I struck a deal with the Devil

The Deal

Theresa Sinclair sat in her office, the hum of the fluorescent lights above her a stark contrast to the panic rising in her chest. The once-thriving tech company she had built from the ground up was now a sinking ship, and despite her best efforts to keep it afloat, the numbers didn't lie. Debts were piling up. Investors were pulling back. Her employees were starting to whisper behind closed doors. She could already feel the weight of failure pressing down on her shoulders, threatening to crush her.

Her fingers tapped nervously on the edge of her desk as she glanced over the financial projections one more time. Every figure, every chart, seemed to mock her. She had always been proud of her ability to solve problems, to find solutions where others saw none. But this time? This time, she was running out of options.

The knock on the door was soft but firm. She didn't look up.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, and she knew immediately who it was. Chris Callahan. Tall, dark-haired, and impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, his presence was as imposing as it was magnetic. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with that signature smirk she had grown used to over the past few months.

"Theresa," he said, his voice smooth like velvet, yet with an edge that made her stomach clench. "We need to talk."

She didn't respond immediately. She just stared at him, eyes narrowed, trying to read the cold, unreadable expression on his face. Chris Callahan wasn't a man who spoke without purpose, and every interaction with him felt like a carefully orchestrated performance. A businessman who didn't leave room for mistakes or surprises.

She had met him once, briefly, during a meeting with her major investor-an old acquaintance of his. Back then, she had seen him as nothing more than a shadow in the background. A billionaire who had no real stake in her world. Until now.

"What do you want, Chris?" she asked, her voice betraying the exhaustion that weighed on her.

Chris stepped into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. He moved with purpose, his every step calculated, his movements graceful yet lethal, like a predator in a suit.

"You're in trouble," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "I've been keeping an eye on your company, and it's clear you're not going to make it through this alone."

Theresa clenched her jaw, fighting the surge of anger that threatened to surface. "I don't need your help, Callahan."

He chuckled, low and dark, the sound of it sending a chill down her spine. "Oh, but you do. You just haven't realized it yet." He paused, watching her with a piercing gaze. "You're not in a position to be picky, Theresa."

She felt her chest tighten. His words cut deeper than she was willing to admit. "What are you proposing?"