CHAPTER 4

Maeve Wells leaned over the sink, breath fogging the cracked mirror. The girl staring back looked nothing like someone ready to walk into a room full of sharks. The thrifted green dress scratched at her skin, the hem already coming loose. Her hair—God, she’d tried—was pinned up too tight, a few curls already breaking free like they knew better. Her eyes looked strange tonight. Too bright. 

Tonight wasn’t just another pitch. It was the night—facing the Takahashi Group, the investors who could make or break Carter Langston’s billion-dollar merger. One wrong breath, one stumble, and she’d be out of the Langston Challenge. No $50,000. No way to pull her family out of the wreckage. And worse—the memory of Carter’s offer in the limo still bruised her mind. Marriage. A contract. Her life on his terms.

She held the sink tightly till her knuckles were hurting.

“I have got this” she whispered to herself shakily but she was determined and fierce.

“For Mom. For Tommy. For Rita.”

Her phone beeped. It was a text from Leo urging her to come home and that she doesn’t have to do this.

Her chest tightened, sharp and hot. Leo’s worry had always been a tether, soft but suffocating. But she couldn’t turn back now. The prize money wasn’t a want—it was a lifeline.

She typed fast, I’m okay. Promise.

That wasn’t true. But she couldn’t let him see the cracks in her.

The gala didn’t even feel real, it was breathtaking. With expensive glittering chandeliers and glass walls. Maeve stepped out of the rideshare. She no longer wore her sneakers but borrowed heels. The other finalists moved through the crowd like they’d just stepped out of a magazine—perfect hair, perfect smiles, like they belonged here. Their laughter bounced around the room, easy and bright. Maeve held on to her notecards, the words she’d been practicing for weeks running circles in her head, suddenly all jumbled.

 Her fridge-sensor fix was clever, practical—but under these chandeliers, it felt small. 

She could feel the gap between them in every look that slid her way—each one small but sharp enough to nick at her confidence.

Inside, the air almost hummed with money—too clean, too cold.

The Takahashi Group stood by the fireplace like they owned the place, all perfect suits and calm faces, their translator whispering between them.

And then there was Carter Langston. He was easy to spot.

Even in the room with a wide range of people he still stood out. His steeze and composure was top notch. He looked at her for a second. The look made her feel somehow in an uncomfortable way. He hasn’t said anything to her since the limo incident.

 “Maeve, right?”

The voice broke her daze. Warm. Familiar. Cameron Langston stood a few feet away, the gentler shadow of his brother. 

His brown eyes had a warmth Carter’s never did, his smile easy but certain.

“You look like you don’t fit in” he said teasingly with a grin on his face.

 “But in a good way. Want a tour guide through the jungle?”

She laughed, quiet and nervous, but the sound steadied her. “That obvious I’m lost?”

“Only to someone actually looking,” he said, handing her a glass of sparkling water instead of champagne. “Carter’s got everyone walking on glass, but you— you’re holding your own. That pitch earlier was sharp.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Thanks. I just… can’t afford to mess this up. Too much depends on it.”

He nodded, with a soft expression.“Family?”

She took time , then nodded. “Yeah. Always family.”

Cameron’s smile dimmed. “Carter doesn’t understand that. To him, people are just… parts of the deal.”

Before she could respond, a bell chimed through the air, sharp and final. Time to pitch.

Maeve’s turn came before she could get herself together. Her heels were shaking as she climbed the steps as she came on stage. The room spurned. It was mixed with faces of good people with polite smiles and also with judgemental people. She took in a breath, forced her voice to be audible then began even though her heart was beating rapidly.

“My solution addresses the sensor flaw in Langston’s smart fridge line,” she began, notecards trembling in her hand, then lowering. She spoke from memory. From need. “It’s not just about technology—it’s about reliability. Families trust these products to make their lives easier. When one fails, it’s not just groceries that spoil. It’s their budget, their peace, their week.”

The Takahashis leaned forward, their translator scribbling. A flicker of approval moved across their faces. Maeve caught it, held on to it. Her words came easier after that. She ended with a steady voice, a small bow, and polite applause.

But Carter’s stare stayed locked on her—piercing, unreadable, heavy. Almost… possessive. She looked away quickly, pretending to care about anything else.

The evening melted back into soft music and murmurs, glasses clinking, heels echoing on marble. Maeve found a quiet corner and exhaled, nursing her sparkling water like it could ground her.

Cameron reappeared, grin back in place. “You killed it,” he said. “The Takahashis were impressed. Carter noticed too.”

Her stomach twisted . “He’s looking at her like she is hard to figure out.”

Cameron’s smile wavered. “That’s exactly how he works. People are chess pieces. You’re… not. That’s the reason he doesn’t know how to handle you.”

She didn’t had a chance to give him a reply. The doors at the far end burst open, and silence fell like a blade.

Jade Kensington entered like fire walking—crimson gown, hair in a perfect twist, eyes glittering like she was born for ruin. Maeve’s pulse quickened. Jade—the scorned heiress who had already made headlines for storming a Langston event once before.

The crowd parted instinctively as Jade strode toward Carter, her heels biting against marble.

“Carter Langston,” her voice sliced through the air, commanding the room’s silence. She held up a USB drive, gleaming under the chandeliers. “You think you can play king forever? This—” she lifted it higher, “—is proof your empire’s built on lies. Faulty products. Fudged reports. And worse. The Takahashis deserve to know the truth.”

The words detonated like glass breaking. The Takahashis stiffened. The translator’s voice became a rush of quick Japanese.

Carter didn’t move. Didn’t blink. But Maeve saw it—a twitch in his hand, the first fracture in his calm.

“Jade,” he said, low and taut. “This isn’t the place.”

Her smile was all venom. “Oh, it’s exactly the place. You used me. Threw me aside. And now you hide behind this contest, pretending your empire’s clean. I’m done playing quiet.”

Maeve’s heart was beating so hard. She looked at Cameron. He tightened his jaw, his eyes going from his brother and Jade. “She’s not bluffing,” he muttered under his breath. “She’s been digging for months.”

Before Maeve could respond, Carter moved—smooth, fast, almost rehearsed. He caught Jade by the arm, steering her toward a side door. His voice was low but rough, something sharp hidden underneath it.

Whispers filled the air like smoke. The Takahashis watched, expressionless but alert. Maeve’s gut twisted. Whatever was on that USB—whatever Jade had—it could destroy the merger. And take Maeve’s chance with it.

Cameron leaned closer, his hand brushing her arm. His voice was urgent now. “Maeve, you need to be careful. If Jade’s telling the truth, Carter’s in deeper than anyone thinks. And you—” he paused, eyes locking with hers, “—you’re standing right in the middle.”

She didn’t have time to answer.

A sharp crack split through the air.

Glass? A door? Something heavier.

The crowd turned as one, murmurs rising into panic.

Carter emerged from the side door, pale, shaken, his perfect composure fractured.

Jade was gone.

The USB lay on the floor, glinting beneath the chandelier like bait.

Maeve froze