The sky outside had shifted into a bruised blue, the kind that hinted at rain even if none ever came. The weather felt like the air inside the house was heavy, waiting, tense. Ella stood at the sink, gripping the counter so tightly. She hated this quiet. She hated how it pressed against her bones like it was testing her strength.
Every move now felt calculated.
Every breath felt monitored.
Every silence held a threat.
Ben was across the room, pacing with his phone pressed to his ear, voice low and steady even though Ella could feel the tension radiating off him. He ended the call and set the phone down harder than he meant to, the dull thud making her flinch.
He noticed.
"Sorry," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "Didn't mean to—"
"It's fine," she said quickly, wiping her palms on her leggings. "We're all on edge."
Ben stared at her for a few seconds, really stared. Like he was trying to read a book whose pages were shaking in the wind. His shoulders lowered a notch. "You didn't sleep again."
"Neither did you."
He huffed a humorless breath. "Yeah, well… I'll survive."
"You say that like it's a given."
"It is," he said, stepping closer. "As long as you're here, I'm not breaking."
Ella swallowed, the emotion tightening her throat. She wanted to lean into him, but her mind kept replaying Lucas' words, Rita thinks she can isolate you.
No.
Not happening.
Never again.
A sharp knock rattled the door.
Ella stiffened. Ben's hand instantly touched her back, steadying her.
"That's Lucas," he said after a beat. "I told him to come early."
Ella nodded, pushing her nerves down.
Ben opened the door, and Lucas stepped in fast, shutting it just as quickly. This time, he didn't look calm. He didn't look cautious. He looked alarmed.
"What happened?" Ben asked immediately.
Lucas scanned the room like he expected someone else to be there. "We've got a problem."
Ella's pulse kicked into a sprint. "What kind of problem?"
Lucas ran a hand through his hair, something he never did unless things were bad. "Rita is escalating. Jasper too. They're moving faster than we expected."
Ben's eyes hardened. "How fast?"
"Fast enough that they already made their first move."
Ella felt heat rush up her neck. "What move?"
Lucas reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded paper. He handed it to Ben, jaw tight. "This was delivered to Ben's office this morning."
Ben unfolded it. Ella leaned in.
It wasn't a letter.
It was a report.
A false report.
A fabricated wellness complaint made to the company's board, claiming Ella was emotionally unstable, manipulative, and "dangerous to Ben's professional and personal well-being."
Ella's stomach dropped.
"What is this?" she whispered.
Lucas exhaled slowly. "Rita's painting you as a liability. She wants the board to question Ben's judgment for being involved with you. She wants pressure from the outside to force cracks on the inside."
Ella's hands shook. "They're attacking me indirectly… through him."
Ben's jaw clenched so hard a vein pulsed near his temple. "She's desperate."
Lucas nodded. "Desperate can be effective. She knows exactly where to hit."
Ella took the paper from Ben, scanning each line, each lie; every word felt like a slap. "She's trying to drag my name through the mud. Make me look like the unstable one."
"That's exactly the point," Lucas said quietly. "She wants everyone to look at you sideways. Doubt you. Question your motives. She wants to isolate you socially and professionally so she can get into Ben's head."
Ben stepped in front of Ella, forcing her to meet his eyes. "This isn't working. You hear me? They're wasting their time."
Ella let out a shaky breath. "But this makes it real. This isn't just drama at home anymore. She's dragging the outside world into it."
Lucas nodded once. "Which means we can't handle this privately anymore."
Ben's expression sharpened. "Meaning?"
"We go public," Lucas said. "Carefully. Strategically. But publicly."
Ella stared. "Publicly? How?"
"Not press," Lucas clarified. "Not announcements. Evidence. Documentation. Witnesses. Anyone Rita's manipulated, lied to, threatened, we need them. And we need it organized."
Ben rubbed his forehead. "That's a long process."
Lucas nodded. "Exactly. It buys us time, and it rattles her. She needs quick wins. She can't handle slow battles."
Ella sank onto the sofa. "But she's already ahead of us."
"No," Lucas said, crouching in front of her. "She's loud. Loud isn't ahead."
Ella rubbed her temples. "I feel like I can't breathe."
Ben sat beside her instantly. Their shoulders touched. It steadied her.
Lucas's voice softened. "Ella. Look at me."
She did.
"You're not losing," he said. "You're just getting hit first."
Ben nodded. "We hit back smarter."
Ella's chest loosened just enough to breathe. "So what do we do now?"
Lucas stood again. "Two things. One; Ben, you need to inform the board yourself before Rita's version spreads."
Ben nodded. "Already planning to."
"Good," Lucas continued. "And two; Ella, you need protection."
Ella blinked. "Protection? From what?!"
Lucas hesitated. "Rita's not acting like someone who's planning mind games anymore. She's acting like someone who's spiraling. People like that… they don't stay predictable."
Ella felt cold crawl up her spine. "You think she'll do something to me?"
Lucas didn't sugar-coat it. "I think she'll do anything that makes her feel in control again."
Ben's arm slid around Ella's shoulders, protective and fierce. "She's not touching her. I swear it."
Lucas nodded. "Good. Then she needs someone watching her when you're not around. Even if she hates the idea."
Ella groaned softly. "I do hate it."
Lucas cracked a faint smile. "I know."
Ben looked at her. "But you're not alone in this. Not one step."
Ella's eyes softened, even through the panic. "I know."
Lucas cleared his throat. "I'll handle the monitoring and the background checks. You two stay focused on staying united."
Ella exhaled shakily. "We're doing this, aren't we?"
Ben squeezed her shoulder. "We already started."
The house fell into a loaded silence, one filled with tension, yes, but also determination.
Ella leaned into Ben.
Lucas stood guard in the doorway.
And outside, the sky darkened further, heavy with an approaching storm.
This wasn't just pressure.
It was a warning.
And Ella felt it deep in her bones....
Rita was only getting started.