VICTIM OF LOVE

CHAPTER 6

Marcus

I couldn't sleep.

The shadows of the city crept over my thoughts, each one bringing with it a new wave of uncertainty. I'd spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, restless, unable to escape the relentless storm brewing in my chest. Every part of me wanted to push forward, to take control of the situation, to win this battle. But I knew, deep down, this wasn't just about winning anymore. This was about survival—mine, hers, and the world we had built together, and then torn apart.

I had to admit, for all the power I held, this was the one thing I couldn't control: Elena.

She had always been unpredictable—brilliant, sharp, calculating—but there was one thing I had never anticipated: the way her determination could turn against me. Her drive, the fire that once fueled our love, had now become the weapon that would bring me down.

I threw back the covers and swung my legs off the bed, the cold floor biting at my feet. The weight of my decisions hung over me like an anvil, suffocating any hope I had left. There was no denying it anymore—I had lost her. And if I didn't fix this, I would lose everything else too.

But I was no stranger to the cold, calculating moves required to win in this world. I had played this game for years, and though Elena was the wild card, I was still the one who knew how to navigate the board. I would make her see reason, no matter what it took.

The only problem was, I had no idea how to begin.

I sat at my desk, my fingers hovering over my phone. I could call her. I could text her. But I knew better. Elena wasn't someone who responded to desperation, not anymore. She had once, but now, it was like I was a stranger to her. The woman who had loved me—who had believed in me—was gone, replaced by a force that wouldn't stop until she had her revenge.

I grabbed my phone, staring at it as if it could provide the answers I needed. I had to find a way in. I had to remind her of who we were before all this—before I made the mistakes that led us to this moment. But even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew it was a fool's errand.

Elena wasn't the same woman she had been six years ago. She had changed, grown stronger. I was no longer her prince charming. I was the villain in her story, and I wasn't sure I could change that.

A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts, and I didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"Mr. Sinclair?" Avery's voice was crisp and professional, as usual. But today, there was something in her tone that made my stomach churn. "We've got a problem."

I looked up, meeting her gaze. She wasn't the type to make small talk, so I knew this wasn't going to be good.

"What is it?" I asked, bracing myself.

"It's Elena," she said, her face grim. "She's got allies inside the company—people you trust."

My heart skipped a beat. Elena had more leverage than I realized.

"Who?" I asked, my voice cold.

"Several key members of your finance team," Avery said, walking over to my desk and handing me a folder. "We've traced some of the transactions back to them. They're feeding her information, and some of them are even working directly with her."

I took the folder, my eyes scanning the documents as the weight of the situation sank in. This wasn't just about the past anymore. Elena wasn't fighting me from the outside. She was inside, within the walls I had so carefully built, eroding it from the inside out.

"What are they saying?" I muttered, still trying to process the reality of what I was facing.

"They're scared, Marcus," Avery replied, her voice softening just slightly. "They're afraid of what Elena can do, and some of them are already offering her deals."

I gripped the folder tighter, my knuckles whitening. This wasn't just a fight for my company—it was a fight for control over everything I had built.

"You're telling me she has people inside my organization?" I asked, my voice low, dangerous.

Avery nodded, her expression stoic. "Yes. And if we don't act fast, we might lose everything."

I felt the walls of my carefully constructed empire begin to crumble. How had it come to this? How had she—my Elena—become the very thing I had spent so long protecting myself from?

"Do whatever it takes to get them back on our side," I said, my voice firm. "Find out who's betraying me. Get rid of them, if you have to."

Avery hesitated, her eyes meeting mine with an almost uncomfortable intensity. "And what about Elena?" she asked, her tone taking on a more pointed edge. "What's the next step there? Because you know she's not going to stop."

"I'll handle Elena," I said, my voice cold, final. But even as the words left my mouth, I knew they were hollow. I didn't know how I was going to handle her. But I had to.

Avery gave me a curt nod and left the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

I ran my hand through my hair, exhaling slowly as I stared at the space in front of me. My mind raced, searching for a way to win. But no matter how much I tried to figure out a strategy, I kept coming back to one undeniable truth: Elena had already won.

She had already claimed the high ground, and now, all I had left was the battlefield.

I didn't sleep much that night. I couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face—her eyes, sharp and angry, piercing me like daggers. It was as if the intensity of her gaze never left me.

At dawn, I dressed in a haze, pulling on a dark suit and tie with mechanical precision. I had a meeting with the board later, and I needed to be at my best, even if every part of me felt like it was unraveling.

I grabbed my phone as I left my apartment, hoping for some news from Avery, but there was nothing new. It was like she was playing it close to the chest.

The drive to the office felt endless. The city whizzed past in a blur of gray and steel, and I felt a strange disconnect from everything around me. People were going about their normal routines—riding the subway, talking in coffee shops, rushing to meetings—but none of it mattered. My world had shifted, and nothing felt right anymore.

When I walked into the office, the atmosphere was tense. My employees were walking around with a sense of urgency, but no one met my eyes. The pressure was palpable, a heavy cloud in the air that weighed down everyone in my presence.

"Mr. Sinclair." I turned to find Avery standing in the hallway, a nervous energy in her posture. "We need to talk."

"Not now," I muttered, brushing past her. "The board is waiting."

"Marcus," she insisted, her voice tight with urgency. "It's about Elena. She's making her move."

I stopped in my tracks, my heart skipping a beat. "What do you mean, 'making her move'?"

"She's coming after you directly," Avery said, her words cutting through the haze of my thoughts. "She's going to expose everything. All of it."

I swallowed hard. "How do you know?"

"I just spoke to someone who's been working with her," Avery replied, her gaze unwavering. "They've got everything they need to bring you down. It's not just about the company. It's personal now."

I took a deep breath, feeling the walls close in. This was it—the moment I had been dreading. Elena wasn't just out for revenge anymore. She was out to destroy me. And this time, she was going to succeed.

I gripped my suit jacket tighter, the weight of it almost unbearable. "We need to take control of this. Now."

Avery nodded, her eyes searching mine for any sign of weakness. "What's your plan?"

I met her gaze, the truth sinking in. There was no plan. Not anymore.

"I need to talk to Elena," I said, the words slipping from my mouth before I could stop them.

Avery's brow furrowed, confusion flashing across her face. "Are you serious? She's not going to listen to you."

"I don't care," I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "I'll make her listen."

I didn't know where I was going, or what I was going to say, but I knew one thing: I couldn't let Elena destroy everything I had built. I couldn't let her win.

But the question remained, would she ever listen? Or had I pushed her too far?