Page 81 of Monsters Wear Crowns
Rafe stood on the far side of the floor, speaking to one of his men. But his eyes were on me–dark and unreadable as always, his expression carved from stone. The air shifted, thickening between us even at a distance.
I couldn’t look away.
But I wanted to. Because the longer I held his gaze, the more I remembered the night before. The words wehadn’tsaid, the way his hesitation had sliced through me more sharply than any knife.
He was still holding back. And suddenly, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever really know why. A man like him? I doubt he’d ever loved anyone before. Was it even possible that I’d ever be an exception?
***
I adjusted my blazer and stared into the camera as the Grayson International logo flickered to life. A moment later, Arthur Grayson himself filled the screen–salt-and-pepper hair, sharp hazel eyes, and a frown that seemed etched into his face. The man had built a multi-billion-dollar empire with that permanent expression of polite disapproval. But he was an attractive man, for sure.
“Mr. Grayson,” I said, nodding. “Thank you for taking the time.”
He gave a tight smile. “Of course, Ms. Sinclair. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you personally.”
“Then let me get straight to it,” I said, folding my hands onthe desk. “Why did you drop us?”
He blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Sinclair Solutions has provided flawless cybersecurity for Grayson International for over three years. No breaches. No red flags. Not a single incident.” My voice was calm, but firm. “So I’ll ask again–why did you really terminate our contract?”
His hesitation said more than his words ever could. He shifted in his chair, straightened his cuff. “I… heard a rumor,” he finally said. “That your system had been compromised. That there was a hacker in your network pulling client names.”
My jaw tightened, but I forced my voice to stay steady. “That rumor is false. No such breach has occurred. My team and I are monitoring every inch of our infrastructure in real-time. If someonehadaccessed client data, I would’ve known. Immediately.”
He didn’t respond, and I leaned in slightly.
“I believe someone is feeding false information in an attempt to sabotage us. We recently gained a high-profile client with powerful enemies, and now, suddenly, rumors are circulating? It’s not a coincidence.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow. “And who exactly is this enemy?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Nicolas Moreau.”
His eyes widened slightly. Even through the screen, I saw the recognition flash there–the quiet alarm that came with hearing a name that carried weight in all the wrong ways. “That explains it,” he muttered, more to himself than me. “Not a man I’d want against me.”
“No,” I agreed. “He’s not. But I can assure you, we’re handling it. And your company was never at risk. I would stake my name, my business, and my life on that.”
Arthur exhaled slowly, drumming his fingers against his desk. Then, after a long pause, he nodded. “Very well. I’ll have my team reinstate the contract and pull the article. You’ve never given us a reason to doubt you, Adela. I suppose I should’ve askedquestions before I reacted.”
“Thank you,” I said, the tension between my shoulder blades easing just slightly. “That means a lot.” The call ended with a mutual nod, and I sat back in my chair, barely suppressing the adrenaline still buzzing in my veins.
“Well,” Laura’s voice chimed behind me, smug and satisfied, “if I didn’t already love you, I would now.”
I turned to see her leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, grinning like the devil herself. “You just stared down Arthur Grayson and made him blink first.”
I gave her a small, exhausted smile. “He was easier than Rafe.”
Laura snorted. “Everyone’seasier than Rafe.”
We both laughed, but even as the sound echoed through the office, I couldn’t shake the lingering shadow of Moreau’s name hanging in the air like smoke.
I had won today.
But this definitely wasn’t over.
***
I stormed through the mansion, my heels striking the marble with sharp, angry clicks. My blood was still hot, my mind still spinning from the day’s disaster. Moreau had crossed a line, and I was done playing defense.
