The silence in Rhys Kallen's office was surgical. The only sound was the hushed whir of the city traffic twenty stories below. Mel stood beside Rhys's desk, not sitting, maintaining a vertical superiority that was both strategic and unnerving. Rhys was seated, his attention seemingly focused on a notepad, but his gaze occasionally flickered between the two women.
Chloe Vance sat in the large, leather guest chair, her posture perfect, a thin layer of sweat beading at her hairline despite the office's cool temperature.
"Chloe, let's review the communications backlog for Argos," Mel began, her voice calm and lacking any of their old, strained familiarity. "Specifically, the internal email chain regarding the logistics platform change, Q3 last year."
Chloe reached for her tablet. "Of course, Melanie. Everything was standard protocol. My communication with the logistics team reflected the official timeline supplied by the lead partners, Vasko and Chen."
"Reflected, yes," Mel agreed, tapping a stylus against a printout. "But you were privy to the initial internal audits warning about the platform's stability. Vasko and Chen were pushing the timeline for a payout; they were the infection. Why didn't you escalate those audits when you had the chance, knowing the risks to the project?"
Chloe's professional mask tightened. "Escalation outside the chain of command, particularly in a partner-led project, constitutes insubordination, Melisande. I followed protocol to protect my position and the data flow."
"You followed protocol to protect yourself," Mel countered, her eyes sharp. "You saw the warning signs, but you chose safety over truth. That's a risk factor for this firm, Chloe. Complacency in the presence of corruption."
Rhys finally set his notepad down, the soft thud making both women jump. He leaned back, his eyes fixed entirely on Mel, his expression unreadable.
"Melanie, the purpose of this review is not to assign blame to past actions, but to ensure operational integrity moving forward," Rhys stated, his voice a low, smooth rumble.
It was a test. He was giving Mel an out, a chance to retreat from the direct confrontation with her former peer. But Mel knew retreating now meant losing the power she had just claimed.
She held Rhys's gaze, a silent acknowledgment of their private contract, and then returned her attention to Chloe.
"I disagree, sir," Mel said, using the formal address to establish her professional boundary, even as her eyes dared him to interfere. "The operational integrity of Kallen Capital relies on the integrity of its employees. Chloe, I need you to sign an affidavit stating that, moving forward, any suspicion of financial malfeasance, regardless of the person involved, will be immediately reported to the Chief Risk Analyst—myself. No exceptions, no matter the consequences to your 'position.'"
Chloe gasped almost silently. An affidavit was a legal document. Mel wasn't offering a warning; she was demanding legal leverage.
"That is highly irregular, Melanie. It compromises my ability to—"
"It secures your ability to sleep at night," Mel cut in, placing the document directly in front of Chloe.
"Sign it, or Rhys Kallen will be forced to question your commitment to the new standard of ethics."
Chloe glanced desperately at Rhys, her last hope. Rhys didn't move. He simply watched Mel, a sliver of genuine admiration showing beneath his controlled façade. He saw the ruthlessness he had gambled on, and she was delivering.
Chloe's hand trembled slightly as she took the pen. She knew she was signing away the subtle, political maneuvering that was the hallmark of her career, effectively making Mel her professional keeper.
"Signed," Chloe whispered, pushing the document back. "Anything else, Analyst?"
The slight emphasis on the title was a final, weak jab.
"One more thing," Mel said, picking up a separate file. "Your current commission on the upcoming Altra acquisition will be cut by twenty percent and redistributed to the newly formed Internal Ethics Fund. Consider it a tax on past complacency."
Chloe's jaw dropped. The Altra commission was her bonus for the year. "You can't—"
"I can," Mel stated, her voice iron-clad. "Rhys Kallen has granted me absolute control over risk mitigation expenditures. Congratulations, Chloe. You now get to contribute to a cleaner Kallen Capital."
Mel then stepped back, moving fluidly to Rhys's side. "Sir, the review is complete. Chloe Vance understands the new expectations."
Rhys stood, giving Chloe a dismissive look. "Thank you for your cooperation, Chloe. You are dismissed."
As Chloe fled the office, stunned and humiliated, Rhys turned to Mel, his eyes blazing with a mix of triumph and dangerous desire.
"You are incredible," he murmured, pulling her close, the desk separating them no longer a barrier, but a stage. "You are exactly the fire this firm needs."
"And you are honoring the contract," Mel breathed, allowing herself a brief moment of fierce satisfaction. "You gave me freedom, and I secured your asset."
"You secured more than that," Rhys countered, bending down and lifting her effortlessly onto the mahogany desk. "The office rules are off for the next hour. You earned your reward."
Mel has officially taken her place as the firm's ruthless enforcer, humiliating an ambitious peer and cementing the professional side of her contract. But the intense private dynamic with Rhys immediately takes precedence.