Chapter 31 The Stand-Off

Chapter 31 The Stand-Off
Lyara sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on the locked oak door. The tray of food that Silas had brought an hour ago sat untouched on the mahogany table. The soup was cold, and the salad was wilting.

Every minute felt like an hour. She was waiting for the sound of the heavy front doors opening, waiting for the heavy footsteps of Mikael on the stairs. She needed to tell him what Silas had done in the basement. She needed him to know that his right-hand man had put his hands on her and threatened the life of his heir.

The lock clicked. The door swung open, and Silas walked in. He looked perfectly calm, his uniform pressed and his expression blank. He looked at the untouched tray, then at Lyara.

"You haven't eaten, Ms. McKinley," Silas said. His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. "The chef prepared that specifically for your diet. It is important for the baby."

"I told you an hour ago, Silas," Lyara said, her voice trembling but firm. "I’m not eating anything until I see Mikael. Where is he?"

Silas walked over to the tray and picked up the water glass. "Mr. Roosevelt is a very busy man. He is currently at the corporate headquarters. He is finalizing the production details for the film. He will not be home until very late. Perhaps not until tomorrow morning."

"Then call him," Lyara commanded. "Tell him I need to speak with him immediately."

Silas let out a short, dry breath that was almost a laugh. "I am not going to interrupt a multi-million dollar board meeting because you are having a tantrum about your dinner. Eat your food, Lyara. Don't make me report your lack of cooperation to the doctor."

"You threatened me in the basement, Silas," Lyara said, standing up slowly. She held her stomach, feeling the tension in her muscles. "You grabbed me. You bruised my arm. Do you think Mikael will be happy when he sees the marks you left on the mother of his child?"

Silas stepped closer. He didn't look afraid. He looked disgusted. "I did what was necessary to secure a prisoner who was wandering where she didn't belong. Mikael trusts my judgment. Now, sit down and eat."

"No," Lyara said. She walked toward the door, but Silas moved faster, blocking her path.

"Move, Silas."

"Go back to the bed, Lyara."

"I said move!" Lyara shouted. She grabbed the cold bowl of soup from the tray and threw it. It didn't hit Silas; it shattered against the door, splashing dark liquid across his polished shoes.

Silas stared at his shoes for a long moment. His face went pale with rage. He reached for his radio, but before he could speak, the phone in his pocket began to vibrate. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. His expression changed instantly. He cleared his throat and answered.

"Yes, Mr. Roosevelt."

Lyara held her breath. She could hear a faint, angry buzzing coming from the phone. Mikael was on the other end.

"She is refusing to eat, sir," Silas said, his eyes fixed on Lyara. "She is being very difficult. She is demanding to see you... Yes... But the meeting, sir? The director and the investors are already in the boardroom... I see. Yes, sir. Understood."

Silas lowered the phone. He looked at Lyara with pure hatred.

"Get your coat," Silas spat. "Mr. Roosevelt has ordered me to bring you to the office. He says he cannot have a peaceful meeting while you are starving yourself in his house."

Lyara didn't wait for him to ask twice. She grabbed a heavy wool coat from the closet and walked past him. She didn't care about the cold soup on the floor or the bruises on her arm. She just wanted to get out of the house.

The drive to the Roosevelt Corporate Headquarters was fast and silent. Silas drove like a madman, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white. Lyara stared out the window at the city lights. She felt a strange mix of fear and victory. She was leaving the fortress, even if it was just to go to another building he owned.

The headquarters was a massive glass tower in the heart of the city. Security guards opened the private garage entrance, and Silas led her to the executive elevator.

When the doors opened on the top floor, the atmosphere was heavy. People in expensive suits were rushing back and forth. Assistants were carrying stacks of papers and trays of coffee. Silas led her toward a pair of massive frosted-glass doors. He pushed them open, and Lyara stepped into a boardroom that looked like something out of a movie.

