Chapter 32
The Game Begins
Elena stood in her office long after Ryan had left, staring out at the city skyline. The weight of his presence still lingered in the air, pressing against her like an unseen force. Ryan Lancaster was back. And despite her best efforts, she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.
She had given him a chance—not out of sentimentality, but because she knew how the game was played. Ryan was a wildcard, dangerous in the way only a man with nothing to lose could be. Letting him back in could either elevate Stone Enterprises or set it on fire.
The only question was: which would it be?
A knock on the glass door pulled her from her thoughts.
Lena poked her head in, her expression unreadable. “You good?”
Elena nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure it was true. “Yeah.”
Lena stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “So… are we just gonna pretend Ryan Lancaster didn’t waltz in here like some kind of reformed villain?”
Elena smirked. “What do you think?”
“I think,” Lena said, crossing her arms, “that he’s trouble. And I think you know it.”
Elena sighed, rubbing her temple. “He wants back in.”
Lena’s eyebrows shot up. “And you’re considering it?”
“I’m controlling it,” Elena corrected. “He plays by my rules this time.”
Lena studied her for a moment before shaking her head. “You’re playing with fire.”
Elena turned back to the window. “Then I’ll make sure I don’t get burned.”
The Next Morning
Elena arrived at the office earlier than usual, determined to get ahead of the day’s meetings. She had barely stepped into her office when her assistant, Jordan, rushed in, holding a tablet.
“We have a problem.”
Elena frowned. “What kind of problem?”
Jordan handed her the tablet, his expression tight. “This was just leaked.”
Elena’s stomach twisted as she glanced at the screen. A confidential financial report—one detailing Stone Enterprises’ upcoming acquisition strategy—was circulating online.
Her eyes scanned the article quickly. The numbers were accurate. The details were correct. Someone inside the company had leaked this.
Her grip on the tablet tightened. “Who had access to this report?”
“Only the senior team,” Jordan said. “And… Ryan Lancaster.”
Of course.
A cold wave of anger surged through her, but she forced herself to stay calm. She had only let Ryan back in for one night, and already, there was a breach.
She turned to Jordan. “Set up an emergency meeting with the executive board. Now.”
Jordan nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
Elena exhaled sharply, setting the tablet down on her desk. Ryan. Had she really been naive enough to think he could be trusted?
Or was someone else trying to frame him?
Either way, the game had already begun.
And she wasn’t about to lose.
