Chapter 25: Control

The door opened softly, and a young woman stepped in, the click of her heels gentle but confident. She had that fresh, bright look that new employees always carried—the kind that came with ambition, eagerness, and a little nervous energy hidden beneath a composed smile.

“Finally,” I muttered under my breath before I could stop myself. I didn’t mean for it to sound impatient, but the tension from the morning hadn’t fully left me yet. My voice came out sharper than I intended. “Lori Jones, correct?”

She nodded quickly, straightening her spine like she was in front of a commander. “Yes, ma’am. It’s an honor to be appointed as your assistant.”

Honor. The word made me blink for a second. I wasn’t sure what about sitting behind this desk, drowning in my father’s expectations, could ever feel like an honor. Maybe to her, it still looked glamorous — the office with the tall glass windows and the view that stretched into the skyline, the perfectly arranged desk, the family name that opened doors. But for me, it felt more like a burden carefully wrapped in gold.

I gave her a small nod, forcing a polite smile. “Come take a look over these documents and update me if I’m missing something,” I said, gesturing toward the stack of files in front of me.

She hesitated for a second, as if unsure of the right procedure. “Yes, ma’am. Should I do that right here in your office or…?”

“No, no—” I waved a hand, trying to sound casual. “Take it back to your office.”

Her relief was visible, even though she tried to hide it. She nodded, stepping forward to gather the documents carefully, like they were made of glass. I watched her tuck them neatly into her arms before she turned to leave.

Just as her hand reached for the doorknob, something in me stirred — that prickling sense of paranoia I’d carried since morning. Maybe it was because of Kevin. Maybe it was because my life had started to feel like a maze of boundaries I didn’t know how to enforce anymore.

“Uhmm… Lori?” I said before I could overthink it.

She turned, blinking quickly. “Yes, ma’am?”

My lips parted, the words catching in my throat for a moment. “Don’t let anyone in here…”

Her brows lifted slightly as she waited for me to finish, and I hesitated. For half a second, Kevin’s face flashed in my mind — his smirk, his kiss, the heat that still lingered on my skin. A small part of me wanted to make him an exception. To leave the door open, just in case he decided to come find me again.

But that thought scared me more than anything else.

“Whoever that may be,” I said finally, my tone firmer than I expected.

Lori nodded obediently. “Okay, ma’am.”

I gave her a tight smile, and she left quietly, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Then almost immediately, the door burst open with a sharp click, and before I could even process what was happening, Sarah stormed into my office like a hurricane in heels. Lori trailed behind her, clearly flustered, her hands half-extended as she tried to stop her from barging in.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I tried to—” Lori began, her voice trembling slightly.

I raised a hand, trying to keep my composure despite the immediate wave of irritation bubbling inside me. “It’s okay, Lori. You can leave us now.”

Lori hesitated for a moment, looking from me to Sarah and back again, then nodded and quietly exited the room, shutting the door behind her. The second it clicked, the silence that followed was sharp enough to cut through.

Sarah gave a small, incredulous snort. “Wow. So this is how it is now? You weren’t responding to my messages, you ignored my calls, and now you’re giving orders to not let me in?” She folded her arms across her chest, her posture defiant, chin slightly tilted like she was daring me to deny it.

I rolled my eyes and exhaled slowly, already feeling the beginnings of a headache. “Not just you, Sarah. That rule was applied to everyone.”

She let out a harsh breath, shaking her head. “Just because you’re the boss here now?” There was bitterness in her tone—like my position was an offense to her, something personal. She sighed again, the sound sharp and restless. “Look, Abby, about what happened last night—”

“I get the whole picture, Sarah,” I cut in before she could continue. My voice came out quieter than I expected, but laced with enough bite to make her falter.

Her brows furrowed, confusion flickering across her face. “What are you talking about?”

I took a breath, trying to keep my voice steady even as the anger and hurt tangled together in my chest. “You’re in love with my stepbrother,” I began slowly, my throat tightening with every word. “You followed me to the club. And I happened to walk in on you fucking him in that room last night.”

Her expression shifted—shock, then guilt, then something sharper, something defensive. I pressed on before I could lose the strength to. “So no, Sarah, I kind of get it. But telling me that he seduced you first?” I let out a short, humorless laugh. “That was just a sloppy attempt to hide your desperation.”

Sarah’s face flushed red, her mouth opening slightly as if she was about to lash out—but she stopped herself, dragging in a shaky breath. “How dare you—” she started, then ran a hand through her hair, the frustration practically radiating off her. “So he told you, huh? Are you both now pretending to be close like actual siblings?”

I clenched my jaw, refusing to take the bait. My silence seemed to make her even angrier.

“Sarah, you shouldn’t have lied to me,” I said quietly, my voice trembling now, not with anger but disappointment. “You’ve really changed.”

Her eyes widened a little at that. She let out a bitter laugh, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “I had to follow you, Abby! Because you’re the one who changed. You’ve been secretive, distant—keeping things from me like I’m the problem! What were you even doing at the club, huh? Alone with him, in that room?”

Her words hit like small, sharp stones. I could feel the sting of them beneath my ribs. I turned my gaze away for a moment, inhaling deeply, trying to keep my expression calm even though my pulse was racing. “I don’t see any reason to explain myself,” I said after a pause, my tone measured but heavy. “But just so you’re clear… my father and Nina wanted us to settle our ‘differences’ and try to get along as step-siblings.” I looked up at her, eyes steady. “But besides that, are you implying I shouldn’t be in the same building or even breathe the same air as him?”

Sarah blinked, clearly taken aback, her brows pulling together in confusion.

“Because if that’s what you’re insinuating, then you’re more delusional than I thought,” I added sharply. The words came out harsher than I intended, but at that point, I didn’t care.

Sarah’s lips parted slightly, but no sound came out. For a long moment, we just stared at each other, the air thick with everything we weren’t saying.

Finally, her voice came softer, cracking around the edges. “So… for the sake of our friendship—and everything we’ve been through—will you be willing to accept my relationship with Kevin?”

The question punched the air right out of my lungs.

I felt my throat tighten, my heart drop somewhere deep in my chest. My fingers curled around the hem of my skirt under the desk, gripping tightly as I fought to keep my composure.