Chapter 6: The Warning

The room remained quiet as everyone's eyes were on Wren.

At the far end of the table, Elliot Ashford didn't move. He sat perfectly still, one hand resting on the table in front of him.

"Ah," Elliot said, his voice smooth and unhurried, cutting through the silence. "You must be the new secretary." A pause, just a beat too long. "Michaels, was it?"

Wren's breath caught. She hadn't given her surname to anyone since walking into this building.

"Yes, sir," she managed. "Wren Michaels."

She saw it in Elliot's eyes: recognition, cold and immediate. He didn't smile.

"Michaels," he repeated slowly, like he was testing the weight of it. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

Theo stood from his seat and walked toward Wren, smiling, then turned to face the board of directors.

"Allow me to introduce Ashford Dynamics' new secretary, Wren Michaels."

The directors gave a round of applause.

"Please, have a seat," Theo said, gesturing to the row of chairs around the table.

Wren walked on wobbling legs to an empty seat and sat down, hands folded together, head bowed.

"Okay. Back to the matter at hand," Theo said, moving back to his own seat.

Wren sat across from Isabelle. She raised her head slowly, and her eyes met Isabelle's. Isabelle looked at her with a stony expression, then gave her a cold, warning smile.

The meeting wrapped up quickly. Some of the board members left the room; others stayed seated, busy on their laptops. Wren stood to leave, then Elliot called her.

"Miss Michaels."

She paused, her heart slamming against her chest. She swallowed hard and turned.

"Sir!"

Elliot looked at her for a moment, then smiled. "Welcome to Ashford Dynamics."

Relief flooded through Wren's body.

"Thank you, sir," she replied, then left the hall.

Outside, Cole was waiting. He escorted her to her office.

As Cole left, shutting the door behind him, Wren dropped her bag on the table and sat down. She loosened two buttons of her shirt, feeling hot despite the air conditioning. She ran a hand through her hair, released a heavy breath, and let her head rest against the desk.

A knock came at the door. Wren quickly raised her head, straightened her hair, and said, "Come in."

The door opened, and Isabelle stepped inside.

"Hey! Wren, congratulations on your promotion to secretary of Ashford Dynamics," she said, walking toward the desk.

"Thank you."

Isabelle reached the table and smiled. "I came to welcome you, and to properly introduce myself. My name is Isabelle Whitfield, daughter of Richard Whitfield, Ashford Dynamics' biggest investor." She rested both hands on the desk and leaned in. "Also, Theo's wife-to-be." She pulled back, standing straight, and smiled slightly.

Wren swallowed hard. "Okay. It's nice meeting you properly."

Isabelle's gaze drifted to a large piece of artwork on the wall behind Wren, then landed back on her.

"I see you and Theo are close," she said. "What's the connection?"

"Connection? There's no connection between us," Wren replied.

Isabelle let out a heavy breath, closing her eyes for a second before opening them again with a smile.

"I'll leave it at that." She adjusted her earrings. "I'll be seeing you around, Wren." She turned to leave, then stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot. Wren Michaels." A pause. "Keep your boundaries. I have the power to have you sacked or demoted." She smiled again, and in less than a second, it was gone. She turned and walked toward the door.

The door opened before she could leave, and Theo stepped in.

He paused for half a second, just long enough to catch the last traces of whatever had passed between the two women.

"Theo!" Isabelle said, already smiling, crossing the room toward him like nothing was wrong at all.

"What are you doing here?" Theo asked.

Isabelle paused, looking at him, then took a breath. "I came to properly welcome the new secretary."

"Properly welcome the new secretary?" Theo repeated.

"Yeah."

Theo's eyes moved to Wren, then back to Isabelle. "Okay. That's good." He shifted his gaze to Wren. "Wren Michaels." He smiled and walked past Isabelle, toward her.

Isabelle watched him pass, then turned and left the office.

Wren watched her go, then turned back to Theo.

"What are you doing, Theo? Did I ask to be your secretary? Did I beg you to promote me?"

Theo paused. "I told you, I want to keep you close. I want to make up for what I did to you."

"Listen, Theo. It won't work out between us again. I won't ever love you again, so stop all this." Wren's words came out sharp.

Theo stared at her, then nodded slowly.

"I know. Don't love me again. You can hate me all you want. But let me keep you beside me." His voice softened. "Please, Wren. Let me keep you near me. I'll go insane if you leave me. I really can't help it."

Wren swallowed hard, her eyes drifting to the floor.

"I... I have a boyfriend, Theo."

"I know. I'll be patient. I'll wait, however long it takes for you to come to me."

Wren let out a heavy breath, dragging a hand down her face.

"Here, this is the document you need to sign as the new secretary," Theo said, laying it on her desk. "After signing, give it to Cole to submit."

He turned to leave.

"Theo!" Wren called.

He turned, looking at her.

She tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come. "Never mind."

He nodded once and left the office.

Wren watched him go, then sank into her chair and buried her face in her hands.

Isabelle stepped into her own office and threw her bag onto the chair, harder than she meant to. She crossed to the small fridge, pulled out a bottle, and poured herself a drink with shaking hands. She drank it in one go, poured another, and drank that too. Then she hurled the glass at the wall. It shattered, a sharp, brief sound echoing through the empty room.

She stared at the shards scattered across the floor, breathing hard.

"I knew something was going on," she said quietly, to herself. "I saw it in his eyes at Harborline."

Her office door opened, and Claire stepped in.

"Ma'am, I'm done with the background search on the Harborline Operations Director."

Isabelle turned immediately. "Continue."

"Her name is Wren Michaels. She's an only child. Her father died of cancer five years ago, and her mother, Margie Michaels, runs the Millbrook Cove diner. Wren and the Ashford Dynamics CEO were in love fifteen years ago, before something happened that I wasn't able to uncover. Also, she–"

Isabelle cut her off. "Wren and Theo were in love fifteen years ago?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Isabelle scoffed. "I get it now. I understand clearly now." She laughed. "Well done, Claire."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"I want you to appoint someone to watch them closely, without being noticed, and report daily on their every movement together."

"Okay, ma'am."

"You can leave."

Isabelle stared at Claire as she left the office.

"I won't let this happen," she said to herself. "I can't lose you, Theo. I'll do anything it takes to keep you with me."