THE HIDDEN KING

Chapter 3: The First Move

The Summit gala pulsed with soft music and glittering lights, but to Ashley Monroe, the air had turned heavy. For the first time in years, she wasn’t the center of attention.

Conversations that should have been orbiting around her shifted elsewhere, rippling toward the man standing across the hall. Gordon. Her Gordon. Only… not hers anymore.

He stood composed, his every movement deliberate, his every glance drawing eyes as though gravity itself bent toward him. The man beside him, Edward Kane, was no ordinary guest.

Ashley knew him well enough to understand the weight of his presence. He was a kingmaker, a strategist whispered about in the city’s undercurrents, someone who could tip corporations with a flick of his hand.

And yet… Edward leaned in when Gordon spoke. He listened. He deferred.

Ashley’s fingers tightened on her champagne glass. She forced herself to smile, to breathe, to act as though nothing unsettled her. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her shaken.

Clara appeared at her side, whispering urgently. “Madam, Summit’s Chairman just arrived. He’s near the east wing.”

Ashley straightened her shoulders, masking her nerves with practiced poise. “Good. Let’s move.”

As she glided through the crowd, she caught another whisper.

“…That’s Gordon Monroe?”

“Ashley’s husband, right? I thought he was… ordinary.”

“Doesn’t look ordinary to me. Did you see Edward Kane with him?”

Ashley’s teeth clenched behind her smile. “Fools,” she muttered under her breath.

She found Summit’s Chairman near the east wing, a distinguished man in his sixties, surrounded by directors. Ashley’s smile widened into what she knew was her most disarming expression.

“Chairman Liu,” she purred, “what an honor. I was just telling my team how delighted I am about our partnership. Summit and Monroe Group are destined to achieve greatness together.”

Chairman Liu’s eyes flickered, polite but cool. “Madam Monroe. Indeed, we had great expectations.”

“Had?” Ashley echoed, her smile stiffening.

“Business is about trust, Madam. Recent events… have raised questions. But tonight is for celebration, not negotiation.” He raised his glass, as if to dismiss the matter.

Ashley’s pulse quickened. “Chairman Liu, if there are concerns, I assure you, Monroe Group is committed to”

“Madam Monroe.” His interruption was gentle but final. “Let us enjoy the evening.”

She froze, her perfect composure cracking for the briefest second. Behind her, a voice slid into the conversation like silk. “Chairman Liu.”

Ashley turned sharply. Gordon stood there, his glass steady in his hand, his smile calm. Chairman Liu’s face lit up in recognition. “Mr. Gordon! What a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Ashley blinked. He knows him? Gordon inclined his head. “The pleasure is mine, Chairman. I trust you’re finding the evening pleasant?”

“Indeed, indeed,” Liu said warmly. “It’s been too long since we last spoke.”

Ashley’s mind reeled. Last spoke? Since when did Gordon know Chairman Liu?

Gordon’s eyes flicked to her briefly, unreadable, before returning to Liu. “I hear Summit is reconsidering its options. That’s wise. Partnerships built on arrogance rarely last.”

The words were casual, but Ashley felt the knife twist. Her nails dug into her palm. Chairman Liu chuckled. “You always did speak plainly,

Mr. Gordon. I must admit, your advice in the past has served me well. Perhaps we should schedule another discussion.”

“Anytime,” Gordon replied smoothly.

The two men clinked glasses, their camaraderie undeniable. Ashley stood between them, invisible for the first time in her career.

When Liu finally excused himself, Ashley turned on Gordon, her smile gone. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Gordon sipped his drink calmly. “Enjoying the gala. Same as you.”

“Don’t play games with me,” she hissed. “Why is Liu speaking to you like you’re equals?”

Gordon tilted his head, his gaze steady. “Perhaps because we are.”

Her laugh came sharp, brittle. “You? An equal to Chairman Liu? You’re delusional.”

“Am I?” His tone was calm, his eyes piercing. “Tell me, Ashley, how many of your contracts closed because of your charm… and how many because of unseen doors that just happened to open?”

Her breath caught. For a moment, her mask slipped. But she quickly recovered. “Are you implying you had something to do with my success?”

He smiled faintly, not answering. That silence was worse than words. Ashley’s chest tightened. “Listen to me, Gordon. Whatever you’re trying to pull, it won’t work. You’re nothing without me. Nothing.”

“Funny,” Gordon murmured, swirling his drink, “that’s exactly what I used to think about you.”

Her face flushed with heat. “You’re making a fool of yourself.”

“No, Ashley,” Gordon said softly, leaning close enough that only she could hear. “I’m showing you what a fool you’ve been.”

Then he turned and walked away, leaving her trembling, her champagne glass shaking in her hand.

Later that evening, Ashley tried to salvage control. She cornered Summit’s directors, attempted to dazzle them with promises, even mocked Gordon in passing to remind them of his supposed place beneath her.

But it backfired. The directors were polite but distracted, their eyes straying toward Gordon’s circle. He wasn’t alone anymore, Edward Kane had drawn several other high-profile figures into conversation, and Gordon was at the center of it, commanding quiet attention. The sight gnawed at her.

She excused herself to the powder room, gripping the marble sink as she stared at her reflection. Her flawless lipstick, her diamond earrings, her perfect hair… none of it masked the unease in her eyes.

“Pull yourself together,” she whispered harshly. “He’s nothing. He has to be nothing.”

But the whisper sounded more like a prayer. Meanwhile, in the main hall, Edward leaned toward Gordon. “That was your first step. Public enough to plant doubt, subtle enough to keep them guessing.”

Gordon nodded. “Ashley still thinks I’m bluffing. Let her. The more she underestimates me, the harder she’ll fall.”

Edward smirked. “And Summit?”

“They’ll choose wisely,” Gordon replied. His gaze drifted to where Ashley was reemerging from the powder room, her smile plastered back in place. “They always do.”

The gala wound down. Ashley’s attempts to secure Summit’s directors had failed. She left with her head high, but inside, her stomach churned.

In the car ride home, Clara hesitated before speaking. “Madam, if I may… tonight, Mr. Gordon seemed… different.”

Ashley’s eyes snapped to her. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s the same worthless man he’s always been.”

Clara nodded quickly, but the doubt lingered in her eyes. Ashley turned to the window, jaw tight. But even as she stared out at the glittering city, Gordon’s calm words haunted her.

Everything you have was never truly yours. She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her skin. She would not let him win. She couldn’t.

But deep down, beneath the layers of pride and arrogance, fear had begun to bloom. And it was only the beginning.