Chapter 4: Unraveling the Threads

Sophie couldn’t shake the feeling that she was standing on the edge of something dark and dangerous. The phone call from the night before echoed in her mind, and though she tried to focus on her work, her thoughts kept returning to the mysterious voice. Stay out of it, they had said. But how could she?

It wasn’t just the strange meetings or Alexander Steele’s cryptic warnings that gnawed at her now. It was the unsettling sense that everything around her was a web of secrets, and she was caught in the center of it. And Alexander Steele—he was the spider, pulling all the threads.

The day after the call, Sophie arrived at the office to find it eerily quiet. Alexander had yet to arrive, and Mrs. Carter, who was usually bustling around by now, was nowhere to be seen. Sophie glanced at her phone, wondering if she had missed some kind of notice, but there were no new messages.

She settled into her desk, trying to ignore the prickling unease creeping up her spine. But as the minutes ticked by and the office remained empty, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

At exactly 9:15 a.m., Alexander finally walked in, his presence as commanding as ever. But there was something different about him today. His usual crisp, controlled demeanor was still intact, but Sophie noticed a slight tension in his jaw, a barely perceptible tightness in his movements. Whatever was happening, it was affecting him more than he let on.

"Good morning, Mr. Steele," Sophie greeted, keeping her voice calm as she stood.

Alexander barely acknowledged her, his gaze fixed straight ahead as he strode toward his office. "In my office. Now," he said curtly, not breaking his stride.

Sophie hurried after him, her heart racing. She had grown accustomed to his abruptness, but today it felt different—more urgent. She stepped into his office and closed the door behind her, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily on her shoulders.

Alexander was already seated behind his desk, his fingers steepled in front of him as he watched her with those piercing blue eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was thick, electric, as if the air itself was charged with the tension they both felt.

"Sit down, Miss Matthews," he finally said, his voice low and measured.

Sophie obeyed, sinking into the chair across from him, her palms resting on her lap to keep them from trembling.

Alexander’s gaze never left hers, and for the first time, Sophie saw something flicker behind those cold eyes. Was it concern? Fear? Whatever it was, it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the same unreadable mask he always wore.

"I’m going to ask you a question," he said slowly, his voice like ice. "And I expect an honest answer."

Sophie nodded, her throat tight.

"Did anyone contact you outside of the office yesterday?" he asked, his tone calm, but there was an edge to it, a dangerous undercurrent that made Sophie’s pulse quicken.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should lie. But there was something in the way he was looking at her, something that told her he already knew the answer. She swallowed hard and decided to tell the truth.

"Yes," she said softly. "I received a phone call."

Alexander’s jaw tightened slightly, but his expression remained impassive. "And what did they say?"

Sophie hesitated again, but there was no point in hiding it now. "They told me… they told me to stay out of it. That I didn’t know what I was getting into."

For a long moment, Alexander said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on her, cold and calculating, and Sophie felt like he was peeling back layers of her thoughts, searching for something more. Finally, he exhaled, leaning back in his chair.

"You should have told me immediately," he said, his voice dangerously low.

"I—I wasn’t sure what to do," Sophie admitted, feeling a wave of anxiety rise in her chest. "I didn’t know who it was or what they meant. I—"

"That’s exactly why you should have told me," Alexander interrupted, his tone sharp. "You have no idea how dangerous this situation is, Miss Matthews. I told you to keep your head down, to stay out of things. And now, because of your silence, you’ve been drawn into something far more serious than you realize."

Sophie’s heart was pounding in her chest now. "I didn’t mean to—"

"It doesn’t matter what you meant to do," Alexander snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. "The fact is, you’ve been targeted. And that puts you—and me—at risk."

Sophie’s breath caught in her throat. Targeted? What was he talking about? She opened her mouth to ask, but the look in Alexander’s eyes stopped her. Whatever this was, it was far more complicated—and dangerous—than she had imagined.

For a moment, they sat in silence, the tension between them thick and suffocating. Then, Alexander stood abruptly, walking over to the window, his back to her.

"You’re not safe," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "Whoever contacted you—they’re part of something bigger. Something that goes beyond business. And now that they’ve made contact with you, they won’t stop. They’ll keep pushing until they get what they want."

Sophie’s mind raced, trying to make sense of his words. "What do they want?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexander was silent for a moment, his back still turned to her. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and hard. "They want me. Or rather, they want something I have."

Sophie frowned, confusion and fear swirling inside her. "What do you mean? What could they possibly want from you?"

Alexander turned slowly to face her, his expression unreadable once again. "That’s not something you need to know, Miss Matthews. All you need to understand is that you’ve been dragged into a very dangerous game. And the only way you’re going to survive is by following my instructions to the letter. Do you understand?"

Sophie nodded, her heart still racing. She didn’t fully understand what was happening, but she knew enough to realize that she was in way over her head. Alexander Steele wasn’t just a powerful CEO—he was involved in something far more sinister, something that could cost her everything if she wasn’t careful.

"I understand," she said quietly.

"Good," Alexander replied, his tone softening ever so slightly. "Because from this point forward, your life depends on it."

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Sophie tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back to the conversation she’d had with Alexander. You’re not safe. His words echoed in her mind, filling her with a sense of dread she couldn’t shake.

What had she gotten herself into? She had come here for a job—a challenging job, sure, but not one that would put her in danger. And now, less than a week in, she was already entangled in something far more dangerous than she’d ever imagined.

As she left the office that evening, Sophie couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder, her paranoia growing with every step she took. The city streets felt darker, the shadows longer, and every stranger seemed like a potential threat.

By the time she reached her apartment, she was on edge, her nerves frayed. She locked the door behind her and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. She couldn’t let this consume her. She had to stay focused, keep her head down, just like Alexander had said.

But as she walked into her living room, something caught her eye—a small envelope lying on her coffee table. Sophie froze, her heart skipping a beat. She hadn’t left anything there before she left for work, and she certainly hadn’t had any visitors.

Slowly, cautiously, she picked up the envelope and turned it over in her hands. There was no name, no return address. Just a plain, unmarked envelope.

Her hands trembling, Sophie opened it and pulled out a single sheet of paper. The message was short, but it sent a chill down her spine:

You’ve been warned.

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