Nathan watched from his office window as Sophia and Leonard worked together in the conference room, their heads bent over blueprints and marketing materials. The easy camaraderie between them, the shared laughter and focused collaboration, twisted in his gut like a rusty knife. He had always been the confident one, the favored cousin, the man who had Sophia's heart—or so he thought. Now, Leonard was stealing his spotlight, and, more importantly, Sophia's attention.
He couldn't deny the change in her. She was more relaxed, more animated, her laughter echoing through the office, a sound he hadn't heard in a long time. Not since… not since they were together. It was Leonard's influence, his easy charm, his ability to make her feel at ease. Something Nathan had failed to do.
He's playing her, Nathan thought, his fingers drumming impatiently on his desk, a nervous tic he hadn't had in years. He's manipulating her, just like he manipulates everyone else. Making her laugh, making her forget.
Forget him. Forget them.
He had to do something, to disrupt their growing connection, to remind Sophia of Leonard's deceptive nature. He couldn't let his cousin steal everything he cared about—everything he had already lost once.
He decided to start with a subtle act of sabotage. He knew Leonard was working on a crucial presentation for the Skyline Residences project, a presentation that could make or break their marketing campaign. He decided to "accidentally" delete a few key slides, replacing them with outdated information.
He waited until Leonard left the conference room to grab a coffee, then slipped in, his movements swift and precise. He accessed Leonard's laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard, deleting and replacing the slides with practiced ease.
As he was finishing, Ethan entered the conference room, his eyes narrowing as he saw Nathan at Leonard's laptop.
"What are you doing?" Ethan asked, his tone sharp, laced with suspicion.
Nathan froze, his heart pounding. He hadn't expected to be caught. He quickly composed himself, forcing a casual smile, though his eyes held a coldness that belied his forced ease.
"Just helping Leon with his presentation," he replied, his voice nonchalant, a touch too casual. "He's a bit… disorganized. You know how he is."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, his suspicion growing. "Really? Because it looked like you were deleting something. Something important."
"Just a few outdated slides," Nathan replied, his tone dismissive, bordering on arrogance. "Leon will thank me later. When Sophia isn't looking at him with those… those eyes."
Ethan stared at him, his gaze unwavering, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. "I don't believe you. You're doing this because of Sophia, aren't you?"
Nathan shrugged, his expression indifferent, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of anger. "Believe what you want. I have work to do."
He left the conference room, his heart still pounding, his mind racing. He had to be more careful. Ethan was too observant, too suspicious. And he was getting too close to the truth.
Later that day, during a meeting with Mr. Davies to discuss the Skyline Residences project, Leonard began his presentation. He confidently clicked through the slides, his voice smooth and persuasive.
"As you can see," he said, his eyes fixed on the screen, "these updated renderings showcase the unique features of the Skyline Residences."
He clicked to the next slide, and a collective gasp filled the room. The slide displayed outdated information, completely contradicting his previous statements.
Leonard froze, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. He quickly tried to recover, improvising his way through the presentation, but the damage was done.
Mr. Davies, his face flushed with anger, interrupted him. "What is this, Leon? This information is completely wrong. You're wasting my time."
"I… I don't understand," Leonard stammered, his voice laced with confusion. "I updated the slides this morning. Someone must have changed them."
"Clearly, you didn't," Mr. Davies snapped. "This is unacceptable. This presentation is crucial to the success of this project. And you've made me look like a fool."
Leonard's face flushed with embarrassment. He tried to explain, to defend himself, but his words fell on deaf ears.
Nathan, watching from the back of the room, felt a pang of guilt, quickly suppressed by a wave of satisfaction. He had succeeded. He had undermined Leonard, exposed his incompetence. And reminded Sophia who she should be looking at.
After the meeting, Sophia approached Leonard, her expression a mix of concern and disappointment. "What happened, Leon?" she asked, her voice low, laced with a hint of suspicion.
"I don't know," he replied, his voice laced with frustration. "I updated the slides. Someone must have changed them. Someone wants to make me look bad."
"Someone?" Sophia raised an eyebrow, her suspicion growing, her gaze shifting to Nathan, who was watching them with a smug expression.
"I don't know who," he replied, his gaze fixed on the floor. "But I'm going to find out. And when I do…"
He stormed out of the conference room, his expression grim. Sophia watched him go, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that someone was trying to sabotage Leonard. And she couldn't ignore the way Nathan's eyes lingered on her, a possessive glint that sent a shiver down her spine.
Later that evening, Nathan found Ethan working late in his cubicle. He approached him, his expression casual, but his eyes held a cold intensity.
"So," he began, his voice low, a predatory purr. "Did you enjoy the show?"
Ethan looked up, his eyes narrowing, his expression a mix of disgust and anger. "You did that?"
"Just a little reminder of who's in charge," Nathan replied, his tone dismissive, bordering on cruel. "Leon needs to learn his place. And Sophia needs to remember hers."
Ethan stood up, his eyes blazing. "You're pathetic," he hissed, his voice laced with contempt. "You're so insecure, you have to resort to sabotage to feel powerful. And you're still obsessed with her."
Nathan chuckled, his expression mocking. "Insecure? I'm just looking out for the company. And for Sophia. Leon is a liability. And you are getting in my way."
"No, you're the liability," Ethan replied, his voice laced with contempt. "You're so blinded by jealousy, you can't see what's right in front of you. You're hurting her."
He turned and walked away, leaving Nathan standing alone, his face flushed with anger. He had underestimated Ethan. He was more than just a rival; he was a threat. And Nathan knew he had to eliminate that threat, before it was too late. Before Sophia remembered who she belonged with.