章節 29: Under Pressure
The towering glass walls of Hawthorne Industries Tower seemed to close in on Drake Hawthorne as he sat behind his massive desk, staring at the flurry of emails and reports that painted a grim picture of his company's crumbling foundations. For years, Hawthorne Industries had been untouchable—a giant in the corporate world, known for its power, its influence, and its unshakable dominance. But now, thanks to Mila Morgan's masterful traps, it was faltering.
Deals that had once seemed certain were falling through. Business partners were suddenly wary, questioning the once ironclad reputation of Hawthorne Industries. And worse, the board of directors—a group of sharks who valued nothing but profit—was growing restless, questioning Drake's leadership and the direction in which he was steering the company.
The blame lay squarely on Penny Townsend's betrayal. The insider information Penny had fed him—information he had used to make key decisions—had all been part of a web of lies spun by Mila. And now, every move he had made based on that false intel was backfiring. Deals were collapsing, market share was slipping, and the Hawthorne name was being dragged through the mud.
Drake's office, with its expansive views of Manhattan's skyline, had always felt like the heart of his empire, a place where he ruled with unquestioned authority. But today, it felt like a cage. Every corner of the room seemed to close in on him as his mind raced, trying to figure out his next move.
He couldn't deny that Mila's brilliance had left him in awe. She had outplayed him at every turn, and while part of him resented being bested, another part of him—the part that was growing louder with each passing day—admired her. And that admiration had evolved into something far more dangerous: genuine feelings.
He knew he shouldn't be thinking about her like this, especially not now. Mila wasn't just any woman. She was his rival. She was actively trying to dismantle everything his family had built, and his company's survival depended on stopping her. But the more he tried to suppress his feelings, the stronger they became. They complicated everything—every decision, every strategy, every conversation with his board.
As if sensing his turmoil, Jonathan Hawthorne stormed into the office, his presence like a blast of cold air. The elder Hawthorne's eyes were filled with fury, the kind of fury that only came from watching something you've built with your own hands start to crumble.
"This is unacceptable," Jonathan growled, pacing the length of the room like a predator. His expensive suit hung on his broad shoulders, a symbol of the power he had wielded for decades. "Mila Morgan is running circles around you, Drake. She's playing you like a fool, and you're letting it happen."
Drake's jaw clenched, the tension in his body palpable. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on his father but saying nothing. He had expected this confrontation. Jonathan had never been one to mince words, especially not when the family legacy was at stake.
"I raised you to be ruthless, not to fall for some woman who's out to destroy everything we've built," Jonathan continued, his voice laced with disdain. He stopped pacing, turning to face his son directly. "Look at this." He waved his hand at the stack of reports on Drake's desk. "Our stock is down, the board is losing confidence, and Mila Morgan is the reason why. You think she's just going to stop? You think she's going to let up because you have some... feelings for her?"
The accusation hung in the air like smoke, curling and suffocating.
Drake's fists tightened under the desk, his knuckles white. He knew his father was right—at least partially. He had been distracted by Mila, and she had used that distraction to her advantage. But Jonathan's words also stung because they were devoid of any recognition of what Drake was grappling with. This wasn't just a corporate battle anymore. Mila wasn't just an opponent. She was... more. And the complexity of that reality was something Jonathan could never understand.
"I'm handling it," Drake said, his voice firm but not entirely convincing. The truth was, he wasn't sure he was handling it. He wasn't sure what the next move even looked like.
Jonathan's eyes narrowed, his frustration barely contained. "Clearly not. If you were handling it, Hawthorne Industries wouldn't be on the verge of losing critical market share. Our position in Hong Kong is slipping. Dubai is a joke. And that luxury development project you bet everything on? It's falling apart because of her."
Drake remained silent, absorbing the litany of failures. Each one felt like a punch, a reminder of how far he had fallen behind in this game. Mila's traps had been expertly set, and now, he was the one paying the price.
Jonathan leaned forward, his eyes dark and unforgiving. "It's time to take drastic measures. You need to go after her—hard. If she wants a war, then give her one. This isn't about feelings, Drake. It's about power. Hawthornes don't get outplayed. We crush anyone who gets in our way. We don't fall in love with them."
Drake's teeth ground together, the tension in his body coiling like a spring ready to snap. Jonathan's words cut deep because they mirrored the conflict inside him. He knew what needed to be done—knew that if he wanted to save Hawthorne Industries, he needed to crush Mila just as he would any other rival. But the idea of destroying her... it felt wrong. And that terrified him more than anything.
Jonathan straightened, his voice sharp. "If you won't take her down, I will."
That was it. The final line drawn. Jonathan Hawthorne, the man who had built this empire from the ground up, was ready to annihilate Mila Morgan if Drake didn't act.
As Jonathan stormed out, slamming the door behind him, Drake was left alone in the silence of his office, the weight of his father's expectations pressing down on him like a vise. His father had never understood the depth of this fight. To him, it was simple—either you won, or you lost. And if Drake didn't do what was necessary to win, Jonathan would do it for him.
But the line between business and his personal feelings for Mila was blurring, and Drake wasn't sure where his loyalty lay anymore. Mila had gotten under his skin in a way no one else ever had. She wasn't just a rival—she was the woman who had made him question everything about who he was and what he wanted.
And now, Drake faced a decision that went far beyond the corporate battlefield. Was he willing to destroy her, as his father demanded, in order to save his company? Or was there another way forward—one that didn't end in mutual destruction?
As the weight of the decision pressed down on him, Drake's gaze drifted back to the city below, the endless sea of buildings stretching out toward the horizon. He had always seen New York as his kingdom, the place where he would cement his legacy. But now, it felt like a battleground where the lines of power, loyalty, and love were blurring beyond recognition.
And for the first time in his life, Drake Hawthorne wasn't sure if he was willing to win at all costs.
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