The unstoppable vengeance of Micheal Krux.

16; The condition

Chapter 16; The Condition

Layla Luxter POV

The second time I walked into the building, I prepared myself for possibility of anything happening, but not for indifference though.

There is a difference between being denied and being ignored, and I realized very quickly which one I was dealing with the moment I stepped through the glass doors again.

The air inside was cool, almost sterile, carrying a faint scent of polished wood and something citrus, the kind of scent companies use to make spaces feel expensive without drawing attention to it.

People moved around with quiet purpose, heels tapping softly against the marble floor, low voices blending into a steady hum that never rose high enough to become noise. No one rushed, no one lingered, and no one looked at me for longer than a second.

That was new.

At Luxter events, attention followed me without effort. Here, it slid past me like I wasn’t worth holding onto.

I kept my posture straight and walked toward the reception desk, my steps measured, controlled, refusing to let the environment dictate my pace. The same woman from yesterday sat behind the desk, her fingers moving lightly across a keyboard as if nothing about my presence required urgency.

“I’m here to see your CEO,” I said, keeping my voice calm and even.

She glanced up briefly, her expression unchanged from the day before. “Do you have an appointment?” she asked.

“No,” I replied, holding her gaze. “But I was here yesterday. I was told my request had been reviewed.”

She studied me for a second, then looked back at her screen. “Please take a seat,” she said with no apologies

I turned toward the waiting area, choosing a seat that gave me a clear view of the entrance and the elevators. The chair was firm, deliberately so, designed for short waits, not long ones. I crossed my legs slowly, placing my bag beside me, my fingers resting lightly on it as I forced myself to remain still.

Minutes passed.

Then more.

The quiet hum of the room settled around me, broken only by the occasional ring of a phone or the soft ding of the elevator doors opening and closing. People came in, signed in, and were led through without delay. Some nodded politely in my direction, most didn’t look at me at all.

I checked the time once, then put my phone away.

I wasn’t here to look impatient.

I was here to get a result.

After nearly an hour, the elevator doors opened again, and a man in a dark suit stepped out, his movements precise, his expression neutral. He walked directly toward me, stopping just close enough to command attention without invading space.

“Miss Luxter,” he said.

I stood immediately. “Yes.”

“My name is Daniel,” he said. “I’m part of the executive office.”

Finally.

“I’d like to speak with your CEO,” I said, keeping my tone steady, though I could feel a small release of tension in my chest.

He nodded once. “He is aware of your request.”

“And?” I asked.

There was a brief pause, and in that pause, something about his posture told me I wasn’t going to like what came next.

“He is willing to consider a meeting,” Daniel said carefully.

Relief tried to rise, but I didn’t let it show. “Then let’s schedule it,” I replied.

“On one condition,” he added.

The words settled between us, quiet but heavy.

“What condition?” I asked.

Daniel met my eyes directly, his tone remaining calm, almost detached, as though he had delivered this line more than once already.

“You must publicly deny any association with the Krux family,” he said.

For a moment, I didn’t respond.

Not because I didn’t hear him, but because I needed to be sure I had understood him correctly.

“That doesn’t make sense,” I said slowly.

“It is not meant to,” he replied. “It is a requirement.”

I felt something tighten in my chest, not sharp enough to be pain, but enough to make breathing feel slightly different.

“This is a business negotiation,” I said. “What does the Krux family have to do with it?”

Daniel didn’t move. “That is the condition that has been set,” he repeated.

I studied his face, searching for any sign that this was a tactic he didn’t fully agree with, something I could push against, but there was nothing there. Just professionalism, controlled and complete.

“This is personal,” I said.

“Yes,” he replied.

The honesty of that answer made it worse.

The air felt colder suddenly, or maybe I was just more aware of it. I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning above, the distant murmur of voices behind the glass partitions, the soft rhythm of someone typing nearby. Everything felt sharper, clearer, like my senses had shifted into something more alert.

“I need to understand something,” I said, keeping my voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry beyond us. “If I do this, if I make that statement publicly, you’re saying your CEO will meet with me and consider the partnership with Luxter Energy?”

Daniel held my gaze. “He will consider it,” he said.

Not guarantee.

Not promise.

Consider.

I let the word settle.

This was not a negotiation.

It was control.

And somehow, I had walked into it without seeing it clearly until now.

“My association with the Krux family is not a casual detail,” I said, my tone tightening despite my effort to keep it even. “You’re asking me to make a public statement that carries consequences beyond business.”

“I understand,” Daniel replied, though his expression did not change. “You are free to decline.”

Free.

The word almost felt ironic.

Because declining meant walking away from the deal Gabriel needed, the deal he had already presented as secured. It meant going back empty-handed, explaining something I could not fully explain, and watching the consequences unfold from there.

I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the decision settle in my chest.

“Why?” I asked.

Daniel didn’t hesitate. “That information is not available,” he said.

Of course it wasn’t.

Nothing about this had been designed to give me clarity.

Only pressure.

I nodded once, more to myself than to him, then picked up my bag, my fingers brushing against the smooth leather as I steadied my thoughts.

“I’ll get back to you,” I said.

Daniel inclined his head slightly. “We will be waiting for your response,” he replied.

I turned and walked toward the exit, my steps controlled, my expression composed, but my mind was anything but still. The glass doors slid open as I approached, letting in a rush of warmer air from outside, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and voices from the street.

The city felt louder now.

Closer.

As if everything had moved in a little tighter around me.

When I got into the car, I didn’t tell the driver to move immediately. I sat there for a moment, my hand resting on the door handle, my thoughts circling the same point again and again.

The Krux family.

Why that condition?

Why now?

And why did it feel like this wasn’t just business, no matter how much they tried to present it as one?

I finally closed the door fully and leaned back into the seat, my gaze fixed ahead as the driver pulled into traffic.

If I accepted, I would be choosing strategy over history.

If I refused, I would be walking away from something Gabriel needed.

Neither option felt clean.

But one thing was clear as the car moved forward, the city unfolding around me in noise and motion—

Whoever was behind that door wasn’t just testing my position.

He was testing how far I was willing to go.

And I wasn’t sure yet what my answer would cost me.