Dancing With The Enemy

CHAPTER 3

(Khloe's POV)

I was feeling confident, walking through the office as usual, my head held high. Today was going to be a good day—until I stepped into that conference room.

The moment I opened the door, the world seemed to slow down. It was like something out of a bad dream. There, sitting at the table, was him.

Edward Jones.

My pulse quickened, and my carefully maintained composure began to c***k like thin ice. I stood there, frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. It couldn’t be. Our eyes met. His gaze bore into me, and I couldn't help but feel exposed, as if everything I had worked so hard to keep hidden was now at risk. My hands trembled slightly at my sides, and I tried desperately to keep my expression neutral, but I could feel my face drain of all color.

Before I could fully process the shock, Mrs. Lizzy’s voice cut through the tense silence. “Why do you look like you've seen a ghost, Miss Kings?”

I scrambled to come up with something, anything that would explain the way I looked without giving myself away. I couldn’t let this get out. Not here. Not now.

"Uh… it's… the… I… I just got some news from home." The words came out stilted, barely coherent, but I hoped it would be enough.

"Oh, I hope it's not bad news," Mrs. Lizzy said, her voice filled with concern.

I forced a smile, trying to regain my footing. "No, nothing like that. In fact, it's the direct opposite. It's all good news."

Mrs. Lizzy’s face lit up, and for a moment I thought I might actually get out of this. "Oh, really? Like what?" she asked, genuinely curious.

My mind raced, grasping for anything that could fit. I silently cursed the universe for putting me in this situation. I could feel Edward’s eyes still on me, analyzing, watching, and waiting.

I cleared my throat, forcing the words out. "It's personal stuff," I said firmly, managing to keep my voice steady. I couldn’t elaborate. I wouldn’t. “You called?” I added, trying to shift the focus back to work and away from me.

Thankfully, Mrs. Lizzy seemed to take the bait. "Oh, right," she said, before turning back to Edward. "Khloe, this is Mr. Edward Jones, the CEO of D’Titans Group. Mr. Edward, this is Khloe Kings, the top team lead we have at OCJ Group."

I knew exactly who he was, but I had to play it cool. "Oh!" I exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. "Such a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jones. It's good to finally see you in person." I forced myself to walk toward him, extending my hand.

His grip was firm as we shook hands, and his eyes never left mine. His expression was unreadable, but I could feel him sizing me up, trying to place me.

“The pleasure is all mine," he replied, his voice smooth, but his gaze felt like a probe, digging deeper. I wanted to recoil, to pull away, but I held firm. I couldn't let him see that he rattled me.

"I only hope you are as good as they say,” he said coolly. “It would be a complete disappointment if you didn't meet at least half of the expectations.”

I laughed, though it came out more nervous than I intended. "I'm sure you won't be disappointed, Mr. Jones." It was all I could manage. He was testing me, pushing my limits, and I couldn’t afford to falter.

“Good,” he said, his tone final, and I knew the conversation was over. But as we parted ways, I could still feel the weight of his gaze lingering on me.

---

Later that evening, I found myself at home, screaming into my pillow for what felt like the hundredth time. My body shook with frustration and anxiety. This can’t be happening.

“Arghhhhhhhhh!!!” I screamed again, my voice muffled by the pillow. My legs flailed helplessly as I tried to expel the pent-up emotions, but no matter how many times I screamed, the weight of the situation refused to lift. Tonya, my sister, sat nearby, completely unfazed. By now, she was used to my outbursts.

She sat with her arms crossed, her patience clearly wearing thin. Finally, I turned to her, exasperated. “What are we going to do, T?”

She sighed, her irritation clear as day. “Are you seriously asking me that when you’ve said nothing all day?”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” I began, sitting up and trying to collect myself. “How do I put this?” I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. “First of all, calm down, okay?”

“Do I look the opposite?” Tonya snapped.

“Okay! Okay! Calm down, tiger.” I raised my hands in surrender. “So today at work, my boss introduced me to one of our investors, who I’ll be working closely with.”

Tonya stared at me, waiting for the punchline. “Okay. And?”

“Guess who it was?”

“Koko, you’re going to have to get to the point because you’ve already wasted a good amount of my time,” she said, clearly annoyed.

I took a deep breath and blurted out, “The person I’m working with is Edward Jones.”

Tonya’s face went blank for a moment, and then her eyes widened in shock. “No way!” she gasped.

“Exactly!” I exclaimed, my voice rising with panic.

“OMG!” Tonya screamed. “Who would have thought? This is so out of our plan. What are we going to do now?”

I slumped back onto the couch, feeling defeated. “T, I’d be lying if I said I had an answer to that question.”

