Chapter 2

The brisk air outside was a welcome relief as Elena stepped onto the sidewalk, the city's chaos wrapping around her like an old, familiar blanket. She clutched her notepad against her chest, her mind spinning with every detail of her encounter with Nicholas Hastings. His presence lingered-a gravitational pull she couldn't quite shake.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her back to reality. Fishing it out, she saw Jack Greer's name flashing on the screen.

"Did you charm the prince of Wall Street?" Jack's gruff voice barked the moment she answered.

"More like sparred with him," Elena replied, flagging down a cab. She slipped into the backseat, her voice steady but clipped. "He agreed to talk, but I didn't get much. He's a fortress."

Jack chuckled. "Of course he is. You didn't think it'd be easy, did you?"

"No, but he's sharper than I expected. Every question I asked, he turned it back on me. He knows how to play the game."

"Well, play it better. Dig deeper. You're not here to make friends, Elena-you're here to crack him open."

The line went dead before she could respond. Typical Jack.

As the cab weaved through traffic, Elena stared out the window, replaying every moment of her meeting with Nick. His sharp eyes, his calculated tone, the way he seemed to study her as much as she was studying him-it was all a dance, but she wasn't sure yet who was leading.

When she got back to her apartment, a cozy walk-up in Brooklyn that felt miles away from the gleaming towers of Manhattan, Elena collapsed onto the couch. She pulled out her notepad, flipping through her scribbled notes.

Nick Hastings: calculated, guarded, but human. Possible cracks in the armor? Explore further.

Her pen hovered over the page as her mind wandered to the faint flicker of vulnerability she thought she'd glimpsed in him. A moment where his charm had faltered, just for a second. Could she leverage that?

Her thoughts were interrupted by another buzz. This time, a text from an unknown number.

I hope you got what you needed today. Be careful where you dig. Some truths aren't worth the cost.

Elena sat bolt upright, her heart hammering. Who the hell was this?

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, debating how to respond. But before she could type a reply, the message disappeared-vanished, as if it had never existed.

She stared at the blank screen, a chill creeping up her spine. Someone was watching her.

The next morning, Elena was back at Hastings International, armed with a new angle and a sharper resolve. She hadn't planned to return so soon, but the mysterious message had ignited something in her-a mix of fear and defiance. If someone wanted her to stop, that only meant she was getting closer to something big.

The receptionist gave her a polite smile as she approached the desk. "Ms. Monroe. Mr. Hastings is expecting you. Please follow me."

Elena frowned. Expecting her? She hadn't scheduled another meeting. But she followed the receptionist without protest, her heels clicking against the marble floors.

This time, instead of the sterile conference room, she was led to a private office on the top floor. The space was exactly what she'd imagined for a man like Nick Hastings-sleek, modern, and exuding power. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city skyline, and a massive oak desk dominated the room.

Nick was standing by the window, his back to her, hands tucked into his pockets.

"You're persistent, Ms. Monroe," he said without turning around. "I like