3. The Wolves’ Den

Amelia adjusted her blazer as she stepped into the grand lobby of Black Tower. The space was as intimidating as its owner: sleek, modern, and unapologetically commanding. Polished black marble floors reflected the pristine glass walls, and a massive geometric chandelier cast intricate patterns of light across the space. A steady hum of professionalism filled the air as employees moved with purpose.

She approached the front desk, where a woman in a sharp suit greeted her with a knowing smile. “Ms. Hayes, Mr. Black is expecting you. Please follow me.”

Amelia nodded, following Natalie to a private elevator tucked away behind a column. The elevator hummed as it climbed higher into the clouds, its soft chime breaking the suffocating silence. Amelia tried to focus on the rhythmic rise of the floor numbers, but her reflection in the elevator’s mirrored walls betrayed her nerves. She was stepping into unknown territory, and Adrian Black was waiting on the other side.

When the elevator doors slid open, Amelia found herself in a space that was the epitome of modern luxury. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the vast expanse of Adrian Black’s office, framing the city skyline like a living painting. The air smelled faintly of leather and expensive cologne.

Natalie gestured toward an office at the end of the hall. “Mr. Black is inside. Go ahead.”

Amelia hesitated, then squared her shoulders and walked toward the double doors. She pushed them open to find Adrian standing by a window, hands in his pockets, his back to her. His suit was black as midnight, cut so impeccably that he seemed sculpted by shadow and light. He turned at her approach, his sharp gray eyes locking onto hers like a predator acknowledging prey.

“Punctual. I like that,” he greeted smoothly, his voice resonating in the expansive room.

She stopped a few feet away, her heels clicking faintly against the polished floor. “It’s a job interview, isn’t it? Late arrivals wouldn’t make a great impression.”

Adrian’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “Ah, but this isn’t a job interview. Not in the traditional sense. You don’t need to prove your worth to me, you already have. Sit.”

Amelia sat down, her posture stiff. She felt his gaze on her, appraising her, but there was no smirk, no trace of the arrogance she expected from a man of his stature. Instead, there was calculation.

“Let’s not waste time,” Adrian began, sliding a leather folder across the desk. “This is the offer. It includes your title, your responsibilities, and…”

“I don’t need to see the numbers,” Amelia interrupted, her voice firmer than she expected. “I’m not here to be dazzled by a paycheck or a fancy title. I want to know what you really want from me.”

Adrian leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. “Straight to the point. I like that. Very well.”

He stood, walking to the windows as if collecting his thoughts. “Black Enterprises isn’t just a corporation,it’s an ecosystem. Everything we do, every deal we make, has ripple effects across industries, cities, even countries. To maintain that kind of control, I need people who think ten steps ahead. People who see opportunities where others see obstacles.”

Amelia folded her arms. “And you think that’s me?”

“I know it is.” Adrian turned back to her, his gaze as sharp as a blade. “I’ve reviewed every deal you negotiated at Cavendish. You don’t just follow the script, you rewrite it. That’s what I need.”

The compliment caught her off guard, but she masked it with a skeptical smile. “You’re building me up an awful lot for someone you’ve only just met.”

Adrian’s expression didn’t waver. “I don’t gamble, Amelia. When I take risks, they’re calculated. And you…” He stopped abruptly and stared at her more intently. He leaned forward slightly. “You’re a risk worth taking.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, but somewhat Amelia these were not the exact words he was going to tell initially.

“Ethan?” she asked suddenly, watching his reaction. “Does this have anything to do with him?”

Adrian’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes, amusement, perhaps? “Ethan Cavendish is irrelevant.”

“Somehow, I don’t believe that,” Amelia said. “You wouldn’t have approached me if there wasn’t something you wanted that involved him.”

“This is your contract. Take your time to review it, but I assure you, it’s fair. Generous, even. I want to offer you something that Ethan Cavendish never could.”

Her stomach twisted at the mention of Ethan’s name. “You don’t know anything about what Ethan offered me.”

“Oh, but I do,” Adrian said, his tone razor-sharp.

“You don’t know anything about my marriage,” she said, her voice trembling with barely contained anger.

Adrian didn’t reply, but the look on his face was unreadable. Amelia didn’t know what to conclude from his expression.

Amelia opened the folder, her eyes scanning the pages. The salary was staggering, far beyond anything she had earned at Cavendish. But what caught her attention was the clause about confidentiality. Adrian wasn’t just hiring her for any position; she’d be privy to some of the company’s most sensitive information.

