Chapter 3 - His Silent Revenge: Loving Her Was A Mistake

Eloise's POV

Maybe I had just witnessed something illegal.

The thought melted heavily into my chest as I stood frozen by Zev's office door.

The atmosphere inside the office felt wrong somehow.

Heavy. Dangerous. Like I had interrupted something I was never supposed to see.

Finn was uncomfortable.

And Zev was terrifyingly calm.

"Tell me," Zev muttered, "how long have you been standing there?"

My throat suddenly felt parched.

"I just got here."

His eyes stayed on mine for a few silent seconds like he was deciding whether or not I was lying.

Then slowly he pushed his sleeve back down, covering the bruises completely.

"You have a terrible habit of appearing where you're not needed."

"I came to drop the files you asked for."

"Then next time knock."

The coldness in his voice made embarrassment crawl up my neck instantly.

"I wasn't trying to listen to your conversation."

"I don't particularly care what you were trying to do."

Every word landed sharp.

I tightened my grip on the files, trying not to react.

Finn finally stepped forward slightly.

"I think she gets the point, Zev."

Something unreadable flickered across Zev's face before disappearing immediately.

His attention returned to me.

"Curiosity is dangerous, Miss Ashton."

That sounded like a warning.

"I understand."

"Do you?" he asked softly.

The room became painfully quiet.

Then finally he walked toward the desk and picked up his jacket.

"Leave the files and go home."

I was relieved before he spoke again.

"And Eloise?"

I tilted my head toward him.

"If I ever find you listening outside my office again, you'll be unemployed before you can explain yourself."

The humiliation hit hard.

I placed the files carefully on the desk.

"Understood."

For one second I thought I saw something shift in Finn's expression as he looked at me.

I turned and walked toward the door as calmly as possible.

But just before leaving, I heard Finn speak quietly behind me.

"You're being too harsh."

Then Zev answered.

"You think this is harsh?"

I left before hearing the rest.

Ivy was already waiting downstairs when I entered the lobby.

The moment she saw my face she burst out laughing.

"Oh my God."

I frowned tiredly.

"What?"

"You look like you've survived psychological warfare."

"That is exactly what happened."

She laughed harder as we stepped outside toward her car.

"You survived though."

"Barely."

The second I entered the passenger seat I leaned back dramatically and closed my eyes.

"I genuinely hate that man."

Ivy started the engine.

"Welcome to Aether Global."

"No seriously, Ivy," I sighed, opening my eyes. "How does anybody work with him without losing their minds?"

"He pays well."

"That cannot possibly be enough."

"It is for most people."

I groaned softly.

"He insulted me the entire day."

"That also sounds normal."

I turned to stare at her.

"You're telling me everyone there just accepts his behavior?"

"He's Zev Castor," Ivy said like that explained everything. "People tolerate him because he's powerful, brilliant and terrifying."

"Mostly terrifying."

"That too."

I crossed my arms and stared out the window.

"He enjoys humiliating people."

"He enjoys control."

I thought about the way he looked standing inside that office.

Perfectly calm while blood stained his knuckles.

A chill crawled across my skin again.

"And something is wrong with him."

Ivy glanced at me briefly.

"What do you mean?"

I hesitated.

Maybe I shouldn't mention it.

But somehow the words came out anyway.

"I saw blood on his hand again."

She frowned slightly.

"Again?"

I looked down quietly.

"People don't keep showing up with bruised hands unless something is happening."

Silence filled the car briefly.

Then Ivy sighed.

"Eloise."

"What?"

"Don't involve yourself too deeply with Zev."

I frowned at her tone immediately.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means keep your head down, do your job and go home."

"You're making him sound like a mafia boss."

She smiled softly.

"He's not."

That hesitation before answering did absolutely nothing to comfort me.

I studied her.

"You know something."

"I know rich powerful men are rarely simple."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're being dramatic."

"No," she muttered quietly. "I think you're underestimating him."

The rest of the drive passed quietly.

But annoyingly... my mind kept drifting back to Zev.

His voice.

His eyes.

The bruises.

The way everybody around him moved carefully like one wrong word could destroy everything.

And somehow the thing bothering me most wasn't even his cruelty.

It was the feeling that something darker existed beneath all that coldness.

By the time we got home my entire body ached from exhaustion.

I kicked off my heels immediately after entering the apartment.

"First day completed," Ivy announced dramatically behind me.

"Barely completed."

She shook her head laughing and headed toward the kitchen while I collapsed onto the couch.

"I still think I should quit."

"And abandon me to Zev alone? Never."

I groaned into the cushion.

"You're evil."

"Yes."

My phone vibrated beside me suddenly.

I frowned.

Unknown Number.

Probably work.

I opened the message absentmindedly.

And my blood ran cold.

My chest tightened instantly.

The exhaustion disappeared completely.

"Stay away from Zev Castor.

You just walked into a fire you know nothing about."

For one terrifying second I stopped breathing.

"Ivy…"

Something in my voice made her walk out immediately.

"What happened?"

I slowly lifted the phone toward her.

She read the message once.

Then again.

And for the first time since I had known her…

I watched the color leave Ivy's face completely.