Scarlett "Red" Valenti's POV
The city hums below my office window, a chaotic symphony of horns and ambition, but up here, it's just me and the pounding in my chest. I'm still wired from the boardroom, Julian Knight's smug face burned into my brain like a brand.
Those gray eyes, sharp enough to cut through my defenses, and that damn voice low, controlled, like he's already won. I pace the polished floor of my office, my heels clicking like gunfire. I need to get a grip. This deal is everything, and I'm not letting some arrogant billionaire throw me off my game.
Lila's sprawled on the leather couch by the window, scrolling through her phone, her navy blazer tossed carelessly over the armrest. "You're pacing like a caged tiger," she says without looking up. "Knight got you that rattled?"
I stop, glaring at her. "Rattled? Please. He's just a walking ego in a suit. I've dealt with worse."
She raises a brow, her lips twitching. "Uh-huh. So why're you wearing a hole in the floor? That man's got you spinning, Red."
I scoff, dropping into my chair and swiveling to face the skyline. "Spinning? The only thing spinning is my plan to bury him. He thinks he can waltz in with his AI bullshit and take over my deal? Not happening."
Lila sets her phone down, leaning forward, her dark eyes glinting with mischief. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. But I saw the way you two were circling each other in there. It's like watching two storms collide. And don't get me started on Ethan. That boy's got heart-eyes for you."
I roll my eyes, but my stomach twists at the mention of Ethan. His easy smile, the way he cuts through the tension like it's nothing—it's disarming, and I don't do disarmed. "Ethan's a flirt," I say, waving a hand. "He's harmless. Julian's the problem."
"Harmless?" Lila laughs, standing to grab her coffee from my desk. "Ethan Blackwood's got charm for days, and you're not immune. Admit it, Red. You're caught in a billionaire sandwich, and it's messing with your head."
I grab a pen and toss it at her, grinning despite myself. "Shut up. I'm not caught in anything. I'm Scarlett Valenti. I eat billionaires for lunch."
"Yeah, yeah," she says, catching the pen mid-air. "But seriously, what's your play? You and Knight are stuck together now. You gonna keep swinging or find a way to make this work?"
I lean back, tapping my nails against the armrest. She's right I need a strategy. The waterfront deal is my shot at immortality, a legacy that'll outlive me. Julian's tech could elevate it, but trusting him feels like handing a wolf the keys to my empire. And Ethan… he's a complication I didn't see coming.
Those warm brown eyes, that laugh that makes me forget I'm supposed to be untouchable. I shake my head, shoving the thought down. Focus, Scarlett.
"I'll make it work," I say, my voice firm. "But on my terms. Knight thinks he's in charge, but he's about to learn I don't play second fiddle."
Lila grins, raising her coffee in a mock toast. "That's my girl. Just don't let him get too close. Those types? They're dangerous when they smell weakness."
"Weakness?" I snort, standing and smoothing my dress. "He'll be begging for mercy before I'm done."
My phone buzzes, a new email from Clara with the joint venture contract. I skim it, my jaw tightening at the clauses binding Valenti Properties and KnightTech together shared costs, joint decisions, mutual accountability. It's a leash, and I hate leashes. But there's a clause about a site visit tomorrow, just me and Julian, to walk the waterfront and align on the vision. Alone with him. Great. That's not a recipe for disaster at all.
I'm about to reply when another email pings through, this one from an unknown sender. The subject line: Watch Your Back, Red. My pulse spikes as I open it. No signature, just a single line: Knight's not who you think he is. Check his Singapore deal. I stare at the screen, my mind racing. Singapore? That's the deal I threw in his face earlier, the one I know tanked his stock for a week. What's this about?
"Lila," I say, my voice steady despite the unease creeping up my spine. "You ever hear anything shady about Knight's Singapore project?"
She frowns, setting her coffee down. "Shady? Not really. Just that it crashed and burned after some investor pulled out last minute. Why?"
I forward her the email, my fingers moving fast. "Someone's trying to stir the pot. Look into it for me, will you? Discreetly."
She nods, already pulling up her laptop. "On it. But, Red, be careful. If someone's digging into Knight, they might be digging into you too."
I nod, but my mind's already on tomorrow. A site visit with Julian means hours of just us, no Clara, no Ethan, no buffer. I can already picture him, all smug confidence, trying to steamroll me with his tech-bro jargon. But I'm ready. I've built my empire on outsmarting men like him. He wants a fight? I'll give him one he won't forget.
The rest of the day passes in a blur of calls and emails, my team scrambling to pull data for the waterfront project. By the time the sun dips below the skyline, casting my office in shades of gold and shadow, I'm exhausted but wired. I grab my coat, ready to head home, when my phone buzzes again,a text from an unknown number. Looking forward to tomorrow, Scarlett. Don't keep me waiting. —J
Julian.
How the hell did he get my number? My thumb hovers over the keyboard, itching to fire back something sharp, but I stop myself. Let him think he's got the upper hand. Tomorrow, I'll show him exactly who he's dealing with.
I slip into my coat, the city's lights winking at me like they know something I don't. Lila's warning echoes in my head dangerous when they smell weakness. But I'm not weak. I'm fire, and Julian Knight's about to get burned. Still, as I step into the elevator, my traitorous mind replays his voice, that low, velvet challenge: I'll enjoy watching you try to keep up. My skin prickles, and I hate it. Hate how he makes me feel alive in a way I haven't in years. This isn't just about the deal anymore. It's personal.
As the elevator doors close, I catch my reflection sharp jaw, fierce eyes, a woman who doesn't back down. Tomorrow, I'll walk that waterfront with Julian, and I'll keep my walls up, my tongue sharper than ever. He thinks he's in control, but he's got no idea what's coming. Scarlett Valen
ti doesn't just play the game she rewrites the rules.