Chapter 6 The Game Begins

With her fingers frozen on the keyboard, Genevieve sat at her desk. Like a tease, Silas Rockwell's email flickered. 48 hours are allotted for project proposals. She gasped. This was more than just a due date. It was a well-planned move. Two days to write a complete proposal, examine a whole organizational reorganization, and produce a perfect presentation? Not possible. Her cell rang. Hollingsworth, Jasper. She knew who it was, the CFO of Rockwell Enterprises and Silas's closest friend. She responded after taking a breath. The name is Genevieve Montgomery. A low laugh. "Effective. That appeals to me. Genevieve scowled. “Mr. Hollingsworth, may I assist you?” With ease, he said, "Call me Jasper." It's my first day working directly under Silas, and I just wanted to check in. How is the torturing going? Genevieve let out a loud sigh. "Please let me know if you're calling to tell me that this deadline is a joke." One more laugh. "Oh, it's true. He doesn't expect you to finish it, though, between you and me. Her heart pounded. She was being tested by Silas. making her a failure. Even though she couldn't see him, she could sense his presence as she looked across the office. She gritted her teeth. He wouldn't get satisfaction from her. Jasper let out a loud sigh. "You must be entertaining during gatherings. Okay, I'll let you deal with your upcoming breakdown. I'll buy you a drink if you make it out alive. Before she could answer, the phone stopped. Genevieve's shoulders went square. 48 hours. Alright. We'll see who gave up first. Is Genevieve really ready for the risky game she's playing? Files, notes, and empty coffee cups littered Genevieve's desk by dusk. Her muscles hurt. Her skull ached. She would succeed, though. Then she turned abruptly to a slow clap. Jasper Hollingsworth smirked as he leaned against the doorway. The word "impressive," he thought. "By now, most people would have given up." Genevieve's forehead raised. "I'm too exhausted to amuse you if you came here to divert my attention." Jasper smiled. "Avoid any interruptions. Just out of interest. He took a step forward, his sharp eyes darting across her messy desk. "Are you aware of the situation you've found yourself in?" Genevieve's eyes narrowed. "Don't bother if you're here to warn me about your friend." Jasper tilted his head and hummed. "Silas is... picky about who he associates with." What does he see in you, I wonder? Genevieve laughed. "I am nothing more than an inconvenience to him." Jasper grinned more broadly. "So why is he observing?" Genevieve tensed. She turned slowly. Silas Rockwell stood watching from behind the glass walls across the office. Unreadable expression. He was staring at her. Her heart skipped a beat. She took a swallow. "Are you having fun, Mr. Rockwell?" A predator amused by his prey, his lips curved. He turned and vanished into his office without saying anything. Jasper laughed. "It's possible that you will survive this." Silas is observing. But is he interested in her or does he want her to fail? When Genevieve heard it, she had just gathered her breath. A voice. low and within control. Known. She went to Silas's office by following the sound down the hallway. The door stood open a little. She ought not to pay attention. However, "She won't last a month." Her blood became icy. The voice of Silas. Her pulse thumping, she took a step closer. Jasper's voice answered, laughing. "You're not expecting her to surprise you?" Silas laughed. Although she has ambition, it is insufficient. She will shatter. Genevieve felt a knot in her stomach. She was aware that he was trying to test her. However, she was unaware that he was placing a wager on her failure. Her chest grew chilly with rage. She may leave. Don't pay attention to it. Silently prove him wrong. Or... She opened the door with a push. The two men raised their heads. Silas squinted his eyes. Without flinching, Genevieve met his stare as she entered. "Mr. Rockwell, if you're going to undervalue me, at least do it somewhere I can't hear you," she said with ease. Quiet. Then, Silas grinned. Jasper chuckled. Genevieve was also aware. The game was really under way. The truth has reached Genevieve, but what will she do with it? The office, a steel and glass temple, was surprisingly quiet at this hour. Genevieve Montgomery was sitting crouched over her laptop, her eyes burning, her fingers running feverishly over the keyboard, while the sleek black desk reflected the city lights that stretched into infinity beyond the tall windows. She was not going to fail. She disregarded the pain in her back from spending so many hours in the same stiff position. The impossibly near deadline notwithstanding, the fire in her stomach blazed brighter than her fatigue. She had been set up to lose by Silas. She would not grant him that triumph. Her constant tapping of keys and the occasional sigh as her screen clouded from exhaustion were the only sounds in the large office. She looked at the time. 3:12 a.m. She persevered despite the heavy and persistent weight of tiredness pressing against her. Next….. A shadow. Genevieve tensed. A shadowy figure stood at the door of the dimly lit office. tall. Still. observing. Her heart faltered, but before she could respond, she said, "Ms. Montgomery, are you still here?" The voice of Silas. Easy. I'm amused. Genevieve sat up straight in her chair, a cold face concealing her fatigue. She refused to let him witness her hesitation. "I didn’t realize dedication was against company policy," she remarked, feigning indifference. Silas took a step forward. The room felt smaller and more deadly because of his constant, overwhelming presence. "Dedication?" he repeated himself. "Or desperation?" Genevieve's jaw tightened. "If you’re looking for an apology, you won’t get one." Silas grinned. "I wasn’t." There was a tense stillness between them. Then her body betrayed her, much to her disgust. Her vision became hazy. Finally the weight of fatigue slammed down. Her body sagged downward before she could stop it. Before the darkness drew her down, the last thing she saw was Silas Rockwell approaching her. Will this make Silas more determined to break her, or will he let his guard down? Genevieve's sleeping body was shadowed by the desk lamp's gentle glow. Her long lashes fanned across her hot cheeks, her cheek resting against her crossed arms. Her hair fell in exquisite confusion across her face after slipping out of her bun. Beside her, Silas Rockwell stood still, his fingers flexed at his sides. He ought not to be present. He shouldn't give a damn. But something inside of him unwound when he saw her like this, worn down but uncompromising. His hand rose slowly, as though without his will. A wayward hair was nearly brushed away by fingers hovering just above her temple. Nearly. He tightened his jaw. No. He exhaled sharply and jerked his hand back as though it had been burned. With his customary poise returning, Silas straightened. Then he looked at her laptop. Pages of data, faultless analysis, and accurate projections were shown on the screen. An approach that was so incisive and brutal that it reflected his own techniques. It was her. In the face of overwhelming obstacles, she had succeeded. His mouth twisted, not with laughter, but with something more profound. Something hazardous. Montgomery, Genevieve, wasn't a pawn. She was starting to pose a danger. His chest clenched with a brief moment of adoration, but he pushed it away. She would discover. It was impossible to defeat Silas Rockwell. He stared at her for a moment longer than he should have. Then he turned and left without saying anything. Is Silas beginning to show concern, or is he getting ready to ruin her before she approaches him too closely?