A long table was surrounded by at least twenty people. There were men in suits, a famous film director with a scarf draped around his neck, and several elegant women taking notes. At the head of the table sat Mikael.

He looked different here. He was mid-sentence, pointing at a digital storyboard on the wall, but when he saw Lyara, he stopped. The entire room went silent. The director turned around, his eyes widening as he looked at Lyara’s visible bump and her pale, determined face.

"Lyara," Mikael said. His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous tone in it. He stood up and gestured to the chair beside him. "Since you insisted on joining us, please. Take a seat. We were just discussing the marketing for the film."

Lyara walked to the table. She felt the eyes of every person in the room on her. They were looking at her like she was a distraction, a problem to be solved.

She sat down. Mikael placed a hand on her shoulder. It was a heavy, controlling touch.
"Gentlemen, this is my wife, Lyara," Mikael said to the room. "She is a bit restless tonight. I’m sure you understand. A high-risk pregnancy can be quite stressful."

The director smiled nervously. "Of course, Mr. Roosevelt. It’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Roosevelt. We were just looking at the casting for the lead female role."

Lyara looked at the screen. It was a movie about a woman trapped in a castle. The irony was almost too much to bear.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work," Lyara said, her voice clear and loud. She looked directly at Silas, who was standing by the door. "But I had a very distressing afternoon. I thought it was important that Mikael hear about it immediately."

Mikael’s hand tightened on her shoulder. He leaned down, his breath warm against her ear. "Not now, Lyara. We have guests. We have a fifty-million-dollar deal on the table. Eat the food Silas is bringing you and be quiet."

"No," Lyara whispered back. She turned her head to look him in the eye. "Silas put his hands on me today, Mikael. He threatened me. He told me that accidents happen to women like me."

Mikael’s expression didn't change, but his eyes darkened. He looked at Silas, who was standing perfectly still. The people at the table started whispering. The tension in the room was skyrocketing. The director looked like he wanted to disappear under the table.

"Is this true, Silas?" Mikael asked. He didn't turn around. He kept his eyes on the director.

"She was in the basement, sir," Silas said from the door. "Near the restricted areas. I was simply escorting her back to her room. She was resisting."

Mikael stood up. The power in the room shifted instantly. He looked at the director and the investors.
"I apologize, everyone. It seems I have some internal matters to handle. Silas will show you to the lounge for some drinks. We will resume in twenty minutes."

The guests scrambled to get out of the room. They didn't want to be there for whatever was coming next. The assistants hurried after them, closing the glass doors behind them. Now, it was just Lyara, Mikael, and Silas in the massive boardroom.

Mikael walked around the table toward Silas. He didn't say a word. He just walked until he was standing inches away from his head of security.

"You touched her?" Mikael asked. It was a low, terrifying whisper.

"She was talking to the prisoner, sir," Silas said. He didn't back down. "I was protecting the estate. I was protecting you."

"I asked you a question, Silas," Mikael said. He reached out and grabbed Silas by the front of his uniform. "Did you put your hands on my wife?"

"I performed my duty," Silas replied.

Mikael’s fist moved so fast Lyara barely saw it. He punched Silas squarely in the jaw. The sound of the impact was loud and sickening. Silas stumbled back, hitting the glass wall, but he didn't fall. He wiped a smear of blood from his lip, his eyes burning with resentment.

"Mikael, stop!" Lyara shouted, standing up.

Mikael ignored her. He grabbed Silas again, slamming him against the glass. "If you ever touch her again, if you ever leave a mark on her skin, I will kill you. Do you understand? She is not a prisoner for you to handle. She is mine. Only mine."

Silas looked past Mikael at Lyara. The hatred in his eyes was deeper than ever. "You're making a mistake, sir. She’s playing you. She was in the basement for a reason."

Mikael pushed Silas away with a shove. "Get out. Go to the garage. Stay there until I come down. If I see your face again tonight, I might not be so controlled."

Silas straightened his uniform. He didn't say another word. He turned and walked out of the boardroom, his footsteps echoing on the hard floor.

