Theo's POV – Executive Wing
The request didn't come flagged. That was the first red flag.
It came buried in system language:
> "Routine Personnel Audit. Strategic Oversight Division. Attach full records, wellness activity, and executive privilege logs."
But the timestamp told him something else.
It came at 1:37 a.m.
That meant board-level authorization. Off-cycle. Masked under admin protocol.
Theo didn't hesitate. He pulled the request into a quarantine folder, redirected the trigger to a dummy review loop, then sent a message under encryption to the one person who needed to know.
> To: C. Dorne
Subject: Audit Intercepted.
He paused. Then added:
> They're not guessing anymore.
And just like that, the fuse had been lit.
---
Talia's POV – Admin Floor
The breakroom was unusually quiet for a Thursday. Even the vending machine felt like it was holding its breath.
Lyra stirred her tea without drinking it. The color in her cheeks had returned, her focus sharp again.
But Talia knew the signs of a person bracing for a hit.
"Hey," Talia said, pulling up a stool. "You heard the whispers?"
Lyra didn't look up. "What whispers?"
"The ones about a certain strategy analyst getting special access. Certain clinic tags. Certain eyes following her out of boardrooms like a shadow."
Lyra went still.
Talia softened her tone. "It's not everyone. Just... some people who have too much time and too little spine."
"I've kept my head down."
"Your head isn't the problem. It's your scent. Your calm. Your sudden glow. It screams safety. And this place doesn't know what to do with that unless it comes in a press release."
Lyra swallowed. "What should I do?"
Talia's voice lowered. "Keep working like they can't touch you. And if something comes? Let Cassian handle it."
Lyra didn't reply.
Because the answer was already written in her stillness.
---
Cassian's POV – Executive Office
The boardroom always felt too cold before a meeting. Too polished. Like it was built to discourage warmth.
Cassian stood by the window. He hadn't sat yet. Theo's message was open on his tablet.
They were closing in.
And it wasn't just about her. It was about what she meant to him.
He could feel it in the way the requests were worded. Not accusing. Just inquisitive. The kind of corporate tone that felt like a trap built from politeness.
He didn't plan to lie.
But he didn't plan to offer anything either.
His fingers curled slowly around the edge of the table. Not from fear. From a pressure he couldn't name.
The instinct to protect her was immediate. Unquestioned. But the method? That was harder.
He knew how to build strategy. How to shield through silence and rerouted power.
But shielding a person was different from shielding a company.
What if she didn't want walls?
What if she wanted to be seen?
His chest tightened, just a little.
Not from panic.
From doubt.
---
Lyra's POV – Stairwell Landing
It was the quietest place she could find. Between floors. Between voices. Between being seen and disappearing.
And then—
Footsteps.
Not heavy. But purposeful.
She turned.
Cassian stood at the top of the stairs. Hands in his pockets. Jacket crisp. Eyes unreadable.
They didn't speak.
He didn't move closer. Neither did she.
But the air between them changed.
Like something unnamed had been acknowledged.
He looked at her for a long moment. Not scanning. Not assessing. Just seeing.
And she held his gaze.
The moment was small. Silent. But it felt final. Like something old had shifted. Something new waiting to be claimed.
He gave a tiny nod.
And left without a word.
---
Cassian's POV – Executive Office
He didn't return to the meeting. Not immediately.
He sat in his chair. Let the silence settle.
Theo had covered the breach. Talia was circling the admin wing. But this wasn't about logistics anymore.
It was about what came next.
He didn't want to react from instinct. Not anymore. That part of him had already chosen her.
But if he was going to protect her, it had to be on terms she could live with.
And that meant control. Precision. Consent.
No sudden moves. No power plays.
Strategy.
He opened his inbox again.
Cleared a few irrelevant alerts. Then one message caught his eye.
> From: Letizia Dorne
Subject: Lodging
Message: Looks like I need a temporary house here. The hotel starts to bore me.
I assume you understand why.
P.S. Get better wine.
Cassian exhaled once, deeply.
Letizia never moved without a purpose.
Neither did he.
He closed the message. He looked toward the door. Still thinking of the stairwell. Of her stillness. Of her eyes.
And quietly, silently, made the decision.
No matter what came..
He would not let her be erased.