Two weeks had passed since Lydia discovered Project Phoenix.
Jaden had gone distant again — polite, controlled, but colder than ever.
And that silence? It was driving her insane.
She told herself she'd stay away.
But every time she saw his name flash across the company newsletter or heard the way people whispered about his brilliance and ruthlessness, her heart burned all over again.
Then, one evening, she followed her instincts.
---
Lydia waited until after hours before sneaking into the underground garage of Steele Industries.
Jaden's black Aston Martin was parked there, gleaming like sin under the dim lights.
But that wasn't what caught her eye.
A dark van sat two spaces away — engine idling, lights off.
Inside, she could make out two men, watching the elevator entrance closely.
Something felt wrong.
Her heart thudded. She hid behind a concrete pillar and quietly pulled out her phone — typing a quick message:
> Lydia: "Jaden, don't come to the garage. Something's off."
No reply.
Moments later, the elevator dinged open.
And there he was — calm, suited, unaware.
"Jaden!" she hissed, stepping out, waving him down.
But before he could react, the van doors flew open.
Two men in black stepped out, masks on, moving fast.
Lydia's breath hitched. "Jaden! Behind you!"
He spun — and in seconds, chaos erupted.
Jaden fought like a man who'd done this before — precise, brutal, efficient. One attacker went down with a single strike; the other swung a metal rod that Jaden blocked with his arm, gritting his teeth as pain flashed across his face.
Lydia froze — terrified, useless — until one of the fallen men lunged toward her ankle. She kicked him in panic, grabbed a loose metal tool from the ground, and swung wildly.
"Stay down!" she yelled, adrenaline shaking her hands.
Jaden turned to her, breath heavy, eyes burning. "You shouldn't have come here."
"Well, you shouldn't have been targeted!" she shot back.
He stared at her, chest rising and falling. The mask of control he always wore… cracked completely.
Then he reached out, cupping her face roughly.
"Damn it, Lydia— you could've been killed."
Her voice trembled. "Then stop pushing me away."
Silence.
Their faces were inches apart — his hand still on her cheek, his pulse racing beneath her touch.
Finally, he whispered, voice low and broken:
"I'm trying to keep you alive… and it's getting harder every day."
And before she could say another word — he kissed her.
Desperate. Reckless. Like a man losing control for the first time in years.
The kiss ended almost as quickly as it started.
Jaden stepped back, ran a hand through his hair, and said quietly,
"This was a mistake… but I don't regret it."
Then he walked past the unconscious men and into the shadows, leaving Lydia breathless and shaken — but more certain than ever.
Whatever Project Phoenix was, it wasn't just business .
It was the reason for his pain… and now, hers too.