Mikael stood there for a moment, his chest heaving. He adjusted his suit jacket and turned back to Lyara. He walked over to her and took her face in his hands.

"Are you happy now?" he asked. There was no love in his voice. Just a cold. "You’ve embarrassed me in front of my investors. You’ve assaulted my most loyal employee. Is this the attention you wanted?"

"He threatened the baby, Mikael!" Lyara cried. "He’s dangerous!"

"He’s loyal to the Roosevelt name," Mikael countered. "Something you wouldn't understand."
He grabbed her arm—not as roughly as Silas had, but with a firm, unyielding strength—and began to pull her toward the exit.

"Where are we going?"

"We’re going back to the house," Mikael said. "The meeting is over. You wanted my attention, Lyara? Well, you have it. But you’re going to find out that having my full attention is the last thing you should have asked for."

He didn't wait for her to respond. He dragged her out of the boardroom and toward the elevator. As the doors closed, Lyara saw Silas standing by the executive desk, watching them. And as the elevator descended toward the dark garage, Lyara realized that she had successfully turned Mikael against Silas, but in doing so, she had made herself the only target left.

Lyara’s arm throbbed where his fingers dug into her skin, but she refused to complain. She had sparked this fire, and now she had to survive the heat. When the doors opened to the dimly lit garage, Silas was already standing by the black SUV, a dark shadow against the concrete. His jaw was starting to swell, and the look he gave Lyara was no longer just one of professional dislike; it was pure, unadulterated promises of revenge. He opened the rear door without a word, his movements stiff.

Mikael shoved Lyara into the seat. "Get in."

He climbed in after her, slamming the door so hard the entire vehicle shook. As the SUV sped out of the garage and into the cold night of the city, Mikael didn't look at her. He stared straight ahead, his jaw tight.

"You think you’re clever, Lyara," he said, his voice dropping to that low, terrifying whisper that made her skin crawl. "You think playing me against my own security makes you powerful. But all you’ve done is strip away the buffer between us. Silas was the one who kept the rules. Now, there are no rules."

He turned his head slowly to look at her, his eyes dark with a mix of obsession and anger. "From this second until the day that child is born, you will not leave my sight. Not for a walk, not for a meal, not for a breath of air. I am your world now."

Lyara shivered, a cold realization washing over her. For a moment, she had actually believed she was winning. She thought she had successfully manipulated Mikael, turning his obsession into a shield to protect herself from Silas. She thought her act of submission and her tears had finally put him on her side.

But as she looked at his profile in the dim light of the moving car, she saw the truth. He hadn't been fooled at all. He had simply been waiting. Mikael wasn't on her side; he was only on his own. He had hidden his rage behind a mask of corporate calm, but now that they were alone in the back of the SUV, the mask was gone.

"Why are you so angry?" Lyara asked. "I told you the truth. He was hurting me. I thought you would want to protect me."

Mikael let out a short, harsh laugh that sounded more like a bark. He finally turned to face her, and the look in his eyes made Lyara want to disappear into the leather seat. "Protect you?" Mikael sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Don't flatter yourself, Lyara. I didn't hit Silas because I care about your feelings. I hit him because he touched something that belongs to me without my permission. You’re not a person to be protected; you’re an investment that’s becoming too much of a headache."

He leaned in closer, his face inches from hers, his breath smelling of expensive whiskey.

"You think you’re so smart, playing these little games," he continued, his words cutting like glass.

"But look at you. You’re just a pathetic, pregnant girl with nowhere to go. You’re a body with my name on it, and frankly, I’m getting tired of the drama. So shut your mouth before I give you a real reason to cry. You’ve done enough damage for one night."

Lyara turned her head away, hot tears finally stinging her eyes. She had tried to play the game of power, but Mikael had just reminded her that in his world, she was nothing more than property. The silence in the car became a heavy, suffocating weight as they drove back toward the mansion.