Swept away by the Tycoon

Chapter Five

Lila

The cab ride was quiet, the kind of silence that weighed heavy between two people lost in their own thoughts. Lila kept sneaking glances at Sophie, who sat beside her staring blankly out the window. The city lights danced across her face, but Sophie didn’t seem to notice.

Lila’s stomach twisted—not with guilt, but with frustration. Sophie looked so fragile, so utterly defeated, and a small part of Lila hated her for it. How could someone so naive, so oblivious, have everything handed to her while Lila had to fight for every scrap of recognition? Everything she had lost was Sophie's fault and she'd make her pay, one way or the other.

“You okay?” Lila asked, her voice soft and concerned, masking the bitterness beneath.

Sophie turned, her green eyes tired but warm. “Yeah. Just...thinking about everything. Tonight was overwhelming.”

Lila forced a sympathetic smile. “It’s been a long day. But don’t worry—we’ll figure this out. You’ve got me, remember?”

Before Sophie could respond, Lila’s phone buzzed in her lap. She glanced at the screen, her heart skipping. James Coulter.

“Sorry, Soph, I need to take this,” she said, answering quickly. “Yeah? … Now? Are you sure? … Fine, I’m on my way.”

Hanging up, she turned back to Sophie with an apologetic look she’d perfected over the years. “I hate to do this, but I can’t stay over tonight. That was my boss and he need me to handle something at the office immediately.

Sophie frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just...you know how it is,” Lila said lightly, brushing off the concern. “I’ll check in tomorrow, I promise.”

The cab pulled up in front of Sophie’s apartment, and Lila watched her friend climb out, waving absently as the door closed. The cab pulled away, and Lila’s smile dropped.

“Downtown,” she told the driver, rattling off the name of a bar that James preferred for its privacy.

Lila adjusted her scarf as she slipped into the dimly lit restaurant, scanning the room for James Coulter. He sat in a corner booth, his back to the wall, a glass of red wine already in hand. When their eyes met, he smirked, gesturing for her to join him.

“Busy night?” James asked as she slid into the seat across from him.

“Busy lying,” Lila replied, her tone dry. “Told Sophie I couldn’t stay over tonight because of "work calls". She let out a humorless laugh. “She actually believed me. Poor thing thinks I have her best interests at heart.”

James raised an eyebrow, swirling his wine. “You’re enjoying this more than I expected.”

Lila leaned forward, her expression darkening. “You don’t know what it’s like, James. Watching her live this perfect little life she doesn’t deserve. She acts like she’s the only one who’s ever struggled, the only one with dreams. Meanwhile, I’ve been cleaning up her messes and standing in her shadow for years. Everything I lost, I lost because of her. She gets to live like a spoilt little princess while I alone bear the brunt for all our past mistakes".

James’s smirk widened. “And now you’re ready to take her down?”

“I've never been more ready" Lila said, her voice sharp. “She’s too naive to see what’s coming, She deserves to lose everything.”

James sat back, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Funny how our goals align. Hayes ruined my life—made sure I was blacklisted from every major firm in the city. The same Alexander who we both ventured into the real estate market together. We both built the Hayes empire into what it is today. But now, he takes all the glory for himself after stealing everything from me and it’s poetic, really, that his downfall will come from the one thing he prides himself on: control.”

“And Sophie?” Lila asked, her lips curling into a bitter smile.

“She’s collateral damage,” James said with a shrug. “But if it gets you what you want, all the better.”

Lila raised her glass. “To alliances,” she said, her voice icy.

“To revenge,” James replied, clinking his glass against hers.