Chapter 13
Apr 18, 2025
Maps and documents covered a makeshift conference table, the paper trail of two empires trying to find their hunter.
Celeste stood at one end, her fingers tracing patterns between marked locations. She’d shed her usual blazer hours ago, leaving her in a fitted black shirt that made her look more dangerous than professional.
Stephan watched her from across the table, noting how she’d occasionally pause, tilt her head, and then connect another dot in their growing web of conspiracy.
“The shipment routes don’t align,” Mikey, Stephan’s right-hand man, pointed out from his position near the window. “The attackers knew exactly when to hit, but the schedule was changed last minute.”
“Which means they have someone on the inside,” Dante added, running a hand through his dark hair. “Both our organizations are compromised.”
Stephan watched Celeste from across the table, noting how she’d occasionally pause, tilt her head, and then connect another dot in their growing web of conspiracy.
Despite the added presence of Mikey and Dante, the tension between them remained palpable.
“The timing doesn’t make sense,” Celeste muttered, drawing everyone’s attention. “Why wait until now? Why not strike when we were actively fighting each other?”
“Because we were watching each other then,” Stephan replied, stepping closer to examine her work. “Now we’re both looking elsewhere.”
Dante shot a warning glance at Stephan’s approach to his sister, but held his tongue. Miley shifted his position slightly, unconsciously moving to better cover his boss’s blind spot.
She glanced up at him, and for a moment, he saw a flash of the woman he used to know. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
“You’re hovering,” she said flatly.
“I’m observing.” He didn’t step back. “You’ve gotten better at this.”
“Better than what?”
“Better than I remember.”
Her laugh was sharp, causing Dante to look up sharply from the files he was reviewing.
“You mean better than when I was playing the role you wanted me to play?” She straightened, meeting Stephan’s gaze directly. “That was the point.”
Miley cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the personal turn of the conversation, but neither Celeste nor Stephan acknowledged him.
“And now?” Stephan asked, studying her face.
“Now I don’t have to pretend to be less than I am.” She turned back to the maps, addressing the whole room. “These attacks—they’re not just about territory or revenge. They’re systematic, designed to destabilize both our operations simultaneously.”
Stephan moved closer, ignoring the way Dante tensed at his approach. “Show me.”
For the next hour, they worked together, the four of them falling into an uneasy rhythm. Celeste would point out a pattern, Stephan would challenge it, while Miley analyzed the security implications and Dante cross-referenced their intelligence reports.
But underneath their productive collaboration, the tension between Celeste and Stephan remained, making both Miley and Dante exchange concerned glances when they thought no one was watching.
“Your weapons cache was hit first,” Stephan noted, marking the timeline. “Then my shipment. Both precision strikes, both targeting our ability to defend ourselves.”
“They’re weakening us before the real attack,” Celeste concluded. She reached for a document at the same time he did, their fingers brushing.
Neither pulled away immediately, the contact sending an unwelcome charge through both of them.
Stephan broke the silence first. “We need to—”
The door burst open.
Catherine stood in the doorway, her elegant features twisted with fury. She wore a red dress that seemed out of place in the stark office setting, like a splash of blood on concrete.
“Oh, am I interrupting something?” Her voice dripped sweetness, but her eyes were cold as they moved from Stephan to Celeste, then to their still-touching hands.
Stephan withdrew his hand slowly, deliberately. “Catherine, leave. Now.”
But Catherine was already stalking into the room, her heels clicking against the floor like gunshots. She turned to Celeste, smiled sharp as broken glass.
“I just came to remind my fiancé where he belongs.”
Celeste straightened, a predatory smirk playing at her lips.
“So your pet parent visits us too. Adorable.” Her eyes flicked to Stephan, then back to Catherine. “Does he forget his collar at home, Cat?”
The color drained from Catherine’s face, replaced by a fury that made her hands shake. She opened her mouth to respond, but Stephan was already moving, his fingers wrapping around her arm with careful force.
“We’re leaving,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Now.”
“Get your hands off me,” Catherine hissed, but she allowed him to guide her toward the door. At the threshold, she turned back to Celeste. “This isn’t over.”
“It never is with you, darling.” Celeste’s tone was bored, dismissive.
Stephan practically dragged Catherine down the hallway to the elevator, maintaining his grip until the doors closed behind them. As soon as they were alone, Catherine wrenched her arm free.
“Why the hell are you working with her?”
“It’s temporary.” He kept his eyes on the descending floor numbers, not trusting himself to look at her.
“No, it’s not.” Catherine moved to stand in front of him, forcing him to meet her gaze. “I know you, Stephan. You don’t let go of things easily.”
“This isn’t about letting go. This is about survival. This is about protecting what’s mine”
“Is it?” She searched his face. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re falling right back into her orbit. The way you look at her—”
“Enough.” His voice cut through her words like a blade. “You don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Then explain it to me.” Catherine’s voice softened, taking on the pleading tone that usually worked so well on him. “Help me understand why you’re choosing her over us.”
“I’m not choosing anyone.” He stepped out of the elevator, knowing she would follow. “Someone is trying to destroy both our organizations. Working with Celeste is a necessity, nothing more.”
“You still call her Celeste.” Catherine’s laugh was bitter. “Not Valerie. Not the lie she used to be. Celeste. Like you respect who she really is.”
Stephan stopped walking. “What do you want from me, Cat?”
“I want you to come home.” She moved to stand in front of him again. “I want you to remember who your allies really are. I want—” She cut herself off, blinking back tears that might have been real or calculated. “I want my fiancé back.”
For a moment, Stephan saw their situation clearly—the woman he was supposed to want. But all he could think about was Celeste upstairs, piecing together the puzzle that threatened to destroy them both.
“I need to finish this,” he said finally.
Catherine stepped back as if he’d struck her. “And after? When is it finished?”
He didn’t answer, which was answer enough.
