(07
As I stepped into the office building, the buzz of voices reached my ears. At first, I ignored them, assuming it was the usual chatter. But then the words became clearer, sharper, and impossible to tune out.
“Did you hear about the Nightfang Alpha?” one woman whispered near the reception desk.
“Yeah,” another replied. “The wedding’s off. Can you believe it? And our boss was supposed to be the Luna!”
I froze, my wolf stirring restlessly. My heart pounded as I tried to steady myself, but their words kept coming, each one like a dagger
“Do you think she cheated?” a man speculated, his voice full of mockery.
“Maybe Darius got tired of her,” another chimed in “I mean, look at her. She’s no Selene.”
My nails dug into my palms, the sting grounding me. The nerve of them to judge me, as if they knew the truth.
“Or maybe he cheated, someone else said, a note of hesitation in their voice “I mean, everyone’s seen how
close he is to Selene”
“Selene?” the first woman scoffed “She’s practically perfect. Nia’s the one who’s probably to blame.”
I clenched my jaw and walked past them ignoring the heat rising in my chest. Their voices followed me like shadows, but I refused to let them see me break.
When reached the elevator, the doors closed behind me, and let out a shaky breath. My reflection stared back. at me in the mirrored walls, a reminder of how much I’d changed over the years
The elevator dinged, and I stepped out, determined to focus on work. But as soon as I entered my office, Ella, my
assistant rushed over.
“Morning, Nia,” she said hesitantly, her eyes filled with concern.
“Morning,” I replied curtly, brushing past her
“Um… I think you should know something,” she began, wringing her hands
“What is it?” Lasked, my voice sharper than I intended
She glanced toward the open office space behind her “People are talking About you. About Darius”
“I know,” I said quickly, trying to keep my tone even.
“If you need me to=”
“I don’t” I interrupted, then sighed. “Thanks, Ella I’ll handle it”
She nodded, giving me a small smile before retreating to her desk.
I sat down at my own desk, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The whispers, the betrayal, the
memories of a life I thought I understood–it all swirled in my mind, threatening to drown me
But as I stared out the window, I reminded myself of one thing I’d survived worse. And no matter how much it
hurt, I wouldn’t let them win.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to focus. It was time to work, even if my heart wasn’t in it. The stack of files on my desk loomed over me, but I grabbed the first one, anyway. The cover bore our company’s logo–a black rose
with sharp, winding thorns.
I paused, tracing the image with my fingers. The logo was a reflection of my surname, Blackthorn. The rose wasn’t technically part of it but it was my middle name. Fitting, I supposed. I’d always thought of roses as symbols of beauty and resilience, even with their thorns. Maybe that was why my mother had chosen the name for me.
With a sigh, I flipped open the file. It was a proposal for supplying military equipment to the Nightfang Pack’s border. The recent rise in rogue and foreign wolf attacks had made border security a pressing issue. Normally, I would have been proud of our role in strengthening pack defenses. But as I scanned the details, my chest tightened
with frustration
The numbers didn’t make sense. The price we were charging was so far below market value, it barely covered production costs. It felt less like a business deal and more like we were giving the equipment away for free.
Anger bubbled beneath the surface, pushing away my lingering sadness. I picked up the desk phone and dialed Ella, my assistant
She rushed into my office within minutes, her expression wary. She must have sensed my mood. I wasn’t exactly
hiding it
“What’s this?” I asked sharply, holding up the file.
“It’s the supply summary for the Nightfangs,” she replied, her voice cautious.
“Why is the price below production cost? My tena was cold my words clipped.
“Why is the price below production cost?” My tone was cold, my words clipped.
Ella hesitated, shifting nervously “You… you asked us to go with whatever price they negotiated since you were marrying into their family,” she explained
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I remembered saying that. Back when everything had been different. Back when I’d thought my future with Darius was secure, and his family was mine.
I scoffed, bitterness curling in my chest. “So, this is the price they offered?” I asked, flipping through the pages
again
“Yes, ma’am.
I slammed the file shut and handed it back to her. “Throw it out. Tell them we’re canceling the contract and
returning their money. We won’t work with them unless they’re willing to offer a reasonable price. And make sure they can’t find any loopholes to exploit us. Review every clause, every agreement, and cover our tracks.”
Ella’s eyes widened, but she nodded quickly. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And one more thing,” I added, leaning back in my chair. “Prepare second copies of all our contracts with them. If they try to play games, we’ll have evidence ready to release to the media. Let them know we won’t be pushed
around.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said again, her voice more confident now. This was the side of me she recognized–the boss who didn’t back down, no matter how messy things got.
Just as she turned to leave, I stopped her. “Wait. One more thing. Deal with the gossip in this company. If people can’t focus on their work, fire them. Have security pull up any footage or records we can use if anyone decides to slander us on social media. I want this under control”
Her expression turned serious as she nodded. “Understood, ma’am.”