CHAPTER 10 — You Can’t Replace Me
1628 Words
The city never truly slept.
Even past midnight, lights burned across glass towers, traffic still whispered along the streets, and somewhere—always—deals were being made, broken, or stolen.
Inside Mahendra Group’s executive floor, the lights were still on.
Evelyn Mahendra sat alone in the conference room.
Documents spread neatly in front of her.
Data.
Numbers.
Supply chains.
Contracts.
Every piece of information was aligned perfectly.
Controlled.
Predictable.
Except—
Him.
Her fingers paused briefly over the screen.
Just for a second.
Then continued scrolling.
Because hesitation?
Was a luxury she no longer allowed herself.
A soft knock came from the door.
“Come in.”
Her assistant stepped inside, holding another report.
“Miss Mahendra, the Aurora Tech agreement has been finalized. Legal team has already approved all clauses.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Good.”
“And… there’s something else.”
Evelyn didn’t look up.
“Say it.”
The assistant hesitated.
“Knight Group has started approaching our secondary partners again.”
That made Evelyn stop.
Just slightly.
Then she leaned back in her chair.
“So he’s not done.”
“No.”
“Of course he isn’t.”
Her lips curved faintly.
“He never knows when to stop.”
The assistant shifted nervously.
“Should we respond?”
Evelyn closed the file in front of her.
A soft click echoed in the quiet room.
“Yes.”
The assistant straightened.
“How?”
Evelyn stood up slowly.
Her heels made a soft sound against the floor as she walked toward the window.
From here, the city stretched endlessly.
Power.
Influence.
Control.
All of it… within reach.
“All Aurora-related suppliers,” she said calmly,
“Lock them under exclusive contracts.”
The assistant blinked.
“That will cost a lot.”
Evelyn turned her head slightly.
“And?”
Silence.
The assistant swallowed.
“Understood.”
“And make sure the clauses are aggressive.”
“How aggressive?”
Evelyn’s eyes darkened slightly.
“Enough that no one can touch them.”
The assistant nodded quickly.
“Right away.”
When the door closed—
Evelyn exhaled quietly.
So.
He wanted escalation?
Fine.
She would give him escalation.
Across the city—
The atmosphere inside Knight Group was… different.
Tense.
Cold.
Unstable.
Rafael Knight stood in the center of the room, several executives seated in front of him.
None of them dared speak.
None of them dared move.
Because the air around him felt—
Dangerous.
“Say that again,” Rafael said slowly.
One of the executives swallowed hard.
“Mahendra Group… has locked most of the Aurora suppliers under exclusive contracts.”
Silence.
Then—
A low laugh.
Soft.
But sharp.
“So she’s learning.”
His gaze darkened.
“Faster than I expected.”
No one responded.
Rafael walked slowly toward the table.
Each step is deliberate.
Controlled.
But there was something underneath.
Something restless.
“She thinks she can block me?”
No answer.
“Fine.”
He placed both hands on the table, leaning slightly forward.
“Then we change the game.”
One of the executives finally spoke, cautiously.
“What are your orders, Mr. Knight?”
Rafael lifted his head.
His eyes were cold.
Decisive.
“Target Aurora Tech.”
The room went silent.
Completely.
Even the air seemed to freeze.
“Sir…” another executive said carefully, “That could trigger a direct conflict with Mahendra Group.”
Rafael smiled faintly.
“That’s the point.”
Silence.
“But—”
“No.”
His voice cut through everything.
Sharp.
Final.
“No more indirect moves.”
His fingers tapped once against the table.
“We hit where it matters.”
His gaze hardened.
“Hard.”
The next morning—
News broke.
Aurora Tech’s stock—
Dropped.
Not drastically.
But enough.
Enough to create noise.
Enough to create doubt.
Inside Aurora Tech headquarters, the mood shifted instantly.
Meetings.
Calls.
Pressure.
And in the center of it—
Adrian Blake stood calmly, reviewing the situation.
“Knight Group?” one of his managers asked.
Adrian didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he tapped his fingers lightly against the table.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
“Of course it is.”
He exhaled softly.
“Interesting.”
“Should we respond?”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“No.”
The room went quiet.
“Not yet.”
He stood up.
“And inform Miss Mahendra.”
Evelyn received the news within minutes.
She stood by her desk, the report in her hand.
Her expression didn’t change.
But her eyes…
Darkened slightly.
“So he finally moved,” she murmured.
Her assistant nodded.
“Yes. Aurora Tech is already under pressure.”
Evelyn placed the report down.
Calm.
Composed.
