Page 45 of Breaking
Maggie felt a ripple of unease crawl up her spine. "What do you mean?"
Lila leaned forward, her eyes glinting with something dark. "Troy still thinks he has a choice. That Jenna might change her mind. That's the problem. He's hesitating. He needs a push."
Maggie's stomach tightened. "Lila, whatever you're thinking-"
Lila lifted a perfectly manicured hand. "Relax, Maggie. It's simple. Troy just needs to find himself in a position where there's no way back."
Maggie frowned. "Meaning?"
"Meaning," Lila said, her voice lowering conspiratorially, "we create a situation that Jenna has to hear about. A situation that makes it impossible for her to forgive him."
Maggie swallowed. "You're talking about trapping him in something compromising."
Lila smiled, slow and deliberate. "I'm talking about making sure he finally sees me as the only option."
Maggie felt the weight of those words settle in the room. She had followed Lila's lead before, facilitated small things-keeping Jenna's calls from going through, deleting messages, subtly shifting schedules so that Lila and Troy had more opportunities to be together. But this... this was something else.
She hesitated. "Troy's not an idiot, Lila. He might be blind sometimes, but he's not stupid. I can't afford to lose my job."
Lila waved a hand. "Of course not. That's why it has to be perfect. The right place, the right time. Something Jenna cannot possibly forgive."
Maggie's mouth felt dry. "And if he doesn't play along?"
Lila's smirk didn't falter. "Then we make it look like he did."
Maggie exhaled slowly, something cold settling in her stomach. She had followed orders for years, had played her part without question. After all, Lila was everything she ever wanted to be. She idolized her since school days. She had seen how she had fallen apart when Troy had married Jenna. But for the first time, she wondered if she had backed the wrong horse.
Still, she said nothing as Lila took another look at her mobile, her expression smug, victorious.
And for the first time since she had started working for Troy, Maggie felt an unfamiliar weight settle in her chest-doubt.
Maggie walked back to her desk, her thoughts chaotic with unease. She had always prided herself on being pragmatic, on knowing whichbattles to fight and which to avoid. But something about Lila's plan unsettled her in a way she couldn't shake.
Before she could process it further, Troy's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Maggie, can you come in here with the latest reports on the Commonwealth project?"
Snapping back to the present, she inhaled deeply, steeling herself before grabbing the files from her desk and heading towards his office.
Chapter 37
Jenna
The energy inside the venue was electric. The thrum of bass vibrated through the floor as the band launched into another set, the crowd surging with excitement. Jenna had almost forgotten what it felt like to be surrounded by music, to let herself relax and have fun.
Adam stood beside her, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, watching as Rhiann and Dani danced together, their laughter contagious. Jenna found herself smiling, her body moving slightly to the beat. It had been a long time since she'd allowed herself to enjoy something so simple. Though her feet were killing her from standing for so long.
"You're enjoying yourself," Adam noted, leaning in close so she could hear him over the music.
Jenna shot him a mock glare. "Is that so surprising?"
He smirked. "Not surprising. Just nice to see."
She tilted her head. "How did you even find out about this band?"
Adam chuckled. "I've been following them for years. Good mix of classic rock and modern covers. Rhiann's obsessed with them, so when I saw they were playing, I figured it was the perfect excuse."
Jenna raised a brow. "Excuse for what?"
