My Secretary, My Weakness

Chapter 10: The First Crack

The following week became one of the most difficult weeks Elen Cruz had experienced since joining Valez Corporation.

Not because of work. Not because of the board. Not even because of the endless rumors spreading throughout the company. The problem had a name.

Vanessa Laurent.

And she seemed determined to make her presence impossible to ignore. Every other day, Vanessa appeared somewhere around Ayden. Lunch meetings. Charity events. Business dinners. Executive gatherings. Always elegant. Always confident.

Always looking as though she belonged beside him. The media loved it. Unfortunately.

Several business websites had already begun publishing articles about the possibility of Ayden Valez rekindling a relationship with his former girlfriend.

Photos circulated online. Speculation followed. And the gossip inside Valez Corporation became unbearable. Elen tried not to pay attention. She really did.

But avoiding something became surprisingly difficult when everyone around her insisted on discussing it.

Especially Mia.

"Oh, come on."

Mia dropped into the chair across from Elen's desk.

"You saw the article."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

"I absolutely didn't."

Mia narrowed her eyes.

"You googled it."

"No."

"You thought about googling it."

Elen refused to answer. Which was answer enough.

Mia pointed dramatically. "Aha."

"Please leave."

"You like him."

"Leave."

"You totally like him."

"Mia." The warning in her voice finally earned surrender.

For approximately three seconds.

Then Mia smiled. "Good luck."

Elen threw a pen at her. Mia escaped before it landed. Traitor.

The truth was...

Mia wasn't entirely wrong. And that was exactly what bothered Elen. She wasn't supposed to care. She wasn't supposed to notice. She definitely wasn't supposed to feel annoyed every time she saw Vanessa standing beside Ayden.

Yet somehow...

She did. And the realization frustrated her. Because she had spent years building her life around independence. Around self-control. Around not needing anyone. Feelings complicated things. Feelings made people vulnerable.

And Elen hated vulnerability.

Three days later. Ayden was exhausted. The board continued increasing pressure. Investors demanded reassurance. The media remained relentless. And Vanessa had become a problem he could no longer ignore.

The woman possessed a remarkable talent. She could transform even the simplest interaction into a public spectacle. Exactly as she had done that evening.

A corporate charity gala was being held at one of the city's most prestigious hotels. Attendance was mandatory for major executives. Unfortunately. That included Ayden.

And apparently...

Vanessa.

By seven o'clock, the ballroom was filled with influential guests. Business leaders. Politicians. Investors Executives. Everyone dressed in expensive suits and elegant gowns. Everything looked perfect. Which usually meant trouble was approaching.

Ayden stood near a group of investors discussing expansion plans when a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Still working at social events?"

Vanessa again.

Ayden barely glanced at her. "It's a business gala."

"It's a party."

"It's work."

Vanessa laughed softly. "You haven't changed."

"No."

The answer came without hesitation. Because it was true. He hadn't changed. At least not until recently.

Vanessa studied him carefully.

Then asked the question she'd been wanting to ask for days. "Is it serious?"

Ayden looked at her. "What?"

"Her."

The single word immediately erased any remaining amusement from his expression. Vanessa noticed. And smiled. Because silence was often more revealing than answers.

"You care about her."

Ayden's voice became noticeably colder. "This conversation is over."

Interesting. Very interesting. Vanessa had known him for years. Long enough to recognize when he was protecting something.

Or someone.

And for the first time since returning...

She realized Elen Cruz wasn't simply another employee. She was important. Dangerously important.

Meanwhile, several floors above the ballroom, Elen stood near the hotel balcony.

Technically, she wasn't required to attend. But one of the executive coordinators had become ill at the last minute.

And somehow...

The responsibility landed on her. Naturally. The city skyline stretched beautifully beyond the balcony railing. Cool evening air brushed against her skin. For the first time all night, she felt able to breathe.

Large social events had never been her favorite thing. Too many people. Too many conversations. Too many fake smiles.

"You look like you're planning an escape." Elen turned.

And immediately regretted it. Ayden. Of course. Because apparently fate enjoyed making things difficult.

"I was considering it."

"A reasonable plan."

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly. For a few moments, they simply stood beside each other. Looking out at the city. Comfortable silence settling between them. It had become strangely common lately. Neither seemed to mind.

Eventually, Ayden spoke.

"You've been avoiding me." The observation caught her off guard.

"I have not."

"You have."

"I've been working."

"You've been avoiding me while working."

The exact phrase Mia had used days earlier.

Elen stared at him. Suspiciously.

"You've been talking to Mia."

"A terrible influence."

"A horrible influence." They shared a brief laugh.

