Isla’s POV

By the time Isla arrived at Sinclair Enterprises the next morning, she was armed with a fresh coffee, a sharp mind, and zero tolerance for distractions.

Last night at the gala had been… unexpected.

Dancing with Grayson Sinclair had felt like a power move, a challenge, a game. But for a fleeting moment, it had been something else.

Something too real.

And that was dangerous.

She wasn’t here to get involved—she was here to fix this company.

Stepping into her office, Isla inhaled deeply and focused.

But that focus shattered the moment she saw the email waiting in her inbox.

Topic: Sinclair Enterprises Investment Portfolio – Unauthorized Activity Detected.

Unauthorized activity? Isla frowned. That didn’t sound good.

She didn’t waste time. By 8:55, she was already in the boardroom, reviewing numbers.

And then, he walked in.

Grayson Sinclair.

Sharp black suit. Controlled, confident, unreadable.

Their eyes met, and heat flickered in the air, but neither acknowledged it. Last night didn’t exist.

At least, that’s what they were pretending.

He took his seat at the head of the table just as Elena Monroe—his fiercely efficient assistant—entered, her expression tight.

“The situation is serious,” she began. “We’ve detected high-risk transactions involving a foreign investment partner. Someone approved movements of company funds without proper authorization.”

Murmurs filled the room. Isla sat up straighter.

This wasn’t just a business hiccup—this was a potential scandal.

“Who was responsible?” Grayson’s voice was low, calm—but deadly.

Elena hesitated, then placed a file on the table.

“The approvals came from an investor… Victoria Langley.”

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Grayson’s POV

Grayson barely blinked.

Victoria.

Of course.

His jaw tightened as he skimmed through the file, recognizing the reckless deals disguised as strategic investments. Victoria always played the long game, but this?

This was crossing a line.

“Victoria doesn’t have authority to move company funds,” he said coldly.

“She does if she’s using her personal stake in Sinclair Enterprises to justify it,” Isla said, scanning the reports.

Grayson’s eyes flicked to her. Sharp. Focused. Already piecing the puzzle together.

Damn it.

“She’s positioning herself for something bigger,” Isla murmured.

Grayson’s fists clenched. He hated to admit it, but she was right.

Victoria wasn’t just causing trouble—she was making a play for power.

And she had just made her first move.

By the time the meeting ended, the stakes were clear.

Victoria had leveraged her investor influence to make decisions behind Grayson’s back. And if she was already this bold?

She wasn’t stopping here.

As the board members filed out, Isla stayed.

“You’re handling this,” Grayson said, watching her carefully.

It wasn’t a question. It was a command.

She crossed her arms. “Handling Victoria, or handling you?”

His lips quirked slightly, but his eyes darkened.

“If she thinks she can manipulate this company, she’s wrong. But if you think I’ll sit back and let you play savior, you’re wrong too.”

She smirked. “That sounds an awful lot like you need my help, Sinclair.”

He leaned in slightly. “I don’t need help. But I do enjoy watching you try.”

The air between them thickened.

For a second—just one—Isla almost forgot this was business. Almost.

Then she took a step back. A necessary retreat.

“See you at the next crisis,” she said coolly, walking out.

Grayson watched her go, his jaw tightening.

Because for the first time, he wasn’t sure if he was winning or losing.

And that? That was a problem.