Chapter 18: A Dangerous Gamble
279 Words
Lena’s pulse roared in her ears.
Ethan’s words wrapped around her like a noose, tightening with every second of silence. He was giving her an ultimatum—one that could either restore her power or destroy her completely.
She swallowed hard, her mind spinning.
“I need time to think,” she said, keeping her voice steady.
Ethan smirked, stepping back as if he had already won. “Take all the time you need, sweetheart. But just remember…” He gestured toward the document. “That deal comes with an expiration date.”
Lena clenched her fists. “And what happens if I say no?”
Ethan’s smile didn’t falter. “Then you lose everything.”
With that, he turned on his heel and walked toward the door. But just as he reached for the handle, he hesitated. Without looking back, he added, “Oh, and tell Damien I said hello.”
Then he was gone.
The moment the door clicked shut, Lena exhaled, her entire body trembling. Damn him.
She collapsed onto the couch, staring at the contract in her hands. Every fiber of her being told her not to trust Ethan, but he wasn’t bluffing. If he had this information, it meant someone had betrayed her.
And there was only one person powerful enough to know everything.
Damien.
Her blood turned ice-cold.
Lena grabbed her phone, dialing his number with shaking fingers. He answered on the first ring.
“Lena,” Damien’s voice was smooth as ever, but she wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
“Did you sell me out?” she snapped.
A beat of silence. Then—“Come to my office. Now.”
- Writer