“This isn’t your standard job offer,” she said, glancing up at him.

“Nothing about me is standard,” Adrian replied with a faint smile.

Before she could press further, the door opened, and a man walked in, a man whose presence immediately filled the room with tension.

“Adrian,” the man said, his tone clipped. He was tall, with a military bearing and a scar running down the side of his face. His dark suit couldn’t mask the raw energy of someone accustomed to confrontation.

“Victor,” Adrian said without looking at him. “You’re early.”

Victor’s eyes flicked to Amelia, and she felt the weight of his scrutiny. “I wasn’t aware you had company.”

“This is Amelia Hayes,” Adrian said smoothly. “She’s considering joining us.”

Victor’s expression changed and his gaze lingered on her for a moment too long before returning to Adrian. “A word. Privately.”

Adrian nodded once. “Excuse me, Amelia. Feel free to review the offer while I step out.”

She watched as Adrian and Victor disappeared into a side room, the door closing behind them. As soon as they were gone, the air seemed to shift, the room suddenly feeling too quiet.

Amelia’s instincts kicked in. She stood and moved to the window, her eyes scanning the city below. She wasn’t here to play games, but she also wasn’t about to let herself be played.

Her eyes drifted to Adrian’s desk. The folder was still there, open, but it wasn’t the offer that caught her attention, it was the small flash drive sitting beside it.

Curiosity battled with caution. She glanced at the door, then back at the drive. It was reckless, stupid even, but she couldn’t help herself.

Sliding the drive into her bag, she quickly returned to her seat as the door opened and Adrian walked back in.

“Apologies,” he said, his tone as calm as ever. “Unavoidable interruption.”

“No problem,” Amelia said, forcing a polite smile.

Adrian studied her for a moment before sitting down. “Have you made your decision?”

She hesitated. The truth was, she didn’t know. Adrian’s offer was tempting, more than tempting. But something about this entire situation felt like stepping into quicksand.

“I’ll need more time,” she said finally.

Adrian nodded, though she could sense his impatience. “Take the weekend. But remember, Amelia, opportunities like this don’t wait forever.”

She stood, clutching her bag tightly. “I’ll let you know.”

As she left the building, her mind was a whirlwind of questions and doubts. What had she just gotten herself into?

She decided to clear her head with a walk, letting her feet take her through the bustling streets of downtown. She ended up at a small café she used to frequent during her early days at Cavendish. The familiar smell of fresh coffee and pastries brought a fleeting sense of comfort.

She was halfway through her latte when her phone buzzed. It was Sarah.

“Hey, how’d it go?”

Amelia hesitated. “I don’t know. It feels complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“He knows things about me, Sarah. Things I never told him. It’s like he’s been watching me.”

There was a pause on the other end. “Amelia, that’s unsettling. Are you sure you want to work for someone like that?”

“I don’t know. But this could be my chance to finally get out of Ethan’s shadow, to prove that I’m more than just his ex-wife.”

“Just promise me you’ll be careful,” Sarah said.

“I will.”

But even as Amelia said the words, a part of her wondered if she could keep that promise.

Later that evening, Amelia sat on her couch, poring over the contract. The more she read, the more questions she had. The terms were airtight, leaving no room for loopholes or mistakes. Adrian had clearly planned this meticulously.

Her phone buzzed, breaking her concentration. She frowned when she saw the caller ID: Ethan.

Reluctantly, she answered. “What do you want?”

“I heard you went to see Adrian Black,” Ethan said, his tone laced with accusation.

“How is that any of your business?”

“Because I know Adrian. And trust me, Amelia, he’s not who you think he is.”

She rolled her eyes. “Spare me the warnings, Ethan. You lost the right to tell me what to do the moment you decided Sophie was worth more than our marriage.”

“This isn’t about that!” he snapped. 

“Why do you care? You didn’t care about my potential when I was working for you.”

Ethan sighed. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection,” she said coldly before hanging up.

She stared at her phone, anger simmering beneath the surface. Why was Ethan suddenly so interested in her decisions? And what did he mean by knowing Adrian?

That’s when the thought of the flash drive crossed her mind. She ran to get it. She plugged the flash drive into her laptop. Files popped up immediately. Among all the files, an email thread caught her attention.

Her heart pounded as she read the subject line: “Cavendish Project: Phase One.”

Amelia’s breath hitched. Adrian had lied. Ethan wasn’t irrelevant, he was the centerpiece.