Elena didn’t know which was worse—the fact that her firm’s reputation was on the line or that she was stuck with Damian Westwood as her only ally in fixing it.
Three days into their forced partnership, she had already considered murder at least a dozen times. He was arrogant, insufferable, and somehow always two steps ahead of her, which made her want to strangle him.
Unfortunately, she needed him.
She sat across from him in yet another late-night meeting, glaring at her laptop screen. “I hate this.”
Damian didn’t even look up from the file he was reviewing. “You hate losing. There’s a difference.”
She snapped her gaze to him. “I hate working with you.”
He smirked, finally meeting her eyes. “And yet, here we are.”
Elena exhaled sharply. If this accusation weren’t so dangerous, she would’ve walked away from this partnership the second it was suggested. But with both their firms at risk, she had no choice but to tolerate him.
“Did you find anything?” she asked, forcing herself to focus.
Damian tapped a pen against the desk. “Maybe. Every case mentioned in the accusation has something in common—besides the claim that our firms colluded.”
She leaned forward. “Go on.”
He slid a file toward her. “All of the clients involved in those cases ended up switching firms after their trials. Every. Single. One.”
Elena frowned as she flipped through the documents. “That’s not unusual. Clients change firms all the time.”
“Sure,” Damian agreed, “but look at where they went.”
Elena’s stomach twisted as she read the names. The same law firm appeared over and over again.
Sterling & Co.
Her eyes snapped to Damian’s. “You think they’re behind this?”
“I think it’s a damn good place to start,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Sterling & Co. has been gunning for our firms for years. If they can convince clients that we’re involved in shady dealings, they’ll clean up our losses.”
Elena clenched her jaw. Sterling & Co. wasn’t just any firm—they were the third-largest corporate law firm in the city, and they had always been bitter about being left in the shadows of Sinclair & Associates and Westwood & Co.
“If they’re behind this,” Elena said slowly, “we need proof.”
Damian smirked. “That’s where the fun begins.”
She rolled her eyes. “If this is your idea of fun, I worry for your mental health.”
He chuckled, flipping the file shut. “I’m flattered you worry about me at all, Sinclair.”
She threw a paperclip at him.
---
The First Lead
The next morning, Elena stood outside the offices of Sterling & Co., arms crossed as she waited for Damian to arrive. She had barely gotten four hours of sleep, but adrenaline fueled her now. If Sterling & Co. was behind the accusations, she needed to find a way to prove it.
A sleek black car pulled up, and Damian stepped out, looking annoyingly refreshed.
Elena scowled. “Do you ever not look like you just walked out of a fashion magazine?”
He smirked, adjusting his cuffs. “Jealous?”
“Disgusted,” she corrected.
Damian chuckled as they headed toward the building. “Alright, Sinclair. What’s the plan?”
She sighed. “We talk to our mutual contact inside. If they know anything, we’ll see how much we can get out of them.”
“And if they don’t cooperate?”
Elena smiled sweetly. “Then we do things your way—apply pressure until they break.”
Damian grinned. “See? You are learning from me.”
She ignored him, leading the way inside.
---
The Source
The contact they were meeting was Liam Carter, a junior partner at Sterling & Co. He wasn’t particularly loyal to anyone, which made him the perfect source of information—if they could get him to talk.
The conference room was cold and sterile, the glass walls making it feel too exposed. Liam sat across from them, looking vaguely uncomfortable.
“I don’t know why you two are here,” he said, folding his arms. “I have nothing to do with your firms’ problems.”
Damian smiled, but it was sharp. “That’s cute, Carter. But we both know you love knowing things you shouldn’t.”
Liam exhaled. “I don’t—”
Elena leaned forward. “You have two options, Liam. You help us now, or we start digging into your work history.”
Liam hesitated, his jaw tightening. “You really think Sterling & Co. is behind this?”
Elena and Damian exchanged glances.
Liam sighed. “Look—I don’t know anything for sure. But…” He lowered his voice. “There have been… conversations. Our firm’s been aggressively targeting your clients lately. Maybe someone decided to speed things up.”
Elena’s heart pounded. “Names. Who’s been leading this charge?”
Liam hesitated.
Damian leaned in, his voice deceptively smooth. “Come on, Carter. Don’t make us play rough.”
Liam swallowed. Then, reluctantly, he said, “Victoria Sterling.”
Elena’s blood ran cold.
Victoria Sterling—the managing partner of Sterling & Co.. Ruthless. Calculated. Dangerous.
If she was behind this… they were in bigger trouble than they thought.
---
The First Confrontation
Later that evening, Elena and Damian sat in her office, going over everything they had learned.
“If Sterling & Co. is behind this,” Elena said, running a hand through her hair, “Victoria won’t go down easily. She’s too smart.”
Damian smirked. “So are we.”
She eyed him warily. “You really think we can outmaneuver her?”
His smirk softened slightly. “I think you and I together are the most dangerous pair in this city.”
For a moment, Elena didn’t know how to respond. She had spent years seeing him as her rival, her enemy. But now, for the first time, she saw something different.
Damian wasn’t just good at what he did. He was relentless. And when they worked together… they were unstoppable.
She hated that she liked that.
She shook the thought away, standing up. “Then let’s take her down.”
Damian stood too, and for the first time, he extended his hand. “Partners?”
Elena hesitated. Then, slowly, she shook his hand.
The moment their hands met, something electric passed between them.
Neither of them acknowledged it.
They had a war to win.
And neither of them planned to lose.
---
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