Then silence returned. Softer this time. Warmer. The city lights reflected in the distance. Music drifted faintly from inside the ballroom. For a moment, everything felt peaceful.

Then Vanessa appeared. Naturally. Because peace clearly wasn't allowed.

"There you are."

The warmth instantly disappeared. Vanessa approached gracefully. Elegant as ever. Her gaze shifted between them. Observant. Calculating. Dangerous.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Ayden."

Elen immediately stepped back. Creating distance. Professional distance. Safe distance. Unfortunately, Ayden noticed. And didn't seem pleased.

"I'll leave you two alone," Elen said.

Before either could respond, she turned and walked back inside. Ignoring the strange disappointment settling in her chest. Ignoring how much she suddenly hated being there. Ignoring everything.

Or at least trying to.

The rest of the evening became increasingly uncomfortable. Not because anything happened. Because nothing happened.

Elen watched from across the ballroom as Vanessa remained near Ayden almost constantly. Talking. Smiling. Touching his arm occasionally. Acting familiar. Acting close. Acting like she still belonged beside him. The sight shouldn't have affected Elen.

Yet somehow...

It did.

More than she wanted to admit. More than she could explain. And by the end of the evening, she was tired. Not physically. Emotionally.

Which was somehow worse. When the event finally ended, she left without saying goodbye. Without looking for Ayden. Without giving herself an opportunity to reconsider.

She simply went home.

The next morning. Everything exploded. Not publicly. Not yet. But inside Valez Corporation. A photograph had surfaced online. One taken during the gala.

The image showed Vanessa standing close beside Ayden. Smiling. Looking every bit like a couple. The article accompanying it was even worse.

"Valez Corporation CEO Ayden Adrian Valez and Former Partner Vanessa Laurent Spark Reconciliation Rumors."

By lunchtime, everyone had seen it. Employees whispered. Executives discussed it. Social media spread it. The story moved quickly. Very quickly.

Elen pretended not to care. She focused on work. Emails. Schedules. Reports. Anything. Everything.

Until a knock interrupted her concentration.

"Come in."

The door opened. And Ayden entered.

Her heartbeat immediately betrayed her. Annoying. Very annoying. He closed the door behind him.

Then frowned. "You left early."

Straight to the point. As usual.

Elen looked back at her monitor. "I was tired."

"You didn't say goodbye."

The fact that he'd noticed made her stomach twist unexpectedly.

"I didn't realize that required permission."

The response came sharper than intended. Silence followed. Ayden studied her carefully. And suddenly understood. Interesting. Very interesting.

For the first time in days, genuine amusement appeared in his eyes. Which immediately irritated Elen further.

"You're smiling."

"A little."

"Why?"

His answer arrived slowly. Deliberately. Because he wanted her to hear every word.

"Because you're jealous."

Elen nearly choked. "What?"

The smile widened. Only slightly. Enough to be infuriating.

"I am not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

The argument sounded ridiculous. Childish.

Completely unlike them. Yet neither stopped.

Finally, Elen crossed her arms.

"You're impossible."

"Frequently."

"Arrogant."

"Sometimes."

"Annoying."

"Often."

That earned the first genuine laugh she'd released all day.

And suddenly...

The tension broke. Not completely. But enough. Ayden's gaze softened. Watching her. Carefully. Quietly.

The way he had been watching her more often lately. A realization settled between them. Unspoken. Dangerous. Neither wanted to say it aloud. Because saying it would make everything real.

And reality was complicated. Especially for a CEO. Especially for his secretary. Especially with a board watching. And an ex-girlfriend determined to interfere.

Yet despite every obstacle standing between them... The distance separating Ayden and Elen seemed smaller than ever.

Unfortunately for them—

Someone else had noticed too. Inside her luxury apartment, Vanessa Laurent stared at a recent photograph. Not the one circulating online. A different one. Taken discreetly during the gala.

A photograph showing Ayden looking at Elen. Nothing more. No touching. No flirting. No confession.

Just a look.

But Vanessa understood people. And she understood men.

Most importantly...

She understood Ayden. The way he looked at Elen Cruz was not the way a CEO looked at an employee. It was not the way a boss looked at a secretary. It was not even the way a friend looked at another friend.

It was far more dangerous than that. Slowly, Vanessa placed the photograph on the table. Then reached for her phone.

A smile appeared on her lips. Cold. Patient. Calculating.

If Ayden wouldn't come back willingly...

Then perhaps she simply needed to remove the obstacle standing in her way. And for the first time since returning to the city...

Vanessa Laurent decided to stop observing. And start acting. The storm was no longer approaching.

It had finally arrived.