117

117

VIVIAN'S POV

The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the room, but the light did nothing to ease my irritation. I was waiting by my phone, my fingers tapping impatiently on the table. Joel had been reckless, allowing his emotions to get the better of him. He’d gone to see Bethany—without telling me—and now I had no way of knowing what he might have let slip in his anger.

The longer I sat there, the more my frustration simmered, threatening to boil over. Joel was supposed to be an ally, someone I could rely on to carry out our plans without question. But his obsession with Bethany had clouded his judgment, making him impulsive and unpredictable. He wasn’t thinking strategically; he was acting on his emotions, and that was dangerous.

I dialed Kane’s number, listening to the ringing on the other end with an increasing sense of urgency. He picked up after the third ring, his voice a low rumble.

“Vivian.”

“Kane,” I greeted, forcing my tone to remain calm. “We need to hold off on the plan. I’m not certain we can move forward right now.”

There was a brief silence on the other end, and I could almost imagine his raised eyebrow. “What’s changed?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Joel decided to confront Bethany, to let her know exactly how he feels. He didn’t clear it with me, and now… well, I can only imagine he’s given her reason to be cautious.”

Kane let out a low chuckle, the sound tinged with dark amusement. “So, you’re telling me your partner went rogue and let his feelings get the best of him?”

I bristled at his tone, but I kept my voice steady. “It’s temporary. We’re still moving forward. I just need to be certain Bethany isn’t already on guard before we proceed.”

Kane’s tone remained skeptical. “Vivian, this kind of work requires precision. If you’re saying your partner may have alerted her, then that changes things. People who are cautious take precautions, and that could mean a whole new level of risk for us.”

“I understand the risk,” I replied, trying to rein in my frustration. “But I assure you, I’m still in control here. Joel is a minor setback, nothing more.”

“Minor setbacks can become major problems if they’re not handled properly,” Kane said, his voice smooth but edged with warning. “What exactly do you need me to do in the meantime?”

“Keep your team on standby,” I instructed. “I want you ready, but I don’t want any movement until I give the go-ahead. Let me handle Joel and ensure that he doesn’t make another impulsive decision.”

There was a pause, and then Kane’s voice came through, low and calculating. “Very well. But understand this, Vivian—if I see any sign that your partner is compromising my team’s safety, I’ll pull out. I don’t work with liabilities.”

I clenched my jaw, swallowing down the retort that sprang to my lips. Kane was valuable, an asset I couldn’t afford to lose. I forced myself to keep my tone even. “Understood. Just hold off for now. I’ll handle things on my end.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting for your word,” he replied before ending the call.

I tossed the phone onto the table, a surge of frustration bubbling up within me. Joel’s weakness, his inability to keep his emotions in check, was threatening everything. I’d spent months planning, positioning every piece perfectly, only to have him jeopardize it all because he couldn’t let go of his obsession with Bethany.

Taking a deep breath, I paced the room, my mind racing. If Joel was this unpredictable, then I needed to take control, to make sure he didn’t act out again. If he wanted to wallow in his feelings, that was fine—but I wouldn’t let him ruin everything I’d worked for.

\---

An hour later, I found Joel sulking in his apartment, a scowl etched onto his face as he nursed a glass of whiskey. He looked up as I entered, his expression darkening.

“Here to lecture me again?” he muttered, his tone dripping with bitterness.

I crossed my arms, my patience worn thin. “I’m here because your little outburst has jeopardized our entire plan, Joel. Do you have any idea how reckless you were, going to see Bethany without telling me?”

He scoffed, taking another sip of his drink. “Oh, please. She didn’t get anything out of me. I just told her how I felt, made her understand what she did to me.”

“And you think that’s harmless?” I snapped, my voice icy. “Do you really believe she won’t be on high alert now? Bethany’s not an idiot, Joel. She’ll be watching, waiting for us to make a move. You’ve given her exactly what she needed—a reason to be cautious.”

Joel’s gaze hardened, a spark of defiance in his eyes. “Maybe she deserves to be cautious. Maybe she should know that she’s not untouchable.”

“Don’t be a fool,” I replied, my voice low and dangerous. “This isn’t about making her feel uneasy. This is about control, about showing her and Damien that they can’t walk all over us. But if you keep acting out, we’ll lose that control.”

He slammed the glass down on the table, his face twisted in anger. “I’m not your puppet, Vivian. You don’t get to tell me how to feel or how to act.”

“Then start acting like an equal partner,” I shot back, my patience snapping. “Because right now, you’re acting like a liability. And if you’re not careful, you’ll ruin everything we’ve worked for.”

He glared at me, a mixture of anger and resentment flashing in his eyes. “You’re so obsessed with control, Vivian. You think you have everyone wrapped around your finger, don’t you? But you’re the one who’s going to get us caught. Not me.”

I took a step closer, refusing to back down. “This isn’t a game, Joel. If you’re too weak to handle what we’re doing, then maybe you should walk away. Because I’m not about to let you destroy everything for your own petty grievances.”

He clenched his fists, his face flushed with anger. “Weak? You think I’m weak? I’m the one who brought you into this in the first place. You were nothing without me.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Oh, please. You may have started this, but you’re the one holding us back. Your obsession with Bethany, your inability to move on—it’s pathetic. You’re so wrapped up in your own feelings that you can’t see the bigger picture.”

He took a step toward me, his voice low and filled with venom. “And what about you, Vivian? You think I don’t see through you? This isn’t about revenge for you. This is about proving you’re better than Bethany, about tearing her down because you can’t stand the fact that she’s outshone you in every way.”

I slapped him, the sound echoing through the room as my anger boiled over. “Don’t you dare,” I hissed, my voice shaking. “You don’t know anything about me.”

Joel stared at me, his face red, his eyes filled with fury. “Maybe I don’t. But I know one thing—you’re just as obsessed with Bethany as I am. You’re no better than me.”

The words hung in the air, and I felt a surge of anger and resentment twist inside me. He was right, in a way. My hatred for Bethany was deep, almost consuming, but I’d convinced myself that it was justified, that I was fighting for something real. But hearing Joel say it out loud, throwing it in my face, was like a slap in return.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to regain control. “You’re right,” I said, my voice cold and steady. “I am obsessed. But that’s what makes me stronger than you. I can channel that obsession, turn it into something real. You… you’re just weak, driven by emotions you can’t control.”

He stared at me, his gaze hardening. “Then maybe you don’t need me anymore.”

“Maybe I don’t,” I replied, my tone dismissive. “Maybe you should walk away before you ruin this for both of us.”

For a moment, he just stood there, his fists clenched, his face filled with a mixture of anger and hurt. Then, without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

As the silence settled, I felt a strange sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I’d been holding onto Joel out of necessity, believing he was an asset. But maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe he was just a distraction, a weak link that could jeopardize everything.

I picked up my phone and dialed Kane’s number, my resolve stronger than ever.

“Kane,” I said when he answered. “The plan’s still on. But there’s been a change of leadership.”