He Made Her Queen, Then Took Her Crown

Chapter 9: The Weight Of Silence

 The elevator doors slid open with a dull chime, and Lena stepped out, her heels clicking against the polished floor of Obsidian Tech’s headquarters. The morning light filtering through the tall windows did nothing to soften the pounding in her head.

 She adjusted her coat, forcing her spine to straighten, smoothing away any trace of the mess she felt inside. There was no room for weakness here. Not today. Especially not now.

 The office buzzed with the usual Monday morning rhythm — phones ringing, keyboards clattering, voices weaving together in muted conversations — but to Lena, it all sounded like static. Background noise. Her world was unraveling too fast for her to care about anyone else’s deadlines.

 She walked into her corner office, shut the glass door behind her, and slumped into the chair. The city skyline stared back at her, indifferent. She reached for her phone and began dialing — no time for pride, no room for fear. She was not ready to be a failure. The praises from her colleagues and other staff on the day she sealed the deal, those praises must not go for nothing. 

 One by one, she worked through her contact list: old partners, potential leads, forgotten acquaintances. She offered promises, pulled strings, even flirted when she had to — but it was no use. Everyone had heard the same whisper.

 Echelon Eight Group.

 That name alone was enough to freeze the blood of even the boldest investor. No one wanted to stand on the wrong side of them. Especially when Echelon Eight had pulled the plug on her Apex Holdings deal.

 When she got to the last number on her list, she hesitated.

 Mr. Hanz.

The same man Rowan had helped at the party. The same man who had looked at Rowan with something close to reverence.

 Her fingers hovered over the dial, but there was no choice. She pressed the button.

 The line rang twice before his voice answered, smooth and cordial as always. “Lena Aston. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 “Mr. Hanz,” she began, her tone crisp, professional, but polite. “I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

 “Not at all,” he replied, a chuckle softening his words. “I was just thinking about your husband, actually. What he did last night — remarkable. I haven’t seen a man handle a room like that in years. Your husband’s got quite the gift.”

 Lena’s stomach knotted. She forced a light laugh. “Rowan? He’s got his charms, sure. But he’s not much of a businessman, Mr. Hanz.”

 “Is that so?” The man sounded almost amused. “Well, I don’t know what you call it, but he helped me close a deal I’ve been chasing for months. I owe him, and by extension... you, I suppose.”

 Lena saw her opening.

 “I’m glad you feel that way, Mr. Hanz. Because I actually called, hoping you’d return the favor. You know, I was the one who helped him prepare for those introductions, the research, the strategy. I like to stay in the background. Rowan was just the mouthpiece.”

 She let the lie linger, waited for the hook to set.

 “I need you to pull some strings, Mr. Hanz. I need investors, buyers -anyone willing to steady Apex Holdings. I was the bridge to your new fortune; don’t make me regret it.”

 A pause hung between them.

 “You wouldn’t want me to start calling the people I introduced you to, would you?” she added, her voice lowering slightly. “It’d be a shame if they suddenly found new reasons to walk away.”

 Mr. Hanz cleared his throat, the cheerful lilt gone. “That won’t be necessary, Lena. I understand.”

 Relief swept through her, but it didn’t show on her face.

 “I’ll have my office send over a list of contacts by noon,” he added. “You have my word.”

 “Good,” she replied, short and cold. “I look forward to seeing results.”

 She hung up before he could say another word.

 For the first time that morning, her phone began to light up. One notification after another — potential clients, new meetings, revived interest. The dead weight was starting to lift.

 Or so it seemed.