Chapter 2

William raised a glass, his voice booming slightly over the music.

"To new beginnings!" He was looking at Sophia, but his eyes flickered towards me for a split second.

Sophia giggled, leaning into him.

I slipped out of the ballroom, the cool night air a relief.

The next week at the Kent Corp internship was a tightrope walk. I kept my head down, buried myself in case files. Avoided William. Avoided everyone.

But trouble found me.

I was in the law library, researching a brief, when Sophia appeared.

"Emily, right?" Her voice was sugar-sweet.

I nodded, not looking up.

"William talks about you sometimes. Says you're very... ambitious."

A pause.

"He worries you might misunderstand his kindness. He's a very kind man, you know."

I finally looked at her. Her eyes were not kind.

"I understand perfectly, Sophia. I'm here to work."

"Good. Because some girls, they get the wrong idea. They think a little attention from a Kent means... more."

She leaned closer. "It would be a shame if your internship was cut short because of a... misunderstanding."

A veiled threat. Clear as day.

William walked in then, a file in his hand. He saw Sophia, then me. A frown creased his forehead.

"Sophia, what are you doing here?"

"Just chatting with Emily, darling. Making her feel welcome." She smiled innocently.

William's eyes narrowed at me. "Is there a problem, Ms. Rose?"

"No problem, Mr. Kent."

"See to it that there isn't." His voice was clipped. He turned to Sophia, his tone softening. "Let's go. Dad wants to see us."

They left. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Ethan Hawke, head of Kent security, was standing near the doorway, watching. His expression was unreadable, as always. He gave a slight nod, then moved on. Had he heard?

The following days, the pressure mounted. My supervisor, a Kent loyalist, started scrutinizing my work, finding fault with everything. My access to certain files was suddenly restricted.

I was being managed out. Subtly, but surely.

One afternoon, I was called into a small, windowless office. Not HR. Somewhere... unofficial.

A stern-faced woman I didn't recognize sat behind a bare desk.

"Ms. Rose. Your performance has been... unsatisfactory. We're transferring you. Effective immediately."

"Transferring me where?"

"Kent Archives. Basement level. Data entry."

The corporate equivalent of Siberia. A dead end.

My legal career, my chance to help my family, vanishing.

In my first life, I would have fought, pleaded.

This time, a strange calm settled over me.

"I see."

The woman looked surprised by my lack of protest.

"You'll start tomorrow."

I stood up. "Thank you for the opportunity."

As I walked out, I saw William down the hall. He was watching me, a flicker of something – triumph? Annoyance? – in his eyes.

He thought he'd broken me, banished me.

Maybe this was a way out. Away from him. Away from Sophia.

He approached, blocking my path.

"Heard about your new assignment."

I said nothing.

"Don't think this means you're off the hook, Rose. You're still Kent property, in a Kent building. One wrong move..."

He let the threat hang in the air.

"I understand, Mr. Kent."

He searched my face, clearly expecting tears, or anger. He found neither.

It seemed to unsettle him more than any outburst would have.