The Billionaire's Challenge

Caught in the Middle

Chapter 9

Caught in the Middle

(Audrina's POV)

The rest of the day passed in a haze of anxiety and dread. No matter how many times I tried to focus on work or distract myself with mundane tasks, my mind kept drifting back to Bouchard and the threats he’d made. The look in his eyes had been cold, calculated—the kind of look that sent a shiver down your spine and made you realize just how powerless you were.

I had never felt this vulnerable before, and I hated it.

Leaning back in my office chair, I ran a hand through my hair, closing my eyes as I tried to think through my options. The situation was getting worse by the minute, and I was running out of ideas.

For a fleeting moment, I considered calling my brothers. Soren, Kaiden, and Noah would come running if I so much as hinted at being in trouble. They were family. But that was exactly the problem. Everything had a cost when it came to my father. And any whisper of my involvement with Bouchard would eventually get back to Ramsey.

The idea of my father swooping in to “save” me, only to use it as leverage against me later, made me sick to my stomach. No, calling my brothers wasn’t an option. Not if I wanted to stay out of Ramsey’s control.

But who else could I turn to? My thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, and I was teetering on the edge of panic when my phone buzzed beside me.

I glanced at the screen and felt a wave of relief wash over me. It was Thessaly, my friend from back home. I hadn’t had a real conversation with her since I’d returned from Soren’s wedding, and hearing her voice felt like exactly what I needed.

“Thessaly!” I answered, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s so good to hear from you.”

“Audrina, darling! You’ve been hiding from me.” Thessaly’s voice was bright and cheerful, instantly lightening the tension that had been weighing on my shoulders all day. “How’s Paris treating you? Any new dramas I need to know about?”

I laughed, though the sound felt forced even to me. “You know me—drama seems to follow wherever I go. But it’s been… fine.

Busy.”

“Liar,” Thessaly teased. “You never just say ‘fine.’ What’s going on?”

I hesitated, then decided it would be best to keep things light. Thessaly didn’t need to know about the mess I was in right now.

Besides, she had a way of seeing right through me, and I wasn’t sure I could keep up the façade for long.

“It’s just work,” I said evasively. “You know how it is.”

“Uh-huh,” she replied, clearly not convinced. “Well, whatever it is, you better not be killing yourself over it. You know you tend to get tunnel vision when you’re stressed.”

I smiled, grateful for her concern. “I’m fine, really. But enough about me—what’s going on with you?”

“Glad you asked!” she said, her voice bubbling with excitement. “I’m coming to visit! I’ve already booked my tickets and everything. I’ll be in Paris in just a few days.”

I blinked in surprise, a smile tugging at my lips for the first time that day. “Thessaly, that’s amazing! I didn’t know you were planning a trip.”

“Spur of the moment,” she said breezily. “I’ve been dying to see you, and I figured, why not? Plus, I want to see all the fabulous places you’ve been working on and get a little taste of Parisian life.”

I felt a surge of relief at the thought of seeing her again. Thessaly had always been a grounding presence in my life, someone who could make me laugh even in the worst of times. Her visit would be a welcome distraction from the chaos surrounding me.

“I can’t wait,” I said sincerely. “We’re going to have so much fun.”

“We better,” she teased. “And Audrina… I know you don’t want to talk about it right now, but just know I’m here for you, okay?

Whatever’s going on, I’m on your side.”

My throat tightened with emotion. “I know, Thess. Thank you.”

After a few more minutes of catching up and planning what we’d do once she arrived, we hung up. I felt a little lighter, the burden of the day momentarily lifted by the promise of seeing my friend. But the reprieve was short-lived. Reality came crashing back the second I set my phone down.

I was about to dive back into work when my phone buzzed again. This time, it was Airelle.

“Airelle, hey,” I answered quickly. “Did you talk to your brother?”

“Yes.” Her voice sounded more confident than it had been earlier, and I could tell she had made some progress. “Kade agreed to help. He’s not thrilled about it, and he’s definitely not happy I didn’t tell him sooner, but he’s willing to negotiate with Bouchard.”

I let out a long breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “That’s… that’s great news, Airelle. I’m glad he’s willing to step in.”

“There’s more,” she said hesitantly. “He wants to meet you. Tomorrow night. He said he wants to discuss the situation in person.”

I frowned. “He wants to meet me? Why?”

“Because you’re my business partner, Audrina,” Airelle said gently. “And because he wants to make sure we’re all on the same page before he starts making any moves. He’s… thorough like that.”

I could hear the tension in her voice, and it made me wonder just how difficult the conversation with Kade must have been for her. Airelle had always wanted to build this business without relying on her brother’s name or influence. Asking him for help was a last resort, and I knew it must have cost her a lot to make that call.

“I’ll meet him,” I said softly. “Just tell me when and where.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “I’ll text you the details. It’s at his private residence, so… dress appropriately.”

I smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “Should I bring a sword? Battle armor?”

Airelle laughed, the sound a little strained but genuine. “Just bring your usual charm. That’ll be more than enough.”

We ended the call, and I sat back, letting the relief wash over me. Kade was a powerful man, one who knew how to negotiate and command respect. If anyone could keep Bouchard in line and buy us more time, it was him.

But then my phone buzzed again, and this time it wasn’t a call.

It was a text from Accius.

Accius: “Looking forward to dinner tomorrow night, beautiful. Hope you haven’t forgotten. 7 PM. I’ll send a car.”

My stomach dropped as I realized the clash in schedules. Dinner with Accius, and a meeting with Kade Renaud, both on the same night.

What was I going to do?

I stared at the message, my mind racing. Accius had been persistent, and I still didn’t know exactly what his game was. But he had handed me a huge opportunity with that project bid. I owed him at least the courtesy of showing up.

And then there was Kade. A man I had never met, but one who held the key to solving our biggest problem. I couldn’t afford to blow him off, not when everything was hanging in the balance.

I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples as I tried to figure out how to make this work. There had to be a way to keep both appointments, to juggle this delicate balance without dropping any of the spinning plates.

But as I opened my eyes and stared at the messages on my phone, I couldn’t shake the feeling that tomorrow night was going to be far more complicated than I could possibly imagine.

No matter what I decided, there would be consequences. And I was about to find out just how deep into this game I was willing to go.