Ava's hands shook as she pressed the phone to her ear. The voice was low, controlled, and terrifyingly calm:
> "You're mine now… and everyone you love belongs to me too."
Her breath caught. She tried to speak, to demand answers, but the line went dead.
Her pulse hammered in her ears. Who was that? And how did they know about Damian… about me?
The office doors that had slammed shut earlier were still locked. The hum of the air conditioning felt suffocating. Every employee in the boardroom avoided eye contact. Whispers and glances carried fear Ava didn't understand.
She pressed her back against the wall, scanning the room for any signs of movement. The blinds quivered slightly, though the wind outside was calm. The sense of being watched was suffocating.
Her phone buzzed again. This time, a text:
> "Don't trust anyone. Not even him. Not even Damian. — M."
Ava's mind raced. Not even Damian? How could I survive six months under his supervision if even he isn't trustworthy?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor. She turned to see Damian entering the room, his expression unreadable.
"You look tense," he said, his voice smooth but cold. "Do I need to remind you that failure is not an option?"
Ava swallowed, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I'm… focused."
"Good." His eyes lingered on her a moment longer than necessary, and she felt that familiar, suffocating pull he always had on her. A mix of fear and something dangerously magnetic.
He stepped closer. "Your first real test begins now."
Ava frowned. "Test?"
"Yes." He handed her a sealed envelope, heavier than the ones before. "You will deliver this to Kane Global's main office and ensure it reaches the hands of the person named inside. No mistakes. Failure is not an option."
Her stomach twisted. Simple enough, right? Except that she recognized the name on the top of the dossier: Elena Stark. Damian's rival. Ruthless. Dangerous. And now, somehow, her problem.
"You want me to… go to her?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes," Damian said, his tone flat, leaving no room for discussion. "You are my instrument, Ava. Your job is to execute, not question."
Ava nodded, swallowing hard. An instrument. She hated the word, hated the implication, but she couldn't deny the thrill of tension curling through her veins.
---
The Journey Begins
By noon, Ava was in a sleek, black sedan, heading toward Elena Stark's skyscraper headquarters. Her mind replayed Damian's instructions over and over: deliver the envelope, observe, report back immediately, no mistakes.
The streets of the city gleamed with sunlight reflecting off rain-slicked pavement. Despite the day's brightness, Ava felt like she was stepping into shadows. Every pedestrian, every passerby seemed like a potential threat.
Her phone buzzed again. A message from Ethan, Damian's assistant:
> Keep eyes open. This is not a simple delivery. Trust no one.
Ava clenched the folder tighter, nerves spiking. She didn't know what to expect. But she knew one thing: Damian Kane was not a man who sent her on a simple errand.
The car pulled up to the front entrance of Elena Stark's skyscraper. Glass towers reflected the sunlight, but Ava barely noticed the beauty. She was focused on the threat, the weight of the task, and the sudden sense that she had stepped into a battlefield.
She exited the car, her heels clicking against the polished stone. Every step echoed like a warning. Her pulse thundered in her ears.
---
First Confrontation
The lobby was vast, gleaming, intimidating. A security guard stepped forward as she approached.
"ID, please," he said, scanning her with a sharp gaze.
Ava handed him Damian's company credentials. The guard hesitated but then nodded. "Ms. Sinclair. Elevator is on your right. Floor 52."
She nodded, barely breathing as she stepped inside the elevator. The walls of polished steel reflected her tense expression. Every second stretched endlessly.
The elevator chimed, and she stepped onto floor 52. The office hallway was empty, sterile, and silent. Her footsteps echoed in the emptiness. She gripped the envelope like a lifeline.
And then she saw her.
Elena Stark. Taller, sharper, radiating a cold authority that made the air itself seem colder. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Well, well," Elena said, her voice smooth and dangerous. "Ava Sinclair. I've heard of you."
Ava's heart skipped. "I—I'm delivering something from Damian Kane," she said cautiously.
Elena's eyes glittered. "Ah… the infamous Kane. Always making things complicated."
Ava handed her the envelope, trying to mask the tremor in her hands. Elena's fingers brushed hers briefly. Too long. Too deliberate. And Ava felt that familiar shiver of unease that Damian always induced, only now amplified by Elena's dangerous presence.
"Open it," Elena said, her smile never faltering.
Ava hesitated. "I… I'm not allowed to—"
Elena laughed softly, a sound that sent chills down Ava's spine. "Don't worry. I know what you're not allowed to do. But some lessons are learned the hard way."
Ava's pulse surged. Lesson? Hard way? She realized she was stepping into a game far larger than she had anticipated.
---
The First Test
Elena handed her a small device—a recorder.
"Deliver this to Kane Global's rival division by end of day," she said. "Do not fail, or there will be consequences."
Ava's stomach twisted. Another task. Another shadow in Damian's game. She realized quickly that this wasn't just about obedience. It was about survival, intelligence, and navigating a world where everyone wanted her eliminated.
She nodded, swallowing her fear. "Understood."
Elena's smile widened. "Good. Don't disappoint me—or him."
Ava left the skyscraper, heart pounding. She realized how dangerous her position truly was. Every move she made was watched, every step calculated, every word potentially a weapon.
Her phone buzzed again. Another message:
> You have two choices: survive or fail. Make your decision wisely. — M.
Her chest tightened. Who is M? And why is he—or she—watching me?
---
Back at the Villa
By evening, Ava returned to the villa, exhausted and mentally drained. The tasks had been complex, tense, and every encounter carried hidden threats. She felt like she had walked through a minefield.
Damian was waiting. He hadn't moved from the grand staircase, his eyes fixed on her the moment she entered.
"You returned," he said, flat but alert. "Report."
Ava handed him a concise summary of her day, her tone professional despite her inner chaos.
Damian's gaze scanned her, sharp and calculating. "Good. But you hesitated at every point. Hesitation is a luxury you cannot afford. Remember: one mistake…" He let the sentence hang, the weight suffocating.
"I understand," she said, her voice firmer than she felt.
He nodded once, sharply. "Tomorrow, the stakes get higher. Prepare yourself."
---
Nightfall and the Threat
After Damian left the room, Ava finally allowed herself a moment to breathe. Her hands shook as she poured a glass of water, her mind replaying every interaction of the day.
Her phone buzzed again. Another message:
> He isn't the only threat. Someone in his inner circle wants you gone. Be careful who you trust. — M.
Ava's eyes widened. The pieces were starting to come together, but the picture was terrifying. Damian Kane's world was a battlefield, and she had been thrust into the center. She realized:
Damian's obsession was real and suffocating.
Her every action was being monitored.
There were unknown enemies, even within Damian's empire.
Survival required cunning, courage, and nerves of steel.
Her pulse raced as she glanced at the envelope Damian had left her. The contract. The six months. Every clause binding her, every rule controlling her. She shivered.
She knew one thing for certain: her life had changed forever, and the danger had only just begun.