightly.
Not a smile.
Something colder.
“I see.”
She didn’t need more explanation.
She already knew.
There was only one person who would dare interfere like this.
Rafael Knight.
Her fingers tapped lightly against her arm.
So…
He started already.
“Reschedule it,” she said calmly.
“Yes, Miss.”
“And don’t push them.”
Her assistant hesitated. “But… they’re an important partner—”
“I know,” Evelyn cut in softly.
Her eyes flickered slightly.
“That’s exactly why we don’t push.”
The assistant blinked, confused, but nodded anyway. “Understood.”
When the door closed again, the silence returned.
Evelyn let out a quiet breath.
Then she turned around, walking back to her desk with slow, deliberate steps.
Rafael wanted to play?
Fine.
But he should understand one thing first.
She didn’t play to win small.
She played to finish.
Across the city, in a much darker office—
Rafael Knight stood with one hand in his pocket, the other resting on the edge of his desk.
“Did they delay the meeting?” he asked without looking up.
His secretary nodded quickly. “Yes, Mr. Knight. Orion Logistics has postponed indefinitely.”
A faint smirk appeared on Rafael’s lips.
“Good.”
He finally lifted his head, his eyes sharp.
“Let’s see how long she can stay calm.”
There was a pause.
His secretary hesitated. “Sir… are you sure this is necessary? It might damage—”
“Necessary?” Rafael interrupted, his voice low.
Cold.
“Do I look like someone who does things unnecessarily?”
The room fell silent instantly.
“No, sir.”
Rafael turned his gaze toward the window.
The reflection staring back at him looked… different.
More restless.
More irritated.
More alive.
Evelyn Mahendra.
Even her name now carried weight.
Not the quiet, obedient woman he used to ignore.
Not the wife who used to wait for him every night.
No.
This version of her…
Was dangerous.
And for some reason—
That only made him more interested.
The next morning—
Evelyn walked into the conference room without hesitation.
Her heels echoed softly against the marble floor, each step steady, controlled.
Inside, several executives were already seated.
But something was off.
Too quiet.
Too… tense.
Evelyn took her seat at the head of the table.
“Let’s begin,” she said simply.
One of the executives cleared his throat.
“Miss Mahendra… we’ve encountered an issue.”
Evelyn raised her gaze slightly.
“What kind of issue?”
“The suppliers… they’ve suddenly increased their prices. By a significant margin.”
Silence.
Then—
Another voice added carefully, “And some of them are refusing to cooperate entirely.”
Evelyn leaned back slightly in her chair.
Her fingers intertwined.
Her expression didn’t change.
But her eyes…
Sharpened.
“I see.”
The pattern was clear.
Too clear.
Rafael wasn’t just delaying meetings anymore.
He was tightening the pressure.
Slowly.
Strategically.
Like he always did.
“How many suppliers are affected?” she asked.
“Almost… all of them.”
Of course.
Evelyn exhaled quietly.
Then she stood up.
“Continue negotiations,” she said calmly.
The executives looked confused.
“That’s all?” one of them asked.
Evelyn tilted her head slightly.
“What else do you suggest?”
They hesitated.
“Well… we could confront Knight Group directly—”
“No.”
Her voice was soft.
But finally.
“We don’t confront.”
She picked up her tablet.
“We adapt.”
Then she walked toward the door.
Stopping just before leaving, she added—
“And prepare alternative suppliers.”
The room fell silent again.
Because they all understood now.
This wasn’t panic.
This wasn’t a reaction.
This was control.
Meanwhile—
Rafael sat in his office, reviewing the reports.
“She didn’t react?” he asked slowly.
“No, sir.”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“She just… continued as usual.”
Silence.
Rafael leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the armrest.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Most people would panic by now.
Call him.
Beg.
Negotiate.
But Evelyn?
Nothing.
Not even a message.
Not even anger.
Just…
Calm.
His jaw tightened slightly.
“Keep increasing the pressure,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
“And make sure it reaches her personally.”
The secretary nodded and left.
Rafael exhaled slowly.
Something about this…
Didn’t feel right.
It wasn’t that she was resisting.
It was the way she did it.
Like she wasn’t even threatened.
