Page 9 of His Ruthless Match

Genevieve’s hand trembled. “What if it’s worse this time?”

I met her gaze. “We’re going to stay ahead of them. You hired me to protect you, Genevieve, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay.”

For the next hour, paralegals filtered in and out, dropping off updates, documents, and leads. I reviewed everything, delegating tasks with quick, precise instructions. I was in my element, but even as I juggled ten things at once, I made sure to keep Genevieve anchored. Every time she started to waver, I reassured her and reminded her that she wasn’t alone in this fight.

When the meeting wrapped up, Genevieve stood. “What should I do? Should I change my daily routines? Avoid talking to certain people?”

“No. Keep behaving as normal, but be extra cautious of anyone you take pictures with and who you’re spending time with in public. I don’t want you to stop living your life. Just play it safe.”

She squeezed my shoulder with more strength than I’d expected. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

I flashed her a smile, one that felt more genuine than I was used to. “We’re just getting started.”

This wasn’t only about Genevieve’s reputation—it was about proving, to her and to myself, that I could take on a system designed to crush people like her. Like me.

No matter how messy it got, I would not let her lose.

Genevieve’s heels clicked softly against the polished floor, their rhythm a beat slower than my own as I walked her to the door. She offered me a small smile, but the exhaustion in her eyes hadn’t lifted, even after I spent the better part of an hour reassuring her.

“Call me if anything changes,” I said, holding the elevator door open for her. “And Genevieve? Don’t let them see you flinch.”

Her lips curved. “I won’t.”

I stood there until the elevator doors slid shut. When I turned, Theo and Nadia were hovering just a few feet away. Theo, as usual, looked like he was buzzing with barely contained excitement, while Nadia stood beside him, her calm demeanor a sharp contrast.

“That seemed like it went well,” Theo said, practically bouncing on his toes. His bright smile was infectious, his energy somehow endless even on days like this. “She’s... I mean, she’s amazing. Did she talk about her next movie? Or what she eats for breakfast?”

I arched a brow. “Theo, this is a law firm, not a fan club. Professionalism is key if we want to keep high-profile clients like Genevieve.”

His face fell slightly, and his shoulders slumped, but he nodded. “Right. Of course. Totally professional. Got it.”

“What can I do to help?” Nadia asked, calm and measured as always.

I allowed myself a small smile. “Glad you asked.”

I turned on my heel, heading back to my office. By the time I returned, I was carrying a stack of thick folders, each one heavier than it looked. I set them down on Nadia’s desk with a satisfying thud.

“This,” I said, gesturing to the pile, “is Genevieve’s detailed phone history for the past three years. I need you to go through it and flag any instances where this number calls or texts her.” I handed her a sticky note with a neatly scrawled phone number.

Her eyes widened slightly at the sheer volume of paperwork. “I’ll get right on it,” she said, her tone steady despite the daunting task in front of her.

I collapsed into the chair across from her desk with a sigh and rubbed the back of my neck. It was only when Theo’s shadow fell over me that I realized he was watching me with concern.

“Have you eaten lunch yet?” he asked, his tone halfway between exasperation and worry.

“It’s not lunchtime,” I replied, waving him off. “I’m fine.”

Theo glanced at his watch, his eyebrows shooting up. “Eva, it’s two-thirty.”

I blinked in surprise. Time had a way of slipping through my fingers when I was working, but this was bad even for me. Before I could argue, Theo tossed a packet of peanut butter crackers on the desk.

“Eat. Now,” he insisted, crossing his arms like he was daring me to fight him on it.

I sighed but tore open the packet and bit into one of the crackers. It was dry and vaguely salty, but it was better than nothing. I was halfway through the second one when Theo’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped slightly.

I frowned. “What?”