The Rival Who Reads My Fear: Exposed Hearts: Chapter 1

He sees right through my armour

The elevator doors close, trapping me with my worst nightmare.

Ethan Cross leans against the polished steel wall, all sharp suits and sharper smiles. His dark eyes find mine in the reflection, and I see the moment he recognizes me.

"Maya Chen." His voice is warm honey over broken glass. "Fancy meeting you here."

Here being the forty-second floor of Meridian Tower, where the biggest venture capital firm on the West Coast is about to decide which of our companies gets their twenty-million-dollar investment.

Mine. Or his.

Not both.

"Ethan." I keep my voice level, professional. "Ready to lose?"

His laugh is rich and infuriating. [soft chuckle]

"That's what I've always admired about you, Maya. Your optimism in the face of inevitable defeat."

Three years we've been doing this dance. Ever since he poached my head developer and launched his own AI platform six months after I shared my vision at a conference. Ever since he turned my moment of trust into his golden opportunity.

The elevator climbs. Twenty floors. Thirty. Each number lighting up like a countdown to war.

"Tell me," Ethan says, stepping closer. "How's Sarah handling the pressure?"

My blood turns to ice. Sarah, my co-founder. Sarah, who's been spiraling since her divorce. Sarah, who doesn't know I've been covering her missed deadlines for months.

"She's fine," I lie.

"Mm." Ethan's eyes narrow slightly. "Because I heard Meridian has concerns about your leadership team's stability."

"You heard wrong."

But my voice wavers, just for a second. Just enough for him to notice.

The elevator stops. Thirty-eighth floor.

Ethan moves toward the doors, then pauses. His hand brushes mine as he reaches for the button panel, and electricity shoots up my arm.

[soft intake of breath]

"Maya." His voice has gone quiet. Serious. "What happened to her?"

For a moment, I see something that looks like genuine concern in his eyes. Something that makes my chest tight with an emotion I refuse to name.

Then the doors open, and reality crashes back.

This is Ethan Cross. The man who stole my idea, my employee, my shot at success. He's not concerned about Sarah—he's fishing for ammunition.

"Nothing that's any of your business," I say coolly.

He studies my face like he's reading code. Like he can see past the mask I've perfected over three years of start up warfare.

"You're protecting her," he says. Not a question.

"I'm protecting my company."

"No." He steps back into the elevator as the doors start to close. "You're protecting someone you love. Even if it costs you everything."

The doors shut between us, but his words hang in the air like a challenge.

Forty minutes later, I sit across from Meridian's investment committee, Sarah beside me with shaking hands and bloodshot eyes. Our presentation is flawless. Our numbers are solid. Our vision is revolutionary.

But I can see doubt creeping into their faces when Sarah stumbles over a simple question about user acquisition.

Through the glass wall, I spot Ethan in the lobby. Waiting for his turn. Watching me through the conference room windows like he can see exactly how badly this is going.

When our meeting ends with polite smiles and promises to "be in touch soon," I know we've lost.

In the elevator down, Sarah breaks.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I ruined everything, didn't I?"

I pull her into a hug as the tears start. "Hey. We're not done yet."

But we are, and we both know it.

The doors open on the lobby level, and Ethan is there. Waiting.

His eyes meet mine over Sarah's shaking shoulders.

"Maya—" he starts.

"Don't," I warn.

But there's something in his expression that stops me cold. Something that looks less like triumph and more like...

Regret.

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