Helen's POV
"Who's the spy?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.
"Shan," Reid replied. "A young intern from IT who joined recently. I checked his profile , he left before we could figure out what he was up to."
"Who would want the company to collapse?" I snapped, fists tightening on the edge of the desk.
"Can we reach him? I want him to pay for what he's done."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll handle it," Reid said.
"Good," I breathed, letting the tension slip just slightly.
"Heyyyyy!" A familiar voice rang out across the office. I knew that voice.
"How have you been, Helen? You couldn't even call me after the incident," she said, pretending to glare but failing miserably.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," I said quickly. "I've had a lot on my plate." Sloane had been the only one I apologized to without hesitation.
Her eyes landed on Reid. "Who's this cutie?" she asked, biting her lip and leaning just a little closer, like she wanted to claim him for herself. Some things never change. When Sloane set her sights on a man, she never let go.
Reid cleared his throat. "I'll take my leave now, ma'am."
"That's enough, Sloane," I snapped, stepping forward. "He's my employee. Eyes off him before I—"
"He's so hot," Sloane said, grinning. "I guess I'll be coming to your company every day. Or… do you have a spot for me? I need to stay close to that guy. Damn."
"I'll leave you two for now," Derick said, rising smoothly.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Sloane's eyes widened, surprise flickering across her face.
"What is he doing here?" she whispered. "I thought you two wouldn't see each other."
"It's a long story," I admitted, biting my fingers, something I can never stop doing.
"Biting your fingers means you're lying," she said, narrowing her eyes. "What are you hiding from me?"
"Okay, you caught me," I said, exhaling. "He's my bodyguard… at least for now."
Sloane shook her head, disbelief written across her face. "A stranger? Your bodyguard? Don't you remember how he was that night… like a killer? You don't even know him, and you bring him this close. This isn't like you—I can't believe it."
"You need to calm down," I said, pressing my hands flat against the desk. "I had a problem last week… he was the only one who came running when I called."
Sloane's brow furrowed. "What if he's trying to manipulate you?"
I swallowed hard, jaw tightening. My fingers tapped nervously against the edge of the desk. "I don't trust him fully… but he wouldn't do that."
Her next words hit like ice. "Are you in love with him?"
A chill crept up my spine from the floor-to-ceiling windows. My body stiffened, and my chest tightened, hesitation freezing my voice.
"Helen?" Sloane's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp enough to pull me back.
I shook my head, forcing my lips into a straight line. "No… never with someone like him." She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. A knowing smirk played at her lips.
"Guess who called me." Sloane's nose wrinkled, and her lips pressed into a thin line as she leaned back, letting out a sharp exhale.
"Who?" I asked, eyes narrowing.
"It's Isabella."
Heat rushed to my face, and my hands curled into fists on the desk. My jaw clenched as memories flared, how she'd teamed up with my ex to humiliate me, uploading my sex video online. I had barely managed to delete it in time before it went viral.
"She said you blocked her," Sloane added, leaning forward. "But she has something she wants to tell you."
I snorted, pushing my chair back. "I don't want to hear anything from that sneaky b**ch." My jaw tightened, and my clenched around nothing.
"I always knew she never liked me in high school, but I turned a blind eye. Thought friendship meant tolerance. She's always after any guy that talks to me. Never bothered me anyway."
"Silas is back at the company," I said, dropping the bombshell. Only Sloane knew how much I had suffered when we were teens.
"What?" Her eyes went wide.
"That scumbag… after everything he's done, he still has the nerve to come back?" Her voice trembled with disbelief.
"That's why I need him," I said. "And he's perfect for the role. I could see Silas shiver whenever Derick is near."
Sloane's mouth fell open. "Now you're accepting him…?" I asked
She shook head head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm accepting him because your stepdad needs to be dealt with. Nothing more."
Sloane's phone buzzed. She glanced down, frowning , standing up abruptly. "I need to go right now,"
"See you soon," I marveled, watching her slip out the door.
I sank back into my chair, the sleek glass desk reflected the city lights from the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the high-backed leather chair behind it reminded anyone who entered that this was my territory.
The quiet was broken by the soft click of the door. Tessa stepped in, her expression unreadable but urgent.
"Helen," she murmured, holding a tablet in her hands.
"We just received a proposal."
I raised an eyebrow. "Proposal?" My pulse picked up. "From who?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she swiped across the screen, revealing the name. Only it wasn't a name I recognized. "It's an anonymous company. They want to invest in your business."
I froze, fingers hovering over the edge of my desk. "Anonymous?" I echoed, disbelief creeping into my voice.
"Yes, ma'am. They're serious. They even attached their terms." her eyes flicked up to mine, waiting for a reaction.
I leaned back in my chair, mind racing. My company was still reeling from the leak. Silas was back. And now… an unknown investor, offering help I hadn't asked for, suddenly appeared.
"What do they want in return?" I asked cautiously.
Tessa shook her head. "Nothing upfront. Just a meeting. They want to discuss investment options and management involvement."
I tapped my fingers on the desk, weighing the possibilities. Trusting someone unknown? But ignoring them could be a bigger risk.
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. A message from Sloane popped up: "Didn't expect a twist today, huh? Call me later. We need a strategy session."
You can leave Tessa," I said finally, my voice steady despite the storm brewing in my mind. "We'll schedule the meeting."