SCARRED HEARTS

CHAPTER 5: UNRAVELING

The next few days felt like they were moving at a hundred miles per hour, each one more suffocating than the last. Lila worked tirelessly, staying late into the evening, trying to keep up with the demands Sebastian had placed on her. It wasn't just the files, the meetings, or the endless tasks that kept piling up—it was the weight of his expectations, the way he seemed to be everywhere all at once, watching, waiting, pushing.

Every time she thought she could catch a break, there he was. His dark eyes were always on her, always measuring, always calculating.

It was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Lila had always been the kind of person who prided herself on her independence, but there was something about Sebastian that made her question everything. His presence in the office, even when he wasn't physically there, seemed to hover over her like a dark cloud, reminding her that she wasn't working just for herself anymore. She was working for him.

And no matter how much she tried to convince herself that she could get through this job without getting tangled in his web, a part of her kept wondering if she already had.

It was late one evening when the door to her office opened without warning. She looked up from her laptop, her fingers frozen over the keys as Sebastian stepped inside. He was dressed casually again—dark jeans and a leather jacket, the same sharp, confident aura he carried everywhere he went. He didn't even knock, just strode in like he owned the place. And in many ways, Lila realized, he did.

His gaze swept over the papers scattered across her desk, the work that had consumed her every waking hour. There was no visible judgment, no harsh words. But the weight of his silence felt like a thousand unspoken critiques.

"You're still here," he said, his voice low, almost amused, as he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.

Lila felt a flicker of irritation. "I have a deadline," she said curtly. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't respond right away. Instead, he studied her as if she were a puzzle he was still trying to figure out. There was something about the way he looked at her—like he knew something she didn't, like he saw all the cracks beneath her exterior and was enjoying watching her struggle to keep it all together.

"Do you always work this late?" he asked, his voice smooth, but there was something intense in his eyes now—something more dangerous than usual.

Lila sat up straighter, trying not to let his gaze unnerve her. "I have no choice. The work doesn't stop because the clock hits five, does it?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You're learning," he said, as if the comment were some kind of victory. "But don't get too comfortable."

Her chest tightened at his words, though she tried to hide it behind a calm expression. "Why not? I thought you wanted me to keep up."

His lips twisted into a half-smile. It wasn't kind. "I do. But I also want you to remember who's really in charge here."

The words hung in the air, thick with a kind of finality that made Lila's stomach churn. She wanted to protest, to tell him that she didn't need him to remind her of that, but the words wouldn't come. Because he was right. He was always in charge.

He took a step closer, and Lila's pulse quickened. The office suddenly felt smaller, the walls closing in around her as he invaded her space. She resisted the urge to back away, to distance herself from him.

"You don't belong in an office like this," he said, his voice dropping to a quieter, more intimate tone. "Not yet. But you will. You'll learn how to play the game, Lila. How to make them all bend to your will. How to make them respect you... fear you."

His gaze didn't leave hers, and for a moment, Lila could have sworn he was looking right into her soul. She felt the pull again, that strange attraction, like a magnet drawing her in.

But she wasn't sure if it was desire or something darker.

"I don't want that," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, even as her heart pounded in her chest. "I don't want to be like you."

Sebastian's smile was slow, almost predatory. "You already are," he said softly. "Whether you admit it or not."

The words sent a chill down her spine. She wasn't sure what scared her more—the fact that he was probably right, or the way she felt in his presence. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing that if she took one step forward, there would be no turning back.

Before she could respond, he stepped back, putting the distance between them again. "Finish the file," he said simply, his tone all business. "I'll be watching."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving her alone in the silence of her office, the weight of his words lingering in the air like smoke.

The next morning, the work was still there, piling up like an insurmountable mountain. Lila sat at her desk, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to focus. It was harder now—harder to ignore the thoughts that kept creeping into her mind.

Was he right? Was she already starting to become like him?

Her phone buzzed on the desk, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts. She glanced at it and saw a message from Emma.

Just checking in—how's everything going with the new job?

Lila stared at the message for a long moment. She wanted to tell Emma everything. The pressure. The power Sebastian seemed to wield over her. The way he made her feel like she was caught in a current, unable to swim against it.

But she couldn't. Emma didn't know Sebastian. She didn't understand how suffocating it was to be in his orbit.

It's fine, Lila typed back quickly, erasing the message as soon as it was sent. Just busy. I'll catch up with you soon.

As she set the phone down, the door to her office opened once again. This time, she was prepared—mostly. She didn't look up immediately, but she knew who it was without needing to see his face.

Sebastian walked in with his usual effortless grace, his gaze sweeping over her desk before landing on her. He didn't speak right away. He simply waited, watching her.

"You finished?" he asked, his voice cold and precise.

Lila nodded, though the work still wasn't done. Not really. She had pushed herself to get through most of it, but she knew there was still more to go. More he would want. More he would demand.

But she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up.

Sebastian stepped forward, standing in front of her now. His eyes were piercing, his expression unreadable. He stared at her for a moment, and Lila couldn't look away. There was an intensity in his gaze that made her skin burn, and for the first time since she started this job, she felt truly exposed. Vulnerable.

"You're not finished," he said, his voice flat but laced with something dangerous. "I told you, Lila. I don't like excuses."

She opened her mouth to respond, but he held up a hand, silencing her.

"You'll do better next time," he said, his voice soft but carrying a weight that made her insides twist.

"I'll expect more from you."

His words hung in the air long after he left, and for the first time, Lila didn't know if she was afraid of failing him or what she was becoming under his control.