He was still holding her hand when she said it.
"I want you to rehire Layla."
He blinked.
Twice.
"What?"
Mara looked up, eyes sharper now. Composed. Dangerous.
"I want her back. At the company."
"You want me to… invite back the woman who almost ruined your career?"
"Exactly."
He stared at her like she'd grown wings; or fangs.
"Mara, you literally cried over what she did; "
"Exactly. I did." She pulled her hand away gently. "But I'm done crying. Now I want her close."
He leaned back, arms crossed, intrigued.
"Go on…"
"She's a ticking time bomb. And nothing destroys a bomb better than watching it self-destruct under surveillance."
"And what would we do?" he asked slowly.
"We do nothing," she said, lips curling into a smile. "We give her exactly what she wants; her job back. Just enough rope…"
"…to hang herself," he finished, the grin now matching hers.
"Exactly," she said, smug.
He leaned closer, clearly amused; and dangerously in love.
"You're beautiful when you're terrifying."
She smirked.
"I'm always terrifying."
Scene Cut: HR Office: Later that Week
"Miss Layla Jennings, welcome back," the HR head said with a forced smile. "Your position has been reinstated per executive order."
Layla flipped her hair, oozing fake sweetness.
"Of course. I knew they'd come to their senses."
Mara watched from the hallway. Arms folded. Eyes cold. A queen waiting for her pawn to move.
Let the game begin.
...
Layla strutted into the office like she owned it.
Her designer heels clacked loudly. Her lip gloss shone like vengeance.
And her first mission?
"Put Mara back in her place."
Too bad Mara wasn't standing in the same place anymore.
"Morning, Layla," Mara said sweetly, holding out a color-coded schedule. "Mr. Stone asked me to pass this to you."
Layla blinked.
"You're giving me tasks now?"
"Mmhmm," Mara smiled. "He said you were the best person for them."
Layla narrowed her eyes.
That couldn't be right.
She used to avoid work like bad lighting. Now she was getting actual responsibilities?
Weird.
"Okay… thanks?" Layla muttered, walking off slowly.
....
Week One:
Layla gets buried in "important" but mind-numbing reports.
Mara praises her in meetings.
Stone? Cold. Distant. Barely acknowledges her existence.
Week Two:
The board starts noticing Mara's sharp decisions, while Layla shows up late twice.
Mara covers for her.
"She's just adjusting," Mara tells HR with a patient smile.
Week Three:
Layla begins overstepping, thinking Mara's grown soft.
She starts trying to flirt with Malik again.
Until...
...
OFFICE PARTY NIGHT
Malik walks in with Mara at his side.
Not just close. Hand-in-hand.
Layla chokes on her drink.
"Wait; what the hell is this?"
"Oh," Mara says with the softest voice and sharpest smile, "I thought you knew."
Malik pulls Mara even closer, calm and smug.
"She's mine. Has been for a while. And if anyone tries to disrespect her again...."
He turns to the whole room.
"They'll be out the same day."
Layla stares. Rage. Confusion. Embarrassment.
And then, Mara leans in one last time and whispers:
"Didn't I tell you to stay in your lane?"
Layla walks out. Red. Shaking. Done.
And baby girl?
That trap?
She fell face first.