Boardroom and Heartbeats

A Fractured Alliance

The silence in Donovan’s office was suffocating. He sat behind his desk, his piercing gaze locked onto Lena as she stood on the other side. In her hand was the decrypted recording of Michael Grant—a damning piece of evidence that could finally end the chaos engulfing Steele Innovations.

But instead of relief, Donovan’s face was carved with tension.

“Where exactly did you get this?” he asked, his voice calm but edged with steel.

Lena hesitated, her grip tightening on the flash drive. “From a source,” she said carefully.

“Which source?” Donovan pressed, leaning forward.

Lena swallowed hard. She knew this moment was inevitable, but the weight of it still crushed her. “Nolan.”

The name landed between them like a grenade. Donovan’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. “Nolan Carter?”

“Yes,” Lena said, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a long moment, Donovan said nothing. He leaned back in his chair, his hands steepled in front of him, his sharp eyes boring into hers. “You knew I didn’t trust him,” he said quietly. “And yet, you brought him into this.”

“I didn’t bring him into anything,” Lena argued, her voice gaining strength. “He’s been helping me, Donovan. Without him, we wouldn’t have this.”

Donovan stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “Helping you? Or helping himself?”

Lena flinched but held her ground. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You think Nolan doesn’t have his own agenda?” Donovan said, his voice rising. “He’s been circling you for years, Lena. Do you really believe he’d risk this much just out of the goodness of his heart?”

“That’s not fair,” Lena snapped, anger flaring in her chest. “Nolan cares about me. He’s always had my back, even when no one else did.”

“Maybe,” Donovan said coldly. “But don’t think for a second that makes him trustworthy.”

A Dangerous Rift

The tension between them was palpable, crackling like a live wire. Lena felt torn between defending Nolan and the trust she’d built with Donovan.

“I thought you wanted to win,” she said finally, her voice shaking. “I thought you wanted to take Michael down. Isn’t that what this is about?”

“It is,” Donovan said, his voice low and deadly. “But I don’t play games with people I can’t trust. And right now, I’m not sure I can trust you, Lena.”

The words hit her like a slap, leaving her momentarily speechless.

“That’s not fair,” she said again, her voice trembling. “I’ve done everything you asked. I’ve worked tirelessly to help you. How can you question my loyalty now?”

Donovan’s expression softened for just a moment, but the walls he’d built around himself remained firmly in place. “It’s not about loyalty,” he said quietly. “It’s about control. And right now, I feel like I’m losing it.”

Lena’s chest tightened, a wave of guilt crashing over her. She wanted to tell him the truth—that her mission had started as a lie, that she’d been sent to uncover his secrets. But the thought of breaking what little trust remained between them was too much to bear.

“I’m on your side, Donovan,” she said, her voice firm. “I always have been.”

Donovan studied her for a long moment, his gaze searching hers. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders sagging. “I want to believe that,” he said. “But this isn’t just about you or me anymore. It’s about everyone counting on us to win this fight.”

An Unlikely Call

Later that evening, Lena found herself pacing in her apartment, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. The confrontation with Donovan had left her shaken, and the weight of her secrets pressed down on her like a lead blanket.

Finally, she dialed Nolan’s number.

“Lena,” Nolan answered on the first ring. “What’s going on?”

“I need to ask you something,” Lena said, her voice wavering. “And I need you to be honest with me.”

“Of course,” Nolan said, his tone instantly serious. “What is it?”

“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why are you risking so much to help me?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When Nolan finally spoke, his voice was soft but firm.

“You know why,” he said.

Lena closed her eyes, her heart sinking. “Nolan—”

“I love you, Lena,” Nolan said, cutting her off. “I always have. And if helping you means putting myself on the line, then so be it. I’d do it a thousand times over.”

Tears pricked at the corners of Lena’s eyes. “You don’t have to do this for me,” she said quietly.

“I know,” Nolan said. “But I want to. Just promise me one thing—when this is all over, you’ll think about what I said. That’s all I ask.”

Lena didn’t know what to say. The weight of his confession hung heavily in the air, but before she could respond, Nolan spoke again.

“Take care of yourself, Lena. And be careful with Donovan. He’s not the man you think he is.”

Turning the Tables

The next day, Lena returned to Steele Innovations with renewed determination. She couldn’t let the rift between her and Donovan widen further—not when they were so close to taking Michael down.

She marched into his office without knocking, her jaw set. Donovan looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable.

“We need to talk,” Lena said.

Donovan raised an eyebrow. “About?”

“About winning,” Lena said, dropping the decrypted file on his desk. “We have everything we need to take Michael down. It’s time to stop second-guessing and act.”

Donovan leaned back in his chair, studying her. “And what’s changed since yesterday?”

“Nothing,” Lena said honestly. “Except that I’m done playing defense. Michael’s had the upper hand for too long. Let’s remind him who he’s dealing with.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Donovan’s lips, and for the first time in days, Lena saw a flicker of the man she’d come to admire.

“Alright, Ms. Moreau,” he said, standing. “Let’s take the fight to him.”