Chapter 7: Rivalry Brews

Julian’s POV

The day had been long, but not unusually so for me. Sterling Enterprise didn’t run itself, and I didn’t have the luxury of fatigue. Still, there was something different in the air when I walked into the boardroom that morning. An undercurrent. A subtle shift in the way people moved, like a storm was about to break.

And I knew exactly where it was coming from.

Elias.

He was leaning casually against the far wall, his arms crossed, that faint smirk on his face that had always made me want to break his jaw. Elias Moretti, Senior Vice President of International Operations, was good at his job annoyingly good, but he was better at politics. The man could spin a rumor faster than anyone I knew, and right now, I could feel the heat of his game.

“Sterling,” he greeted, his tone oily. “Heard you’ve been… involved in the events planning department lately.”

My eyes narrowed. He didn’t need to name Celeste for me to know where he was going.

“Keeping tabs on everyone, Moretti?” I asked, walking past him to the head of the table.

“Only on the ones who might be… distracted,” he said, voice just loud enough for the room to hear.

A few of the board members shifted in their seats. Not all of them liked me, some tolerated me because I delivered results, others because they had no choice but I could read the flicker of interest in their eyes. Elias had planted the seed. That was all he ever needed to do.

I ignored him and began the meeting, going over quarterly performance, upcoming contracts, and the projected impact of the Henderson account the one Celeste was currently managing. She’d been efficient, precise, and frankly, better than I’d expected. That, of course, only gave Elias more ammunition. He thrived on creating tension between personal and professional lines.

When the meeting ended, Elias lingered.

“You know,” he said, stepping closer, “you should be careful. Word gets around. People talk. And if they think you’re showing… favoritism…”

I met his gaze. “If I ever decide to favor someone, Moretti, you’ll be the last to know.”

He smiled, slow and deliberate. “We’ll see.”

Back in my office, I stared out the window at the San Diego skyline. The city was bright, almost too bright, the sunlight reflecting off glass towers in a way that made the edges of the world sharp. It was nothing like New York, where the shadows were longer and the pace faster, but I’d adapted. I always did.

My phone buzzed. Private number.

“Sterling.”

Silence. Then a voice I hadn’t heard in two years.

“Still too cold to say hello, Julian?”

Every muscle in my body went tight. “Why are you calling me?”

“You’re still angry,” she said, a little laugh in her tone. “It’s been years, Julian. Don’t tell me you haven’t forgiven me.”

Forgiven her? Not a chance.

“You cost me more than you’ll ever admit,” I said, my voice low.

“That’s not how I remember it,” she replied. “But I’ll leave you to your… business. I just thought I’d remind you that not everyone in your circle is loyal.”

The line went dead before I could answer.

The past betrayal was still a wound, one I’d buried deep. But hearing her voice now her smugness made it feel raw again. I knew Elias would exploit any perceived weakness. He always had. And if she was reaching out now, it wasn’t coincidence.

When I walked out into the main office floor later, I saw Celeste at her desk, focused on a stack of notes. She didn’t look up when I passed, and I didn’t stop. But I noticed the faint crease between her brows, the way her fingers tapped the pen against the page.

Someone had spoken to her.

By the time I reached the elevator, I’d made up my mind. If Elias thought he could manipulate this, I’d make sure he regretted it. And if she, the caller, thought she could rattle me again, she’d find I wasn’t the man she’d left behind.

That evening, I stayed late in the office, reviewing contracts. The city outside had shifted into night mode neon signs glowing, the hum of traffic floating up from the streets below. I didn’t hear the door until it clicked shut behind someone.

“Working late?”

I didn’t have to look to know it was Elias.

“Unlike some, I work for my paycheck,” I said without glancing up.

“Careful, Julian. The board’s watching you. They think you’re making… risky moves.”

“Let them watch.”

He leaned against my desk. “Just don’t let a pretty face cost you everything again.”

For a moment, I said nothing. Then I looked up, my expression unreadable. “Get out of my office, Elias.”

His smirk widened before he finally walked out, leaving the faint echo of his footsteps in the hall.

I sat back in my chair, the weight of the day settling over me. The rivalry was no longer simmering; it was starting to boil. And if I wasn’t careful, it would spill over into everything, including the one part of my life I was trying to keep controlled.

Celeste didn’t know it yet, but she was standing in the middle of a battlefield. And in this game, the collateral damage was always personal.