Chapter 5 Silent Move, Loud Intentions

Three days.

Nora hadn't returned to the office. Not a single text. Not a call. Only silence.

But silence wasn't weakness.

It was strategy.

Because while the world speculated, and Sophia soaked in attention like it was perfume, Nora had been planning.

Undisclosed Location – Brooklyn

Her heels echoed on the marble of a small, private law firm. The receptionist glanced up and immediately stood.

"Miss Halstead. They're expecting you."

Inside, a young but sharp-eyed lawyer greeted her with a knowing smile.

"You came to talk about asset separation," he said. "But I have a feeling it's more than that."

Nora set a stack of files on the table. "I want to open a trust. For the child. And I want it locked in. No access, no interference-even from the father-without my explicit written consent."

The lawyer blinked. "You sure about that?"

"I'm sure."

"And Prescott?"

"He doesn't know. Yet."

Meanwhile – Prescott Industries

Cal sat in his office, the buzz of the building dulled by the pounding in his head.

He'd called Nora seventeen times. No answer.

Sophia, on the other hand, was suddenly everywhere-posting on LinkedIn about "leadership redemption," holding impromptu interviews, speaking vaguely of "old wounds" and "unfinished stories."

She was painting herself as a fallen queen. And painting Nora... as a mistake.

And the worst part?

People were buying it.

Later That Day – Outside a Private School

Nora watched from her car as a group of well-dressed parents picked up their kids. Laughter. Safety. Normalcy.

She hadn't even told Cal she was scouting schools.

But she wasn't going to wait around for him-or anyone-to decide what her future looked like.

The baby kicked.

It was slight.

But it was enough.

She pressed her palm to her stomach and whispered, "Don't worry. I've got us."

Then her phone buzzed.

A private message. No name.

Just a picture.

Cal. With Sophia. Again.

Back at Prescott – Cal's Office

He looked down at his phone as Sophia breezed in, all smug lips and silk perfume.

"I thought I told you to stay away," he muttered.

"You did," she smiled. But I don't take orders well. And your assistant let me in. Guess I still have charm.

"You have poison," he snapped. "What do you want now?"

She tilted her head. "Just came to say... Nora's pulling away. Fast. And the moment she fully does, I'll be there. To pick up the pieces."

Cal stood abruptly, fury in his eyes.

"You won't get to her."

Sophia didn't flinch. She only stepped closer.

"You have already let me, Cal. You just didn't see it."

The storm had rolled in like a warning.

Nora stood near the window of her office, arms crossed, watching as rain streaked down the glass like thoughts racing through her head. The day had been brutal-every step forward met with whispers, every decision shadowed by Sophia's games, and every silence from Cal felt like a betrayal.

So when the elevator chimed behind her, she didn't turn.

"I said I wasn't in the mood for visitors," she muttered.

"I'm not a visitor," Cal's voice replied, low and unreadable.

She stiffened. "Could've fooled me."

He walked in slowly, shutting the door behind him. His suit was damp from the rain, his tie loosened, jaw tense. There was something in his eyes-regret? Guilt? She didn't want to know. Not tonight.

"Say what you came to say, Cal," she said, her voice like ice. "Before I forget how to be polite."

He took a breath. "Sophia wasn't lying about everything."

Her head snapped toward him. "What?"

"I made a deal," he admitted, stepping closer. Months ago. When things got messy with the board... I gave her influence in exchange for damage control. It was before us. Before I knew-

"You gave her power over my future," Nora cut in, her voice shaking. "And you didn't think that mattered?"

"I didn't know she'd come after you like this," he said, eyes pleading. "I didn't know she'd make it personal."

"Oh, but it is personal," she hissed, stepping forward until they were barely a breath apart. You promised to protect me. You looked me in the eye and said I wasn't alone. And all this time, you were playing chess with my life.

"I never meant to hurt you."

"But you did."

The air between them was thick, electric. Her chest rose and fell with every furious breath, his fists clenched at his sides.

"You don't get to decide what I can handle," she said, voice breaking. "You don't get to fight for me in the dark and then hide the cost."

"I know," he said quietly.

And then-he moved.

Not fast, not rough-just... honest. Cal reached out, cradled her face like it might shatter, and pressed his lips to hers. For a second, she froze. Every cell in her body screamed at her to stay angry.

But his kiss was fire and apology and desperation all at once.

And she... wanted to burn.

Nora gripped the lapels of his damp suit and kissed him back-furious, hungry, aching. She pushed him back against the door, her hands fisting in his shirt.

"You don't get to do that," she whispered against his lips.

"Do what?" he breathed.

"Break me... then make me need you."

He looked at her like she was the only thing left in his world. "Then don't let me break you again."

Her chest ached. Not from weakness-but from wanting something so badly it hurt.

She leaned her forehead against his. "One more lie, Cal... and I walk. Do you understand me?"

He nodded slowly, their breaths mingling in the silence.

"I understand."

She closed her eyes. "Then stay tonight. But tomorrow-"

"I'll give you everything," he whispered.

The storm outside raged louder.

But inside?

They stood still-two flawed people in the eye of it, choosing each other anyway.

Nora woke to the warmth of sunlight brushing across her cheek and the colder truth that the space beside her was empty.

Cal was gone.

