Owned by Her Silence

Chapter 2

By nine the next morning, Elias was standing outside the Voss Corporation building.

He looked up at the glass tower and sighed.

He had signed the contract.

That didn’t mean he had to like it.

Inside, everything was exactly what he expected—quiet, expensive, and slightly intimidating.

A receptionist checked his name and pointed him toward the elevators.

“Thirty-second floor.”

“Thanks.”

When the doors opened, a woman was already waiting for him.

“Mr. Kane?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Sophia’s assistant. She’s expecting you.”

Of course she was.

Elias followed her down a long hallway until she stopped in front of a large wooden door.

She knocked once.

“Come in.”

Elias entered.

Sophia was standing beside the window, reading something on her tablet.

She didn’t look up immediately.

“You signed.”

“I did.”

“Good.”

She finally looked at him.

“I was beginning to think you might change your mind.”

“I nearly did.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No.”

A small smile appeared on her face.

“Sit.”

Elias sat across from her desk.

Sophia placed the tablet down.

“Before we begin, there are a few changes to the agreement.”

His eyebrows lifted.

“Changes?”

“Nothing major.”

“You said that very confidently.”

“I usually am.”

She slid another document toward him.

Elias read through it.

His expression slowly changed.

“You’re asking me to work directly with you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because this project is important.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Sophia leaned back in her chair.

“You’re right.”

She studied him for a moment.

“I don’t trust easily.”

Elias looked at her.

“And you trust me?”

“No.”

The answer came so quickly that he almost smiled.

“Then why am I here?”

“Because I think you might eventually earn it.”

There was something different in her voice this time.

Not business.

Something personal.

Elias looked down at the document again.

“You really don’t make things easy.”

Sophia smiled.

“I never promised I would.”

He picked up the pen.

Then paused.

“One question.”

“Go ahead.”

“If this goes wrong, who’s taking the blame?”

Sophia’s eyes stayed on his.

“Both of us.”

Elias signed.

Sophia watched him put the pen down.

“Now,” she said, “we can finally get started.”

Neither of them noticed the man standing outside the office door.

He had been listening.

And he had a very good reason to be interested in Elias Kane.