Stone Rich: Her 1st Experience

Chapter Eight: Unraveled - Malaya

Malaya padded into the kitchen, her bare feet softly tapping against the cool hardwood floor. The city lights filtered through the wide windows, casting a soft glow across her spacious apartment. It should have been a peaceful night, a moment to decompress after the whirlwind of the day. Instead, her thoughts were in complete disarray.

Opening a cabinet, she pulled down a bottle of her favorite red wine and searched the fridge for something to snack on. A bowl of strawberries caught her eye, and she grabbed it, along with a wedge of cheese. She carefully placed the provisions on the marble counter and exhaled, trying to steady her breathing. Her heartbeat still hadn't returned to normal since leaving Sebastien Stone's office hours ago.

Sebastien Stone.

Even the thought of him sent an unfamiliar thrill down her spine. His presence had been overpowering—domineering, larger than life—and it had ignited something inside her she didn't know existed. She shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling. This wasn't the time to be lost in whatever strange hold he had on her.

Just as she was about to pour herself a glass of wine, the front door clicked open. Malaya tensed but immediately relaxed when she saw Danica walk in, her arms full of files, frustration clear on her face.

Dani kicked the door shut behind her, dumping the mountain of files onto the coffee table with a grunt. "I swear, Lay, if I have to look at one more contract today—" She kicked off her stilettos, padding across the room toward the kitchen. "—I'm going to lose it."

Without missing a beat, Dani reached over and plucked a strawberry from the bowl, popping it into her mouth before grabbing a glass for her own share of wine.

Malaya gave a half-hearted chuckle, trying to focus on the business ahead, but Dani wasn't having it. Her friend poured herself a generous glass, then leaned against the counter, eyeing Malaya suspiciously.

"What's going on with you today?" Dani asked, her tone shifting from playful to concerned. "Your vibe has been off since this morning."

Malaya stilled, gripping the edge of the counter as if it might keep her grounded. She'd hoped to keep her thoughts on Sebastien to herself, at least until she could make sense of them. Dani was her best friend, yes, but how could she even begin to explain the effect he'd had on her? That he wasn't just a business threat anymore—he was something more dangerous. Something personal.

"I'm fine," she replied, forcing a casual shrug. "Let's just get to the matter at hand."

Dani's eyes narrowed, seeing right through her. "Uh-uh. Don't even try that with me. I know you too well, Lay. Spill it. What happened? This is more than just business stress."

Malaya clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to run her hand through her hair. She could usually compartmentalize, keep her emotions in check. But today, everything was different. Her cool composure had been shattered, and it was all thanks to him.

Sebastien Stone.

She sighed heavily, realizing there was no escaping Dani's persistence. Her friend would push until she got the truth. "Okay," Malaya began, her voice tight, "something happened today."

Dani's eyebrows shot up. "Something? What kind of 'something?'"

"It's... complicated," Malaya said, waving her hand as if to dismiss the weight of the encounter. But Dani was having none of it.

"Complicated?" Dani repeated, her voice laced with curiosity and concern. "Girl, you're never this vague. What happened?"

Malaya's shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no way around it now. She set her wine glass down, gripping the edge of the counter to steady herself as the memories of her meeting with Sebastien washed over her. "Well you know, I went to Stone's office today."

Dani's eyes widened with expectancy, but she stayed silent, giving Malaya the space to continue.

"At first, it was all about business— me asking about how he was delaying the development, screwing us over. But then..." Malaya faltered, feeling her pulse quicken as she recalled his piercing gaze, the deep rumble of his voice, the overwhelming force of his presence. She swallowed hard, unsure of how to explain what came next.

"Then?" Dani prompted, eyes glued to her friend.

Malaya closed her eyes, the image of Sebastien's devilish grin burning behind her eyelids. "Then, he just—he got to me, Dani. In a way no one ever has. His voice, his tone... the way he looked at me. I don't know how to explain it. He's dangerous—dangerous to everything I've built. But it's more than that. He's..." she trailed off, shaking her head. "He's in my head."

Dani stared at her, utterly floored by the confession. "Wait, are you saying this guy—Sebastien Stone—got under your skin? You? Malaya Richardson?"

Malaya nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the admission. It was as if saying it out loud made it more real, more terrifying.

Dani flopped onto the couch, her mouth hanging open. "I can't believe it. You've faced down boardrooms full of sharks and didn't blink, but one guy with a big presence and suddenly you're rattled?"

"It's not just a big presence," Malaya said, pacing the floor now. "It's like... he has this control, this dominance that I've never encountered before. And the worst part? It wasn't just intimidating—it was... exciting."

Dani's eyes went wide, and she let out a low whistle. "Damn. That bad, huh?"

Malaya stopped pacing, turning to her friend, feeling both vulnerable and conflicted. "I don't know how to deal with it. He's a threat, Dani. A real threat—to the company, to everything we've worked for. And now, I can't stop thinking about him."

Dani sat up, her demeanor shifting from shock to determination. "Okay, so we've established he's gotten to you in more ways than one. But now we need to deal with the other stuff—the real threat. The company, the project, and the fact that someone inside is leaking info to him."

Malaya nodded, grateful for the shift in focus. "Right. We need to figure out who the mole is, and fast. Stone's delays, the pulled contracts—none of that's a coincidence. Someone on the inside is feeding him information, and it's sabotaging us."

Dani was already on it, flipping open the files she had brought and organizing them on the coffee table. "I've been digging all day, trying to figure out where the leak is coming from. Whoever it is, they've covered their tracks pretty well."

Malaya sat down beside her, mentally pushing Sebastien to the back of her mind—for now. There were bigger things at stake. "So, where do we start?"

Dani handed her one of the files, her face set with determination. "We start with these contracts and financials. If Stone is getting inside info, it's coming from someone with access to this. We'll find them."

Malaya took a deep breath, trying to center herself. The fire that Sebastien had ignited within her still burned, but she wouldn't let it consume her. Not yet. There was work to do, and she had to focus. They were on the verge of a breakthrough, and once they found the mole, she would have the upper hand.

Dani looked over at her, her eyes sharp. "And Lay?"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever's going on with this guy—don't let him win."

Malaya's jaw tightened. "Oh, trust me. I won't."

But as the evening wore on, and the hunt for the mole began in earnest, Malaya couldn't shake the feeling that winning this game with Sebastien Stone wouldn't be as simple as defeating him in the boardroom.

Because the real battle wasn't just for her company—it was for control of her own heart.