Like this was just…
A game.
His lips curved slightly.
“Evelyn…”
His voice was almost a whisper.
“Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”
Later that evening—
Evelyn walked out of her office building.
The sky had already darkened, the city glowing under artificial lights.
She barely made it past the entrance—
When a familiar voice stopped her.
“Miss me?”
Evelyn didn’t need to turn around.
She already knew.
Rafael.
Of course.
She paused for a second.
Then slowly turned.
He was leaning casually against a black car, his suit perfectly tailored, his expression unreadable.
But his eyes…
Locked onto her.
Like a predator.
Evelyn walked toward him calmly.
“Do you need something, Mr. Knight?”
Her tone was polite.
Distant.
Unfamiliar.
That alone—
Was enough to irritate him.
Rafael straightened.
“I thought we could talk.”
“About?”
He took a step closer.
“About your current situation.”
Evelyn’s lips curved slightly.
“Oh?”
“Your suppliers. Your delays. Your… growing problems.”
There it was.
No denial.
No pretense.
He wasn’t even trying to hide it.
Evelyn tilted her head slightly.
“And?”
Rafael’s gaze darkened.
“And I can make it stop.”
Silence.
For a brief moment, the air between them felt heavier.
Tighter.
“Is that so?” Evelyn asked softly.
“Yes.”
He stepped even closer now.
Close enough that she could feel the faint warmth of his presence.
“All you have to do…”
His voice dropped.
“Is come to me.”
Evelyn looked at him.
Really looked at him.
At the man who once ignored her existence.
The man who signed their divorce papers without hesitation.
At the man who now stood in front of her—
Offering help.
No.
Not helpful.
Control.
Her smile deepened slightly.
But her eyes remained cold.
“And why would I do that?”
Rafael’s expression hardened.
“Because you need me.”
The words hung in the air.
Sharp.
Confident.
Arrogant.
Just like him.
Evelyn let out a soft breath.
Then—
She stepped forward.
Closing the distance between them completely.
For a second—
Rafael’s eyes flickered.
But she didn’t stop.
She leaned slightly closer.
Close enough that her voice was almost a whisper.
“You’re mistaken.”
Rafael’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t need you.”
The words landed harder than anything else she could have said.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
But absolute.
She stepped back.
Creating distance again.
“And if this is your way of trying to get my attention…”
Her gaze met his.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unmoved.
“Then I’m afraid you’re wasting your time.”
Rafael’s eyes darkened instantly.
Something dangerous flickered inside them.
“You think this is about attention?”
Evelyn shrugged lightly.
“What else could it be?”
Silence.
Heavy.
Charged.
Rafael took another step forward.
This time, faster.
More forceful.
Before she could move—
His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist.
Firm.
Unyielding.
Evelyn’s body stilled.
But her expression didn’t change.
“Let go,” she said calmly.
Rafael didn’t.
Instead, he pulled her slightly closer.
His grip tightened.
“You started this.”
His voice was low.
Dangerous.
Evelyn looked down at his hand.
Then back at him.
“Did I?”
“Yes.”
His eyes locked onto hers.
“You walked away like it meant nothing.”
A pause.
His grip tightened again.
“As if I meant nothing.”
For the first time—
There was something else in his voice.
Something beneath the anger.
Something… unstable.
But Evelyn didn’t react.
She simply looked at him.
Calm.
Unmoved.
“Then maybe,” she said softly,
“You should ask yourself why it felt that way.”
Rafael froze.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Evelyn took that moment—
And pulled her wrist free.
Effortlessly.
As if his grip had never mattered.
She stepped back.
Recreating the distance.
Reestablishing control.
“You’re done, Rafael.”
Her voice was quiet.
But finally.
“You just don’t realize it yet.”
Then—
Without another word—
She turned around and walked away.
Leaving him standing there.
Alone.
Silent.
And for the first time in a very long time—
Rafael Knight felt something unfamiliar crawl under his skin.
Not anger.
Not control.
But something far more dangerous.
He exhaled slowly.
His gaze was still fixed on her retreating figure.
“You’re wrong, Evelyn…”
His voice was barely audible.
Dark.
Determined.
“This is just the beginning.”
- Writer