“f**k! This is so out of place,” she said, her frustration mirroring mine.

“I know,” I agreed. The weight of everything was starting to settle in, and I felt a growing sense of dread. “You know what? I’m not going to worry about this right now. I’m just going to sleep like a baby tonight and deal with it tomorrow.”

Tonya stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Khloe, you know this is a matter of urgency. You’ve got to figure this out first.”

“Girl, my sleep is just as important,” I said, already making my way to bed. I pulled the duvet over myself, determined to ignore the chaos brewing in my life.

---

Tonya barged into my room the next day, her face showing signs of anxiousness. “Koko! You’re not going to believe this!”

“What now?” I groaned.

“We’re having a welcome party tonight for all the newly hired staff. And guess what? It’s compulsory. Plus-one required.”

“Wait—what? A party? Why?”

“Well apparently it's a tradition in the company.”

“Oh well, good luck with that.” I said while I continued with the task that kept me busy.

“Please, Khloe, my sweet, sweet sister. You know I have no one else to go with. You’re the only one I can comfortably go out with. Please.”

I turned away from her as soon as she said it, focusing intently on the outfit I was laying out for the next day. I could feel Tonya’s gaze on me, boring into the back of my head, practically begging me to turn around. But I wouldn’t. I already knew what I’d see—those wide, pleading puppy-dog eyes that she always used when she wanted something. The same look she’d perfected growing up.

“You know those eyes don’t work on me. I taught you that,” I said, keeping my voice as neutral as possible. I wasn’t falling for it. Not this time. I stared straight ahead, avoiding her gaze.

“If you’re not fazed, then why are you avoiding looking at me?” Tonya’s voice was light, teasing even, and I could hear the smirk in her tone.

Damn it.

She knew me too well. I paused, staring at the neatly folded clothes in front of me. I didn’t want to give in, but the truth was, I hated letting her down.

Still, I had to be cautious. “T, we can’t take risks like this,” I said, finally turning to face her, the concern clear in my voice. “What if he’s going to be there?”

Tonya rolled her eyes “Koko, he doesn’t come to social events like this. He won’t be there, I promise.”

I searched her face, looking for any sign of doubt, but she seemed sure. I wasn’t convinced. “You know our plan is already messed up as it is. If we see him tonight, it’ll get worse,” I said, feeling the weight of the situation press on me. “You better be sure of what you’re saying.”

Tonya didn’t even hesitate. “I’m 100% sure, Koko. He’s not coming.”

I took a deep breath, letting the tension in my shoulders loosen just a bit. But the thought of walking into a room full of people, knowing there was even the slightest chance of seeing him, made my stomach turn.

“Fine,” I finally said, giving in. “Let’s get dressed then.”

---

The hall was nothing short of stunning. It was like stepping into another world, one I hadn’t been part of in a long time. Lights twinkled from the ceiling, casting a warm, inviting glow over the entire room. Laughter, music, and conversation filled the air, making the space feel alive and vibrant. Tonya and I stood there for a moment, taking it all in, slightly overwhelmed by the energy around us. It was rare for either of us to attend events like this. In fact, we barely had a social life at all anymore.

Tonya’s breath hitched beside me, and when I looked over, I saw her staring at the scene unfolding before her with wide eyes. “Wow,” she whispered, the word slipping out of her mouth as if she were in some kind of trance. Her usual tough demeanor softened as she looked around, awe-struck.

I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. It had been too long since I’d seen her look like that—so unguarded, so… happy. At that moment, something shifted inside me. I realized how much my obsession with revenge had cost us—cost her. Tonya had followed me down this dark path, and in doing so, she’d sacrificed so much of her own happiness. Guilt washed over me, thick and heavy, but I pushed it down.

I had to let go, just for tonight.

“Let’s have some fun,” I said, my smile widening as I caught her eye. She smiled back, and for the first time in a long time, I felt the weight of everything lift, just a little.

Navigating through the crowd, I made my way to the bar. The atmosphere buzzed with energy, people laughing and talking around me, their excitement contagious. I called out confidently, “Two glasses of wine, please,” feeling the anticipation of a carefree night settle over me.

It didn’t last long.

Glasses in hand, I turned, ready to head back to Tonya when—bam—I collided with someone. The wine sloshed out of the glasses, splattering down the front of their shirt.

“Oh my! I’m so sorr—” I started, my words cut short as I looked up to see who I’d run into.

My heart stopped.

There, standing in front of me, was him. Edward.

The world seemed to close in around us, shrinking into nothing as the deafening silence of my thoughts drowned everything else out.