“What’s Adrian’s response?”
“He’s holding for now.”
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“Good.”
Her assistant frowned.
“Good?”
Evelyn looked up.
“If he reacted immediately, it would mean panic.”
A pause.
“This way… we control the timing.”
The assistant blinked.
“You’re not worried?”
Evelyn’s lips curved slightly.
“Should I be?”
Silence.
“No…”
“Then don’t look like it.”
The assistant straightened instantly.
“Yes, Miss.”
Evelyn turned back to the window.
Rafael Knight.
He was pushing harder now.
More direct.
More aggressive.
More—
Predictable.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“If this is your move…”
Her voice was soft.
“Then let’s see how far you’re willing to go.”
That evening—
The rain had stopped.
But the air still carried that heavy, post-storm stillness.
Evelyn stepped out of her building, her expression unreadable as always.
Her car was waiting.
But she didn’t get in immediately.
Because she felt it.
That presence.
That gaze.
Before she even turned—
She already knew.
Rafael.
Standing a few meters away.
Watching her.
Like always.
Evelyn finally turned.
Their eyes met.
And just like that—
The air shifted.
Again.
“You’re persistent,” she said calmly.
Rafael stepped forward.
Slow.
Measured.
“Someone has to be.”
Evelyn tilted her head slightly.
“And you chose that role?”
“I didn’t choose it.”
A pause.
“You made me.”
Her lips curved faintly.
“Still blaming me?”
“I’m stating facts.”
Silence.
Then—
Evelyn walked past him.
Or tried to.
But Rafael moved faster.
Blocking her path.
Again.
This time—
Closer.
Too close.
“You attacked Aurora Tech.”
Her voice was calm.
But sharper now.
Rafael didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His gaze locked onto hers.
“Because you chose them.”
The answer came too quickly.
Too honest.
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“That’s not a business reason.”
“No,” he said quietly.
“It’s not.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Tight.
For a moment—
Neither of them moved.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“So this is personal.”
Rafael didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
It was already obvious.
Evelyn exhaled softly.
Then—
“You’re making this messy.”
“I don’t care.”
The words were immediate.
Unfiltered.
Raw.
Evelyn studied him for a second.
Longer than usual.
Then—
“That’s your weakness.”
Rafael’s jaw tightened.
“And what’s yours?”
Evelyn smiled.
Cold.
“I don’t have one.”
Rafael stepped closer.
Dangerously close.
“Everyone does.”
“Not anymore.”
Silence.
Then—
Rafael reached out—
But stopped halfway.
As if catching himself.
His hand clenched slowly into a fist.
“You think you can replace me,” he said.
Low.
Controlled.
But barely.
Evelyn looked at him.
Calm.
Unmoved.
“I already did.”
That—
That was it.
Something snapped.
Again.
But this time—
Rafael didn’t grab her.
Didn’t touch her.
Instead—
He leaned closer.
Close enough that his voice brushed against her ear.
“You’re lying.”
Evelyn didn’t react.
Not outwardly.
But her fingers—
Stilled.
Just for a fraction of a second.
Rafael noticed.
Of course he did.
His lips curved slightly.
“There it is.”
Her gaze sharpened instantly.
But he had already stepped back.
Watching her.
Carefully.
“You can build all the walls you want,” he said quietly.
“But I know you.”
Evelyn’s expression hardened.
“No,” she said.
“You knew me.”
A beat.
“That version is gone.”
Rafael shook his head slowly.
“No.”
His voice dropped.
“She’s still there.”
Evelyn stepped back.
Creating distance.
Control.
Always control.
“You’re delusional.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then—
Evelyn turned.
This time—
She didn’t stop.
Didn’t slow down.
Didn’t look back.
She got into her car.
The door closed.
The engine started.
And within seconds—
She was gone.
Rafael remained where he was.
Still.
Watching the space where she had been.
His jaw tightened.
His chest rose slowly.
Then—
He exhaled.
Long.
Controlled.
But not calm.
Not anymore.
“You can run all you want…”
His voice was low.
Dark.
Possessive.
“But you can’t erase me.”
He pulled out his phone.
Dialed a number.
“Move forward with the next phase.”
There was a pause.
“Yes, Mr. Knight.”
Rafael’s gaze hardened.
“Make it impossible for her to ignore me.”
The call ended.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
And for the first time—
There was no hesitation left in his eyes.
No restraint.
No holding back.
Only one thing remained.
Obsession.
“You can’t replace me, Evelyn…”
His voice was almost a whisper.
“But I can destroy everything around you.”
And this time—
He meant it.
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