Julia's POV
Time stopped.
Alan stared at Kai with ice-cold murder in his eyes.Kai still had his arm around me, steady… but too steady.Too casual. Too confident.
Alan's voice dropped into a dead, dangerous calm.
"Julia," he said, "step away from him. Now."
My heart hammered. My throat tightened.I couldn't move.
It felt like standing between two storms — the one I knew, and the one I thought had disappeared years ago.
Kai sighed softly and lowered his arm from my shoulders… but only so he could step in front of me.
"I think I owe you both an explanation," he said — not backing down, not looking intimidated.
Alan leaned forward slightly, like a predator evaluating prey.
"You have ten seconds," Alan said.
Kai didn't blink.
"The fiancé part," he began quietly, "was a lie."
A ripple of gasps swept across the floor.
Alan's expression didn't change — but the tension in his jaw eased just enough to show he'd expected that answer.He'd just needed Kai to say it.
Kai continued, voice steady:
"I said it because I wanted the gossip to stop. Because I could see how everyone here treats Julia. Especially after yesterday."
My stomach twisted.
"Kai," I whispered, "you shouldn't have said that. It makes everything worse."
He turned to me gently.
"I couldn't watch you being cornered. I wanted people to back off. To respect you. To treat you like the person you really are."
Alan's eyes hardened again.
"And who is she?" Alan asked sharply.
Kai didn't hesitate.
"Someone who deserves better than this place," he said."And better than the way you look at her."
A collective breath caught around us.
My blood went cold.
Alan's gaze sharpened into a lethal point.
"And what exactly," Alan asked quietly, "is wrong with the way I look at her?"
Kai turned fully toward him, voice low but unshaking.
"You look at her like she's a game you want to win," Kai said."Not like someone whose life is falling apart. You look at her like she's property."
Every sound in the building vanished.
Even the air held its breath.
Alan stepped closer until he was standing toe-to-toe with Kai.
"Julia is not your concern," Alan said, each word smooth but razor-sharp."Your job here does not involve her. Not personally. Not professionally."
Kai straightened.
"That's where you're wrong," he said."I am involved professionally."
Alan's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ID badge.
The blood drained from my face.
"Starting today," Kai announced clearly,"I'm the new financial auditor for Knight Corporation."
Hushed whispers exploded around us.
"Oh my god—""He's working here?""And he knows Julia?""Was that why he said they're engaged?""Are they dating? Was she hiding a relationship?"
I felt dizzy.
Alan's expression registered something very rare:
Surprise.Quick. Sharp. Immediately buried under ice.
He snatched the ID badge from Kai's hand and read it, jaw tightening with each second.
"Temporary contract," Alan muttered."Finance division. Internal audit."His eyes lifted slowly."Who approved this?"
"Your CFO," Kai replied calmly."Apparently she didn't think you needed to know every hire."
Alan almost smiled — a cold, humorless curl of lips.
"I know," Alan said, "everything that matters."
Kai tilted his head. "Clearly not. Or you would've known I was coming."
The tension snapped like a live wire.
Alan took one step closer — so close Kai had to tilt his chin up to hold his ground.
"If you create lies," Alan said softly,"or drag my employee into unnecessary drama again—"
"She's my childhood friend," Kai cut in."I was trying to protect her."
"By calling yourself her fiancé?" Alan asked.
Kai exhaled slowly, then looked at me — really looked.
"Jules," he said softly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just panicked. Everyone was staring at you, whispering about you, and I—"
I shook my head, voice trembling.
"You made it worse, Kai… so much worse…"
His shoulders fell with guilt.
And that's when it happened.
A camera shutter.
Then another.
I whipped around.
Three employees, phones partially hidden, snapping photos.
No. No. No.Not again. Not another scandal. Not with Kai.
Alan's voice thundered before I could move.
"DELETE. THOSE. PHOTOS."
The whole floor jumped.
"If I see one image, one rumor, one whisper go beyond this office," he said, each word carved from steel,"you will all be fired before you finish your lunch."
Hands shook. Phones lowered. Screens were frantically cleared.
But the damage was done.
Everyone had seen Kai's arm around me. Heard him claim he was my fiancé. Seen Alan's reaction.
To them, the dots were already connected.
Julia Carter — the fake heiress begging for financial help — was now suddenly in the middle of a love triangle between her boss and a new auditor.
Scandal.Louder than ever.Heavier than yesterday.
Kai realized it too.
"Jules…" he whispered, regret flooding his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pull you into more trouble."
I nodded weakly, staring at the floor.
Alan stepped forward suddenly, gently but firmly placing a hand on my lower back — a protective claim no one could ignore.
"Julia," he murmured, "come with me."
My breath caught.
Kai stepped between us instinctively.
"I'm not letting you intimidate her," he said.
Alan didn't even look at him.
"Move," Alan warned softly."Before you become a problem I don't feel patient enough to solve."
Kai's jaw clenched.
But this time… he stepped aside.
And I followed Alan into his office, the door clicking shut behind us.
The tension inside could suffocate anyone alive.
Alan turned to me, eyes burning.
"Explain," he said quietly."What is he to you?"
My heart tightened.
"I don't know anymore," I whispered.
His chest rose sharply with a breath he didn't want to take.
And that was the moment I realized—
This scandal wasn't ending.
It was just beginning.