All Chapters of Tangled in His Web: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The morning after the presentation, the air in Knight Enterprises felt different.Lily Carter noticed it the second she walked through the glass doors, clutching her travel mug like a holy relic. Usually, she was greeted with indulgent smirks, whispers about her clumsiness, or the occasional not-so-subtle bets on “how long she’ll last.”But today… people actually looked at her. Not with mockery, but with something almost resembling respect.Almost.She passed a group of analysts who stopped mid-conversation.“That was her, right?” one whispered. “Yeah. The sunflower speech.” “Chen actually smiled.” “No one makes Chen smile.”Lily flushed, tripping slightly over her own heels. Oh my God. They’re talking about me. Is this what competence feels like?Melissa intercepted her at her desk, grinning like the cat who’d found the cream. “Well, well, look who’s the office celebrity. Miss Photosynthesis herself.”Lily groaned. “Don’t call me that. I’m still trying to forget I compared Knight

Mondays at Knight Enterprises usually meant stacks of reports, Alex’s clipped orders, and Lily battling the printer that seemed to hate her personally. But that morning, the rhythm shifted when a sleek, cream-colored envelope arrived.It wasn’t the sort of invitation you could miss. Heavy cardstock, embossed lettering, the kind of thing that probably cost more than Lily’s rent.She plucked it from the receptionist’s desk with curiosity. “Ooh, fancy snail mail. Bet it’s a Hogwarts letter. Mr. Knight’s finally getting the magic school education he deserves.”Melissa snorted. “Please. If he went to Hogwarts, he’d be Slytherin’s poster boy.”Before Lily could add to the joke, Alex himself appeared, his presence enough to make half the floor straighten in their chairs. He extended his hand, and Lily quickly passed him the envelope like it was a royal decree.He opened it with precise fingers. His expression barely shifted, but Lily caught the faint tightening of his jaw. “The Financial All

The morning after the gala felt cruelly ordinary.Sunlight slanted through Lily’s blinds, far too bright for the way her body felt. She had tossed and turned most of the night, chased by the shadow of the staircase dream. Wells Carter’s voice—her father’s voice—still echoed in her ears. Lily… stay back. She jolted awake before dawn, heart pounding.Now, trudging into Knight Enterprises with a too-hot coffee in one hand and her laptop bag slung over her shoulder, Lily looked like someone who’d fought three wars and barely survived.But inside, a tiny spark of pride flickered.She’d done it. She’d stood in front of investors in glittering gowns and tuxedos, told them renewables were Rocky Balboa, and somehow walked away with applause instead of tomatoes.That had to count for something.The second she stepped onto her floor, however, she felt it.Eyes. Whispers.“She’s the one who spoke to Mr. Chen.” “Knight let his

The tension between Lily and Alex hadn’t dissolved after their clash—it lingered, heavy and unspoken, like a storm cloud refusing to break. Every time Lily caught his eye across the office, she felt the weight of their last argument: his cold discipline clashing against her fiery defiance.But Alex Knight was nothing if not strategic. He had a way of turning even tension into opportunity.At the Monday morning briefing, his voice cut through the hum of shuffling papers and quiet chatter.“Next item,” Alex said, his tone crisp. “The Chen follow-up is complete. Now we turn to the Easton portfolio.”The Easton portfolio was a mid-level but high-profile account: a family-owned manufacturing business transitioning into renewable infrastructure. Important enough to matter, small enough to be overlooked by senior executives.Alex’s eyes swept the room. Then landed on her.“Carter.”Lily blinked. “Yes?”“You’ll co-manage the Easton portfolio with Mr. Fletcher. Prepare the investor briefing by

The atmosphere inside Knight Enterprises was anything but quiet. The hum of voices carried from one end of the glass-lined floor to the other, clipped whispers disguised as casual chatter but sharpened enough to cut if you listened too closely.Lily Carter felt the stares as soon as she walked in. Heads tilted; eyes flicked up from monitors. A pair of junior analysts bent toward each other, pretending to discuss spreadsheets, though their gaze followed her all the way to her desk.“Knight’s protégé.”“She practically dazzled Chen.”“Protégé? Please. More like pet project.”The words brushed against her ears even if she pretended not to hear. She’d learned that much already — how gossip could slide like smoke under office doors, seep into boardrooms, and linger long after the last laugh.Melissa popped up from behind her computer, waving a coffee cup like a beacon. “Morning, Rocky Balboa. Conquered any billionaires before breakfast?”Lily rolled her eyes, but the tension in her shoul