The boardroom smelled of polished wood and high-stakes tension. Lia stepped in, her heels clicking against marble floors, and immediately felt the tingle of an undercurrent of whispers. Every pair of eyes seemed to pierce right through her, but it was Leo's presence beside her that made her chest tighten. His hand brushed against hers ever so slightly as they walked into their seats—a touch full of silent reassurance.
"Lia, stay focused," he murmured, his voice low, sending a shiver down her spine.
She nodded, trying to steady herself. The stakes were high, far higher than she'd anticipated when she agreed to work alongside him on this sensitive project. Their rivals were clever, ruthless, and relentless—and now, evidence suggested someone inside their own ranks was aiding them.
Leo's cell phone buzzed. He read the message in silence as his face slowly darkened. "It's worse than I thought," he muttered.
The meeting droned on. But Lia found her focus drifting, and every glance around the table from a board member felt loaded with suspicion. Every movement seemed choreographed, calculated. She noticed the subdued exchanges: the half-smiled smiles, the considered nods—the little betrayer riding plain.
And then it struck her. One of Leo's most trusted executives—the man who had taken Lia under his wing during her first chaotic weeks—was deliberately feeding their competitors insider information.
Her stomach churned. "Leo," she whispered.
He whipped around, dark eyes locking with hers. She could tell the storm was brewing beneath his calm surface. "I know," he said softly. His jaw flexed. "And it's dangerous playing with fire."
The feel of his betrayal stung, not just because of what it had done to the business, but also because it broke the level of trust Lia thought she could count on. And at that very moment, with Leo close enough, the air between them was thick with more than just corporate tension. It was charged with something deeper, something intimate. Her heart was racing, caught between fear and an undeniable pull toward him.
Leo stepped closer, lowering his voice to a whisper only she could hear. "Stay close to me, Lia. I won't let anyone hurt you. Not now."
Before she could respond, the boardroom door burst open.