CHAPTER 9: SO THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE UP TO

Nathaniel: POV

I was scared to enter Damien's office. I didn't know why he had asked me to come. Had my assistant told him what she saw?

I opened the door and walked in. My assistant was already sitting there, and my heart started beating fast. I moved slowly toward them, each step feeling heavier than the last.

When I reached Damien's desk, my eyes went straight to her face, hoping she would give me some kind of sign. She wouldn't look at me. She kept her eyes down, and that made my fear even worse.

What was she doing here? God, this idiot must have told Damien what she saw. Why couldn't this girl keep her mouth shut? How was I going to defend myself? Damien was going to find out I'd been sleeping with his woman.

"Nathaniel, sit down." Damien's voice was firm, leaving no room for delay. "There is a problem at hand, and we need to solve it now."

I slowly pulled out the chair and sat down. My eyes went back to my assistant, but she still wouldn't look at me. I was beginning to think this fool had told Damien everything.

Damien leaned back in his chair and looked at both of us. "This company is in serious trouble. Our clients are withdrawing, investors are pulling out, and the board is demanding answers. I need us to put our heads together before things get worse."

Thank God. She hadn't told him anything. This girl was lucky. If she had, I would have made sure she regretted it.

"What do you want us to do?" I turned back to Damien, keeping my voice steady.

"We need to get their trust back." Damien's jaw tightened. "Because of what my useless wife did, these people don't trust us anymore. We need to put in every effort to bring them back. Is that clear?"

"Yes, it's clear." I nodded. "We'll do everything we can to earn that trust and bring them back."

"Good." He straightened in his chair. "I want both of you working on this immediately. Contact the clients, speak to the investors, and do whatever you can to calm the situation. I don't want to hear that we've lost another client because we didn't act fast enough."

Felicia had been staring at the notes in front of her, barely listening. Her fingers tightened around the pen in her hand, trembling slightly.

"Felicia, are you okay?" Damien asked.

Her head snapped up. "Sir, are you talking to me?"

"Have you not been listening to everything we've been saying?" A frown crossed his face. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, sir." She straightened quickly. "I'm fine. I'll put in my best to make sure the company gets back to the way it was."

I watched Felicia closely the entire time, terrified she was about to say something. I kept my face calm, but inside I was falling apart.

"You both can leave now." Damien dismissed us with a wave. "Get to work immediately. I don't want excuses or news that another client has left."

I stood and followed Felicia out of his office. She walked ahead of me without saying a word. I studied her closely, trying to figure out what was going through her mind.

Felicia stopped when she reached her desk. Vanessa was already sitting there, waiting.

She turned slowly, and her eyes widened the moment she saw me standing behind her. She looked at Vanessa, then back at me. She took a small step back, but Vanessa remained seated, watching her with a calm, unbothered expression.

"Vanessa, why are you sitting in my chair?" Felicia's voice came out smaller than she intended.

Vanessa stood and walked straight toward her. Felicia didn't move. She watched Vanessa approach, her expression growing more nervous with every step.

"I've been waiting for you." Vanessa stopped directly in front of her. "There's something we need to talk about, and I think you already know what it is."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Felicia shook her head. "Please, I don't want any trouble."

"What you saw in Nathaniel's office stays between us." Vanessa's voice was low, almost pleasant. "If I hear that you said a single word to anyone, especially Damien, you'll regret it. I'm sure you value your life, Felicia. So think very carefully before you decide to open your mouth."

Felicia's face went pale. Her eyes dropped to the phone sitting on her desk, and slowly, her hand moved toward it.

I noticed before Vanessa did.

Before her fingers could close around it, I placed my hand firmly over hers. She froze and looked up at me.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" My voice stayed quiet. Controlled.

"Oh, really?" Vanessa's calm cracked for just a second. "You want to record everything I'm saying? You little snitch!"

"No." Felicia's voice trembled. "I wasn't trying to record you. I swear."

I leaned closer and dropped my voice even lower. "Keep your mouth shut, Felicia. Don't say a word about what you saw. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay quiet. Or you'll regret it."

Her hands were shaking visibly now. "I didn't see anything," she whispered.

Vanessa smiled and stepped closer. "Good girl. Then you won't have a problem keeping it that way." A brief pause. "I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to your mother while she's still at Lenox Hill Hospital."

Felicia's breath caught. "Wait." Her voice cracked completely. "How do you know about my mother?"

She stared at Vanessa in disbelief, her face draining of all color.

"I know everything about you." Vanessa's smile didn't waver. "If you make the mistake of saying a word to anyone, I'll make sure something happens to both of you. And guess what? No one will ever know what happened to either of you. So the ball is in your court."

Felicia's entire body trembled. She looked at Vanessa, then at me, tears filling her eyes.

"I won't say anything." Her voice broke. "Just don't hurt my mother. She's all I have. Please."

"Good girl." I stepped back from her. "Now you're talking."

I glanced at Vanessa. She gave me a small nod.

"Let's go." I turned toward the door.

I opened it and my entire body froze.

I couldn't move.

Vanessa's phone slipped from her hand.

Damien was standing right there, arms folded across his chest, filling the doorway completely. His eyes moved slowly from Vanessa to Felicia, taking in her trembling hands, her tear-streaked face, the way she was gripping the edge of her desk like it was the only thing holding her upright. Then his gaze settled on me and stayed there. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to. The look in his eyes was enough.

The silence stretched so long it became unbearable.

Then his voice came through, low and deliberate.

"So this is what you guys are up to?"