Anastasia’s POV
Driving back to the office, it seemed like the day was going to last forever. I kept reflecting on my dad’s death and how uncertain things were becoming for the company. I didn’t know if I could take much more of this, but I had to keep pushing forward. There wasn’t anyone else around to captain this ship.
When I walked through the office door, Mike, my assistant, met me with an anxious face. “Miss Anastasia ,” he said urgently, “there are two men waiting for you in the conference room on the third floor.”
“Who are they?” puzzled, i asked myself because i did not expect any visitors today.
“There were no names given but they sounded urgent,” Mike responded after which he looked a bit worried about his meeting with them.
I nodded as I felt uneasy walking towards the conference room. As soon as I opened it and stepped inside, there sat two men at the huge table.
The initial one looked older he appeared to be approaching his fifties putting the number of silver lines in his dark hair. Despite what his age might be, he still looked handsome and young. He was the type of man that would make people turn their heads wherever he went. The other man who seemed younger than him wore a finely tailored suit, calm and controlled.
The older man stood as I entered, offering a polite nod. “Ms. Sinclair, thank you for seeing us on such short notice. I’m Kilian Santoro, and this is my associate, Mr. Gareth Lyons.”
His voice was deep, and though he spoke politely, there was an underlying authority in his tone that made me instantly wary. I had never heard of Kilian Santoro, but there was something about him that made me uneasy.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Santoro, Mr. Lyons,” I replied, forcing a smile as I took a seat across from them. “How can I help you?”
Kilian exchanged a glance with Gareth before continuing. “Ms. Anastasia, we’re here because we believe we can offer you some assistance with the current situation at HASA Enterprises.”
I frowned, confused. “I’m not sure I understand. What situation are you referring to?”
Gareth slid a black folder across the table towards me. “Please, take a look at this.”
Reluctantly, I opened the folder. Inside were documents-financial reports, emails, and even copies of contracts. As I scanned the contents, my heart began to race. These were all related to the company, and some even implicated Blake in questionable activities. But there was something else, something more personal.
“Where did you get these?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.
Kilian’s expression remained calm, almost detached. “We have our sources, Ms. Anastasia. What you see in that folder is just the tip of the iceberg.,” He paused for a while before leaning forward. “Your company is in serious trouble, and if something isn’t done soon, it could be too late.”
I looked up at them, trying to make sense of what they were saying. “Why are you showing me this? What do you want from me?”
Kilian leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady. “We’re not here to threaten you, Ms. Sinclair. On the contrary, we believe that with your help, we can protect your interests and prevent further damage. We have our reasons for wanting to see Sinclair Enterprises succeed.”
I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed. “I don’t understand. Why would you want to help me? I don’t even know who you are.”
Kilian’s lips curled into a small smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Let’s just say that we have a common interest in seeing Blake Sinclair brought to justice. The saying goes, ‘The enemy of your enemy is your friend.’ I believe that by working together, we can achieve our goals.”
I felt a surge of anger. “This is about Blake, isn’t it? You’re trying to use me to get to him. I’m sorry, Mr. Santoro, but I won’t be part of this. Why would you even think that I want to bring him to justice?”
Kilian raises his eyebrows which causes me to run my fingers through my hair almost out of frustration. ” See, I’m almost divorced from Blake and I don’t want anything to do with him or his business anymore. You sort out your issues with him personally.”
Gareth leaned forward, his voice calm and measured. “Ms. Anastasia, we’re not asking you to do anything illegal or unethical. We’re simply offering you the means to protect yourself and your company. Blake has made enemies, and it’s only a matter of time before those enemies come after you as well.”
I stood up, my hands trembling. “I don’t need your help. I’ll protect myself and handle this on my own.”
Kilian’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes-disappointment, perhaps? “As you wish, Ms. Anastasia. But remember, time is not on your side. If you change your mind, you know where to find us.”
Gareth handed me a sleek black business card, and I took it reluctantly, feeling the weight of their gaze as I turned to leave. As I walked out of the conference room, my mind was a whirl of emotions-fear, anger, confusion. I had no idea who these men really were or what they were capable of, but one thing was clear: I had just walked away from a dangerous proposition.
Once I was back in my office, I leaned against the door, trying to steady my breathing. The documents in that folder had been real, but what was the price of accepting their help? And more importantly, what would happen if I didn’t?
At this point, I might actually go crazy.
As I placed the business card into the drawer, my phone buzzed with a message. It was Mike, informing me that the visitors had left and that there were more urgent matters waiting for me. But as I headed to my desk, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just stepped into a much larger game-one that I wasn’t sure I knew how to play.