Chapter 3 Episode

As Aiden wove his way through the throng of guests, he barely registered the mingling crowd or the countless congratulations being tossed his way for Wolfe Enterprises' latest success. All he could think about was Eva. The woman had wormed her way into his mind and taken root. No matter how much he tried to shake her off, she lingered.

He caught sight of Victoria standing by the bar, her sharp gaze tracking his every movement like a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce. He frowned, already knowing what was coming. Victoria had been increasingly relentless in her attempts to worm her way back into his life. Her presence tonight, uninvited but ever so conveniently there, was just another reminder that she wasn't giving up easily.

As if she sensed his attention, she turned and smiled, a predatory gleam in her eyes as she approached him, glass of champagne in hand.

"Aiden," she purred, her voice sickly sweet. "Quite the night, isn't it? You've made some bold moves lately."

He didn't bother with small talk. "What do you want, Victoria?"

Her smile faltered for a moment before she smoothed it back into place. "I can't just congratulate you on your success? Or perhaps I should congratulate you on more... personal conquests?" Her eyes gleamed with something dark, and it was clear what she was implying.

Aiden's jaw clenched, his patience wearing thin. "Whatever it is you think you know, you're wrong."

Victoria tilted her head, her smile sharp and knowing. "Oh, am I? You see, Aiden, I've been watching. You and Eva... now that's an interesting development. But we both know you're not the kind of man to get distracted by a pretty face. What's the endgame here? Are you planning to wrap her up in one of your mergers, or is this something... else?"

Aiden's temper flared, his fingers tightening into fists. "Stay out of it, Victoria. This has nothing to do with you."

She stepped closer, her voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "Everything about you concerns me, Aiden. You know that."

Aiden met her gaze, cold and unyielding. "We're done, Victoria. We have been for a long time. I suggest you remember that."

Victoria's eyes narrowed, her mask of charm slipping for a fraction of a second. She straightened, regaining her composure, but her smile was laced with venom. "We'll see about that."

Without another word, she turned and strode away, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Aiden watched her go, the tension in his muscles refusing to ease. He didn't trust Victoria, and he knew she was up to something. She always was.

But right now, she wasn't the problem.

Eva was.

Or rather, his inability to stop thinking about her was.

With a deep breath, Aiden made his way to his office, leaving the party behind. The moment the door shut behind him, the noise of the party was replaced with silence, a stark contrast to the chaos in his mind. He crossed the room and poured himself a drink, staring down into the amber liquid as if it held the answers to his dilemma.

He had wanted Eva for a long time, that much was clear. But this was no longer just physical attraction. There was something more at play-something he wasn't sure how to handle.

Eva wasn't just another woman. She was a force of nature, and the more time he spent around her, the more he realized how much she challenged him in ways no one else had. She wasn't someone who would fall at his feet or bend to his will. And as infuriating as that was, it was also what drew him to her.

He took a long sip of his drink, letting the burn of the alcohol distract him for a moment. But even that wasn't enough to drown out the thoughts swirling in his mind.

He had to make a decision. He couldn't keep teetering on the edge of whatever this was between him and Eva. Business or pleasure. Control or surrender. Power or vulnerability.

Aiden set his glass down with a sharp clink and stared out the large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city.

He wasn't a man who backed down from a challenge. And Eva Knight... she was the greatest challenge he'd ever faced.

But that didn't mean he would lose.

Eva stood at the curb, waiting for her car to arrive, the cold night air doing little to cool the heat still coursing through her. She tugged her coat tighter around her body, as if the physical act could shield her from the emotions swirling inside her.

Aiden's kiss had ignited something in her-something dangerous. She had spent years building walls around herself, determined to stay focused on her goals, her company, and her independence. She didn't need a man, least of all someone like Aiden Wolfe, getting in the way of that.

And yet, despite her best efforts, he had slipped through the cracks, making her question everything she had worked for.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down to see a text from her assistant, Charlie.

Tomorrow's meeting with the board has been moved to 9 a.m. Do you need anything before then?

Eva quickly typed a response, her fingers moving swiftly over the screen.

No, I'm good. Thanks, Charlie.

She pocketed her phone and looked down the street, searching for her car. But her thoughts were elsewhere, racing with questions she didn't want to answer.

How had she let things get this far? How had she gone from despising Aiden to... whatever this was?

But it wasn't just attraction. It couldn't be.

No, there was something deeper at play. And that terrified her.

Because as much as she wanted to pretend she could walk away from Aiden, the truth was, she was already too far gone.

The sleek black sedan pulled up to the curb, and Eva climbed in, giving the driver her address. As the car sped through the city streets, her mind was a tangled mess of emotions and unanswered questions.

She had to figure out a way to deal with Aiden, to put this entire mess behind her. But as much as she tried to convince herself that it was just business-that she could walk away from him and never look back-she knew it wasn't that simple.

It was never that simple when it came to Aiden Wolfe.

And deep down, Eva was beginning to realize that she wasn't sure if she even wanted it to be.

The next morning, Eva arrived at her office earlier than usual, needing the distraction of work to push away thoughts of Aiden and the mess she found herself in. She strode into the building, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floors, her mind already focused on the meeting with the board.

"Good morning, Ms. Knight," her assistant greeted her as she passed.

Eva offered a curt nod, her mind preoccupied. "Morning, Charlie. Make sure the boardroom is ready for the meeting."

Charlie gave her a quick thumbs-up, already on top of the task as always. Eva appreciated Charlie's efficiency, especially on days like this when she needed everything to run smoothly.

She stepped into her office, closing the door behind her and letting out a long breath. For the next few hours, she needed to be focused. She needed to prove to the board that Knight Industries was stronger than ever and that she was more than capable of steering the ship.

Eva sat down at her desk and opened her laptop, scanning through the financial reports and market projections that would be the focus of today's presentation. But no matter how hard she tried to focus, her thoughts kept drifting back to Aiden.

To the kiss. To the way he had looked at her, as if he was seeing straight through her carefully crafted defenses.

And, damn it, to the way she had wanted him in that moment. Wanted to give in, to let herself feel something other than anger and ambition.

A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts, and Charlie poked her head in.

"The board is ready for you, Ms. Knight."

Eva nodded, shutting her laptop and standing. She smoothed down her skirt, straightened her shoulders, and reminded herself that this was what mattered. This was what she had worked for-control, power, success.

Aiden Wolfe wasn't going to ruin that for her.

But even as she walked into the boardroom, ready to face the meeting head-on, Eva couldn't shake the feeling that Aiden was already inside her head, planting seeds of doubt, pushing her in ways she wasn't sure she was ready for.

And for the first time in a long time, Eva felt the distinct tremor of uncertainty.