The tension between Lisa and Adrin had never been this palpable. Standing in the shadowed corner of Adrin’s office, Lisa watched as he scrolled through the information she’d sent. His face was unreadable, a mask of concentration hiding whatever storm brewed beneath. But she knew—he was as cornered as she was.
“I told you this was coming,” Adrin said finally, his voice low and controlled. “Reed doesn’t move unless he’s certain of victory.”
“And now he thinks he’s won,” Lisa replied, her voice sharp. “He’s made his move. We can’t sit back and wait anymore.”
Adrin stood up, crossing the room toward her, his eyes piercing. “You don’t need to remind me of the stakes. I know exactly how dangerous Reed is.”
Lisa met his gaze, refusing to flinch. “Then act like it, Adrin. We’re not dealing with some petty rivalry. Reed is ready to tear us apart—and he’s doing it right now. He’s tightening his grip on my company, and I’m not going to let that happen.”
For a moment, the silence between them was suffocating, their unspoken frustrations crackling in the air. Adrin’s jaw tightened, and for the first time, Lisa saw the weight of the situation pushing him toward his breaking point.
“Lisa, I’m handling it,” he said, his tone steely.
“No, you’re not,” Lisa shot back. “You’re waiting—waiting for some perfect moment to strike while Reed dismantles everything around us.”
Adrin’s eyes flashed with something dark, something dangerous. “You don’t know what I’m planning.”
“Then enlighten me, Adrin,” Lisa snapped. “Because right now, it feels like we’re losing this fight.”
Adrin stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, but Lisa didn’t back down. They were inches apart, the electricity between them undeniable, and yet, for the first time, it felt like they were on opposite sides of the same war.
“I’ve been two steps ahead of Reed since this started,” Adrin said, his voice lowering into something almost predatory. “You think I haven’t anticipated this? I know Reed better than anyone else in this game.”
“Then why are we still playing by his rules?” Lisa demanded, her frustration boiling over. “You keep saying you’re in control, but all I see is us getting closer to the edge.”
Adrin’s gaze burned into hers. “Because control isn’t about reacting—it’s about positioning. I’m not just trying to survive this, Lisa. I’m going to win.”
The intensity between them reached a breaking point, and Lisa felt herself waver, torn between her fury and the undeniable pull she always felt around Adrin. He was infuriatingly confident, and part of her hated that it made him so intoxicating. But this wasn’t the time for distractions. Not when Reed was tightening the noose.
“Fine,” Lisa said finally, her voice quiet but determined. “But if we’re going to win, we need to make a move—now. Reed has a mole inside my company, and if we don’t expose them, we’ll never get ahead of him.”
Adrin nodded, his gaze softening slightly. “Agreed. We’ll go after the mole.”
“Do you have any leads?” Lisa asked, her mind already calculating the next steps.
Adrin hesitated, and Lisa’s heart sank.
“I think Megan might be involved,” he said slowly, as if testing her reaction.
Lisa felt the world tilt. Megan? Her assistant? The one person she had trusted with everything?
“No,” Lisa said firmly. “Megan wouldn’t betray me.”
Adrin watched her carefully. “You need to be sure of that. We can’t afford blind spots.”
Lisa’s mind raced, reeling from the possibility. Could it be true? Could Megan, who had been by her side through every step of this, be working for Reed?
“I’ll look into it,” Lisa said, her voice more shaken than she intended. “But for now, we need to keep our eyes on Reed.”
---
Later that night, Lisa returned to her apartment, her mind heavy with doubt. The idea that Megan could be the mole gnawed at her. She had relied on Megan for so much—for guidance, for strategy, for trust. But now, every glance, every conversation replayed in her mind, taking on new meaning.
Sitting at her desk, Lisa pulled out her laptop and began digging into Megan’s files. She didn’t want to believe it, but the only way to be sure was to check. Hours passed, and nothing seemed out of place—until she found a hidden folder buried deep in the system.
With a click, the contents opened.
Emails. Correspondence with someone under the alias "V."
Lisa’s heart pounded in her chest as she scrolled through the messages. They were cryptic but unmistakable—Megan had been in contact with someone connected to Reed.
The betrayal hit her like a punch to the gut.
Megan had been feeding information to Reed, all while pretending to be loyal. Lisa’s stomach churned with a mix of anger and disbelief. How had she missed this?
Her phone buzzed, and Lisa’s eyes flicked to the screen. Another message from the unknown number.
**Unknown**: “You’re getting warmer. But it’s too late.”
Lisa’s hands shook as she read the message. Reed knew. He had been watching her, playing her, and now the game was almost over.
She needed to confront Megan—now.
---
The next morning, Lisa sat at her desk, her gaze hard as she waited for Megan to arrive. When Megan walked in, her usual bright smile in place, Lisa felt a surge of anger, but she kept her expression neutral.
“Megan, I need to talk to you,” Lisa said, motioning for her to sit.
Megan’s smile faltered slightly as she sat across from Lisa. “Sure, what’s up?”
Lisa’s heart raced, her fingers tightening around the edge of her desk. She had to play this carefully.
“I’ve been looking into some things,” Lisa began, keeping her voice steady. “About Reed. And about the mole in the company.”
Megan’s eyes widened, and Lisa saw the faintest flicker of something—panic?—cross her face.
“Megan,” Lisa said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. “I need you to tell me the truth. Have you been working with Reed?”
The silence stretched between them, suffocating. Megan’s face paled, her hands trembling as she clasped them in her lap.
“I didn’t want to,” Megan whispered, her voice cracking. “But Reed… he’s dangerous, Lisa. I didn’t have a choice.”
Lisa felt the ground shift beneath her, a cold wave of betrayal crashing over her.
“You had a choice,” Lisa said, her voice shaking with anger. “You chose to betray me.”
Megan’s eyes filled with tears, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m sorry, Lisa. I’m so sorry.”
Lisa stood, her chest heaving with the weight of it all. Megan had been her closest ally, and now she was the reason everything was falling apart.
“I trusted you,” Lisa said, her voice breaking. “And you sold me out.”
Megan sobbed quietly, her face buried in her hands. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I thought I could protect you.”
Lisa shook her head, the final pieces of the puzzle clicking into place. Reed had been using Megan to keep tabs on her, to control the game from the shadows. And now, with the truth out, the endgame had begun.
---
YOU ARE READING
"Veil of Thorns"
RomanceIn the high-stakes world of corporate power, Lisa Sterling and Adrin Blackstone are fierce competitors with a burning vendetta. As Lisa enters a crucial business deal with Blackstone Enterprises, she's prepared for a ruthless clash. But what starts...
