Maya woke the next morning with sunlight slicing through her curtains and a dull ache in her chest. Last night's laughter with Sophia still lingered, but the echo of Vivian Williams' words haunted her: Your business is barely breathing. We invited you to observe.
She sighed, sitting at the edge of her bed. The city stretched below her like a living reminder of what she had to fight for — and what she had already lost. Her company, the empire she had built from nothing, was crumbling faster than she could patch the holes.
Her phone buzzed. It was Daniel.
Daniel:We need to talk about the Williams proposal. Are you in the office?
Maya stared at the screen. Her gut twisted. She didn't want to think about it yet. Not this morning. Not when her mind still replayed Vivian's mocking smile. But she knew she couldn't avoid it.
An hour later, she found herself in the boardroom again, the same cold glass and polished steel she had cursed last night feeling even heavier today. Laila, Daniel, and the rest of the partners were already seated, expressions a mixture of hope and worry.
"Morning," Maya said flatly, taking her seat at the head of the table.
"We've gone over the numbers again," Daniel began, spreading charts across the table. "If we don't make a decision about Williams soon, we're going to lose another three clients by the end of the month."
Maya closed her eyes briefly. She could feel the weight of the room pressing down on her, the silent expectation that she would choose the path of survival.
"They're offering us access to their capital, shared clients, and protection from further losses," Laila said carefully. "It's a smart move from a business perspective."
"Smart?" Maya's voice was sharp. "You mean humiliating. They crushed us and now expect us to crawl to them for safety."
Daniel leaned forward. "It's not about pride right now. It's about survival. Our clients are slipping through our fingers, and the only reason we're still standing is because we've managed to hold onto a few major contracts."
Maya's hand gripped the edge of the table. She hated the feeling of being cornered, hated the idea that the Williams family had forced her into this decision. Yet the numbers didn't lie.
"I know," she admitted quietly, "but accepting this deal… it's more than just numbers. It's letting them control the narrative. Letting them win before I even have the chance to fight back."
Daniel's voice was calm. "Maybe, but if we refuse, the company might not survive to fight back at all."
Maya leaned back, staring at the ceiling. She could almost hear Vivian's voice in her mind, We invited you to observe. She hated that it was true. That Vivian had already won a piece of this battle by simply existing in her mind and in the market.
"I need time," she said finally. "I'll consider their offer. But I won't make a decision under pressure."
Laila nodded. "That's fair. But the longer we wait, the more we risk. I just… don't want you to ignore the reality of the situation."
Maya stood, brushing invisible dust off her blazer. "I won't ignore it. I just… won't let them dictate the terms of my fight either."
Back in her office, Maya was staring at the Williams proposal when a sharp knock on the door broke her concentration.
"Come in," she said, her voice calm but authoritative.
George, her assistant, stepped in, looking unusually tense. "Ma'am," he began, careful to keep his tone respectful, " The board is calling, investors are asking, and Daniel just called twice about the Williams proposal."
Maya's brown eyes narrowed. " I make my decisions carefully. I will decide — but on my terms."
George blinked, quickly adjusting. "Of course, Ma'am. I just… I need you to understand how critical this is. Indecision is costing us clients and credibility."
Maya leaned back, her gaze sharp. "I know my responsibility. But I also know my value. I will not rush because someone else is impatient. Respect is earned — from both sides."
George swallowed and placed a folder on her desk. "Understood, Ma'am. I just had to make sure you knew the urgency."
She exhaled sharply. "Fine. I'll make a decision by the end of the day. But it will be on my terms, and it will command the respect this company deserves."
Instead of heading to her therapist, Maya decided to drown the tension elsewhere. Fuck that.
She walked into her favorite bar, dim lights, low music, and the faint smell of aged whiskey greeting her. A place where she could hide, even if just for a little while.
She had barely settled on a barstool when a careless bartender bumped into her. A glass tipped over, and liquid splashed across her white blouse.
Time froze.
"My dress!" she barked, voice cutting through the bar. "I bought this dress for ten thousand dollars!"
The bartender stammered, flabbergasted, and patrons stared in shock. Maya's reputation preceded her — no one dared disrespect her without consequence.
"You will pay for this," she demanded, fury lacing every word.
Before he could respond, a shadow fell across the bar.
Eren Williams.
Dressed entirely in black, a dark aura surrounding him, he stepped forward. His gray eyes locked on Maya's, staring as if he could see through her, past her walls, past the anger and the armor she wore to hide her traumas.
Maya's pulse quickened. She avoided his gaze immediately — it was too intense, too revealing.
He reached into the wet fabric, dabbing at the stain casually. His touch created a spark that went straight to her core, a feeling she had never experienced before.
"I'll pay for it," he said, voice low, smooth, deliberate.
The room went silent. Patrons froze.
Maya's chest tightened. She felt humiliated. She had demanded respect, insisted on control, yet he had swooped in, paid for her dress, and undermined her fury. She clenched her fists, trying to hide it.
"You realize stepping in doesn't fix anything?" she demanded, attempting to mask the flutter in her chest.
"I'm not here to fix," Eren replied, gray eyes unwavering. "Just… correct a wrong when I see one."
Maya turned sharply, sliding past him to the exit. But even as she left, the weight of his gaze lingered, burning into her back, leaving an imprint she couldn't ignore.
For the first time in a long while, Maya Luke Johnson realized that some challenges didn't come from boardrooms or rivals. Some came from people who could see her walls… and dare to stare right through them.
And Eren Williams had just announced his arrival.