Chapter 7

Elena pulled back from the hug. She took a deep breath, smoothing her features back into a mask of professional calm. She grabbed her purse, and the two women took the private elevator straight down to the underground garage.

Elena drove her Porsche out of the city, heading toward a narrow, dimly lit alley in Soho. They stopped in front of a heavy iron door disguised as a bookshelf.

Elena pressed her thumb to the hidden scanner. The door clicked open, revealing a dark, narrow staircase.

They descended into the speakeasy. The air inside was thick, smelling heavily of expensive cigars and aged bourbon. Low, rhythmic jazz played through hidden speakers, creating a heavy, insulated atmosphere.

Elena navigated the dark room easily, leading Thea to a secluded, velvet-lined booth in the far back corner.

Before they even ordered, a bartender silently slid two custom dry martinis onto the table and vanished into the shadows.

Thea grabbed her glass and took a massive gulp, the alcohol burning down her throat as she tried to calm her racing heart.

Elena didn't touch her drink. She sat back, staring at Thea in the dim light. The memory of Haylee standing over Thea's bleeding body flashed behind Elena's eyes. A sharp ache gripped her chest, and the edges of her eyes burned. She quickly picked up her glass and took a sip, letting the cold liquid hide her emotions.

Thea lowered her glass. She noticed the redness in her boss's eyes. "Are you okay? Is the scandal getting to you?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine worry.

Elena shook her head. She set the glass down and looked Thea dead in the eye. "Thank you for not running away today."

Thea sat up straighter. "I work for you, Elena. I'm always on your side."

Elena unzipped her leather handbag. She pulled out a thick manila envelope and pushed it across the table.

Thea opened it. Her eyes scanned the legal document inside. Her jaw dropped.

It was a heavily drafted proxy voting agreement, alongside a new executive contract. The title listed at the top was Chief of Staff for the CEO, granting her full authority to act as Elena's proxy in all board decisions.

Elena took a silver pen from her bag and pressed it firmly into Thea's palm. "Sign it."

"Elena, I can't take this kind of power," Thea stammered, her hands shaking as she read the immense legal weight of the document.

"You are no longer just my assistant," Elena said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "I need an absolute loyalist with voting power on the board to execute my orders without hesitation. Sign it."

Thea's eyes filled with tears. She gripped the pen tightly and signed her name on the dotted line, permanently binding her fate to Elena's.

Elena took the document back. Her eyes instantly hardened, the brief moment of warmth vanishing. "Tomorrow morning, you are going to freeze the security clearances of three people."

She listed the names of the Chief Financial Officer, the VP of Operations, and the Head of Acquisitions.

Thea gasped. "They've been with the company for twenty years. If you fire them, the board will panic."

"They've been on Darron's payroll for three years," Elena said coldly. "They are bleeding the company dry."

She tapped her phone screen, sending a massive encrypted file to Thea's inbox. "All the proof of their kickbacks is in your email."

Before Thea could respond, a sudden shift in the room's energy made Elena look up.

There was a commotion at the entrance. The heavy door swung open.

Johnathan Chase stepped into the dim light. He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit that clung to his broad shoulders. Four massive bodyguards trailed behind him.

His dark eyes swept the room like a radar, instantly cutting through the smoke and locking directly onto Elena's booth.

Elena's stomach tightened. Her eyebrows pulled together in a sharp frown. This speakeasy was an invite-only secret. But as Elena looked past his shoulder, she saw the usually arrogant bar manager bowing respectfully to him. Of course. The underground establishment was just another hidden asset quietly owned by Chase Capital. He hadn't tracked her; she had walked right into his territory.

Johnathan waved off the nervous bar manager who tried to approach him. He walked straight toward their corner, his long strides eating up the distance.

Thea felt the dangerous shift in the air. She immediately stood up, stepping in front of the table to block Johnathan's path.

Johnathan stopped in front of the booth. The sheer physical dominance radiating from him made Thea's breath catch in her throat.

He didn't even look at Thea. His eyes remained fixed on Elena, dark and unreadable.

"Tell your assistant to take a walk," Johnathan said, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that cut through the jazz music. "We have a deal to discuss."