She sat up slowly, the sheets twisted around her legs, the echo of last night still clinging to her skin. The kiss. The fire. The confessions. The promise.

But promises meant nothing if he disappeared at dawn.

A sharp ding from her phone snapped her attention to the present.

She reached for it and instantly regretted it.

26 unread emails.

Subject Line: Halstead Confirms Strategic Merger with Sloan Corp

Sent From: Nora.Halstead@prescottintl.com

Her blood ran cold.

She hadn't sent a damn thing.

Nora threw off the covers and stormed into the living room, phone in hand. The TV flickered with muted business news-the headline crawling across the screen like a snake:

"SOURCES CONFIRM: CEO CAL PRESCOTT AND EXEC NORA HALSTEAD PLANNED MERGER FROM THE START - PERSONAL MOTIVES SUSPECTED."

Her stomach twisted.

She hadn't authorized a merger. She hadn't signed anything. But someone had used her name... and made it look like she'd leaked a confidential strategy for personal gain.

Her voice trembled as she hit Cal's number. Straight to voicemail.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Don't do this," she whispered into the phone after the fourth try. "Not now."

But someone had planned this.

And it wasn't just about her reputation anymore-it was about ruining her completely.

Back at the office, the stares were different. No longer whispered doubts or jealous glances.

This time, they looked at her like she was guilty.

Charlotte smirked from the end of the hall. A junior analyst flinched when Nora passed him in the break room.

Her chest tightened.

In her office, a thick manila envelope was waiting at her desk. No name. No return address.

She opened it.

Inside: printed screenshots. Emails. Drafts of proposals. A mock-up press release... all traced back to her login credentials.

Framed.

Clean. Calculated. Devastating.

Then a small sticky note fell from the back.

"Sleeping with power only works if you stay on top. - S"

Sophia.

Nora's fingers clenched the edge of her desk, so tightly her knuckles turned white.

If Sophia thought she could quietly sabotage her from the shadows, she'd underestimated the woman she'd just poked.

Her phone buzzed again.

Unknown Number: "Check the elevator cameras. 6 A.M. You'll see who used your key card."

Her heart pounded.

Nora stood, fire burning in her blood. She didn't know who the message was from. But she was done being careful.

This time, she wouldn't wait for rescue.

She was going to burn the whole damn setup down.

The security room was cold, buzzing with fluorescent lights and tension.

"Pull the footage from this morning," Nora said, her tone like ice. 6 A.M. Elevator lobby. Executive floor.

The guard blinked at her. "Ms. Halstead, I-"

"I know you've been told not to give me access." She leaned closer, her voice lower. But you also know what happens if you get in the way of a Prescott executive uncovering corporate espionage. So, unless you want to be in the next HR report, I suggest you pull it. The. Footage.

He didn't argue again.

The video was uploaded.

The grainy screen flickered with the lobby camera, timestamped exactly as the message said. Nora leaned in, her heart beating against her ribs like a war drum.

Then, the elevator doors slid open.

And there he was.

Cal.

Dressed in a dark suit. Alone. Until the figure stepped in behind him-

Sophia.

Nora's breath caught.

The two spoke closely. Too closely. Sophia touched his arm. Cal didn't push her away.

The elevator doors slid shut.

Nora staggered back.

"No," she whispered. "No, no-he wouldn't-"

But the images were burned into her brain.

This wasn't just sabotage. This was betrayal.

The guard glanced up nervously. "Are you okay?"

Nora turned without answering and walked out, her entire body numb. She felt like she'd been played on every level-professionally, personally, emotionally.

She called Cal again.

Voicemail.

She sent a single message:

"You were in the elevator with her. 6 A.M. You lied."

She didn't wait for a reply.

By the time Cal returned to the office, the air was thick with tension. He knew the press release had detonated across every major financial site. Knew there was a trail of fire behind him.

What he didn't expect was the look in Nora's eyes when she walked into his office without knocking.

"I saw the footage," she said.

His face paled. "Footage of what?"

"You and Sophia. Elevator. 6 A.M."

"She showed up without warning-"

"And you let her in." Nora's voice cracked. "She's the one who framed me." Leaked the fake merger email. Sent it from my login.

"I know," he said, quietly. "And I'm fixing it-"

"No." She stepped back. You're not fixing. You're covering your own ass while I bleed for this company and this baby and every ounce of respect I fought to keep.

Cal swallowed hard, hands clenched at his sides. "I stayed quiet to protect you."

"I don't need protection," she hissed. "I need truth."

There was silence between them - thick, sharp, filled with everything they hadn't said.

Then finally, Cal exhaled. "She blackmailed me."

Nora's breath hitched.

"She said if I didn't meet with her, she'd release old documents-contracts my father signed. Things that could collapse the company's foundation."

"And you believe her?" Nora asked, voice trembling.

"I didn't know what else to do." His voice broke. "But I swear to you-I never sold you out."

Nora looked away. Her hands trembled.

"You should've come to me," she whispered.

"I was trying to protect you-"

"I didn't ask you to. I asked you to trust me."

Cal stepped forward, but she didn't move.

"I still do," he said. "Nora, I'm in love with you."

Her eyes met his - broken, furious, and still somehow soft underneath.

"Then prove it," she said. "Because right now... you feel like the enemy."

She walked out, leaving him alone in a storm he'd helped create.