Chapter 20 The Sense of Rivalry

The strategy workshop had entered its second day, and the conference room was thick with the scent of coffee and tension. Yerin sat with her back straight, her pen moving across her notebook, but her focus was fractured. Across the table, Jayden leaned back in his chair, watching the discussion with hooded eyes. Beside her, Elliot was presenting the latest iteration of their market analysis.

Then someone from the finance team raised a concern.

“The projected ROI doesn't align with the timeline,” the woman said, tapping her pen. “If we push this fast, we risk overextending.”

Elliot nodded, already reaching for a supporting document. “I understand the concern. Let me walk you through the risk mitigation—”

Jayden leaned forward, arms crossed, and let the silence stretch just a beat too long. The air in the room felt suddenly thin.

“You know,” he began, his tone almost lazy, “Elliot has a way of making people believe in him. Even when he isn't so sure himself.”

The room went completely still. His words landed heavily, each one chosen to cut deep. A few people shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Elliot’s grip on his pen tightened. He kept his posture relaxed, but Yerin noticed the careful way he held his breath—the tight control of someone not letting the words get to him. His knuckles were pale.

Jayden’s voice stayed smooth, almost conversational, but his eyes were cold. “You’ve always talked up teamwork. Believed in it more than anything. Funny how that doesn’t always work in your personal life, huh?”

This one hit harder. The last shred of professional mood in the room vanished. This was no longer about business.

Hazel, sitting beside Jayden, went completely stiff. Her fingers pressed lightly against the tabletop. Her face stayed calm, but her eyes showed a clear flicker of unease. She looked down at her notes, pretending to write something.

Across the room, Yerin felt a sharp twist in her stomach. Jayden wasn’t just criticizing—he was aiming to hurt. To embarrass. She could see the satisfaction in the slight curl of his lip.

A thick, uncomfortable silence filled the space. People glanced at each other, unsure where to look. The air felt charged, like before a storm.

For a long moment, Elliot didn’t speak. His fingers tightened on the table, then slowly relaxed. His face was a mask of calm, but the tight line of his jaw gave him away.

He let out a slow, quiet breath, steadying himself. When he finally spoke, his voice was even and strictly professional. “If you have a real point to make about the market analysis, Jayden, I’m listening. Otherwise, let’s stick to the topic.”

Jayden gave a soft, dismissive laugh and shook his head. “Sure. Of course. Let’s keep it professional.” He waved a hand, as if brushing away something trivial.

The discussion moved on, but the damage was done. The mood had shifted. As Elliot continued explaining his reasoning with practiced ease, Hazel watched him closely, like she was trying to see if he was really okay or just putting on a good show. Her earlier calm was gone, replaced by a quiet worry.

Jayden just leaned back, looking quietly satisfied. He didn’t need Elliot to fight back. The words were already out there, stuck in everyone’s mind.

Yerin couldn’t shake the hot anger building in her chest. She held her notebook so tightly her fingers ached. The second the facilitator called the session to an end, she was up and moving.

She weaved through the shuffling chairs and caught up with Jayden just as he stepped into the hallway.

“That was unnecessary,” she said, her voice low and sharp. She stood her ground, blocking his path slightly.

He turned, eyebrows raised in fake surprise. A smug smirk touched his lips. “Unnecessary? I only said what other people have thought. What’s wrong with that? Truth hurts sometimes.”

Yerin crossed her arms. “You attacked him in front of everyone over a personal grudge. It was childish and unprofessional.”

He chuckled, dry and humorless. “And yet, here you are, defending him again.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “Are you upset because I was hard on Elliot? Or is it because I said something that hit a little too close to home?”

A little further down the hall, Elliot stepped out of the meeting room and let out a slow, heavy breath. The tension from the meeting still sat in his chest like a rock. He loosened his tie and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the weight.

Quiet footsteps came up behind him. Hazel walked over, her hands tucked into her blazer pockets. She leaned against the wall beside him, not saying anything at first.

“You know he doesn’t actually hate you, right?” Her voice was calm, almost amused, but there was a carefulness to it.

Elliot let out a short, humorless laugh. “Sure doesn’t feel that way.”

Hazel shifted her weight. “Jayden has a sharp tongue. I won't argue with that. But you let him get to you too easily. You always have.”

Elliot shook his head, staring at the floor. “I didn’t let him get to me. I didn't say anything back.”

Hazel raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you? He poked, and you’re still thinking about it. I can see it on your face.”

Elliot opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. She was right. He let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair.

Hazel watched him for a moment before speaking again, her voice softer. “Look, I’m not saying he was right. It was a low move. But you know how he is—he doesn’t say things just to be cruel. There's usually a point, even if it's messed up.”

Elliot glanced at her, unimpressed. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“No.” Hazel gave a small, wry smile. “But it should make you think.” She paused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You have this way of assuming people will always see you the way you want them to. You believe in the best version of yourself. But Jayden… he sees through that. Maybe that’s what bothers you most. Not the insult, but the truth in it.”

Elliot’s brow furrowed. He knew Hazel didn’t say things without a reason. Her words landed heavily, adding to the weight he already felt.

Hazel let the silence settle before adding her final thought, her voice quiet but clear. “Just… don’t take everything he says as an attack. He’s difficult, and he’s a jerk sometimes, but he’s not the villain in your story.”

She gave his arm a light, reassuring pat and walked away, her footsteps fading down the hall.

Elliot stood there for a long moment, his thoughts heavier than before. He replayed Jayden’s words, Hazel’s words, the way Yerin had looked at him from across the room.

He’s not the villain in your story. 

But if Jayden wasn’t the villain, Elliot thought bitterly, then who was?