Warren stopped three feet in front of them, blocking their path to the elevators.
"Enjoying your long lunch, ladies?" Warren asked. His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Some of us actually have to work for a living."
Helena stared at him. Her eyes were dead and cold.
"Unlike some people," Helena said, her voice low and sharp, "who get their entertainment by harassing interns."
Warren's smirk vanished. The skin on his neck turned a dark, angry red. Several employees walking through the lobby slowed down, turning their heads to watch.
"Harassing?" Warren spat. He took a step closer, trying to use his size to intimidate her. "I was giving little Alaina here some friendly advice. In this world, a pretty face can get you far. You should know all about that, shouldn't you, Helena?"
The insult hung in the air. He was calling her a whore in the middle of the company lobby.
Beside Helena, Alaina let out a sharp gasp. Hearing Warren casually insult the sister who had just rescued her, Alaina felt her usual terror instantly evaporate, replaced by a sudden, boiling flash of protective anger. She looked down at the cold plastic cup in her hand-the very drink Helena had bought to comfort her.
Alaina raised the half-full plastic cup of iced coffee she was holding. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she threw the dark liquid straight into Warren's face.
The ice cubes hit his nose with a loud smack. The brown coffee dripped down his white shirt and ruined his silk tie.
The lobby gasped collectively.
Warren let out a roar of absolute rage. He wiped the coffee from his eyes.
"You little bitch!" Warren screamed.
He pulled his right arm back, his hand curling into a heavy fist, aiming straight for Alaina's face.
The moment his fist went up, two security guards who had been closely monitoring the escalating argument sprinted out from their posts by the front doors. But Helena was already moving.
She stepped in front of Alaina. She did not know how to fight, but pure, adrenaline-fueled instinct took over. She threw her entire body weight forward, slamming her shoulder violently into Warren's raised arm. The impact knocked his aim wildly off course.
"Security!" Helena shrieked at the top of her lungs.
Before Warren could recover his balance, Helena raised her foot and brought the razor-sharp stiletto heel of her designer shoe down with bone-crushing force right onto the bridge of his foot.
Warren let out a breathless howl of agony. He buckled forward, clutching his foot. Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, Helena violently shoved his chest, sending him tumbling backward until he crashed hard onto the marble floor. She quickly pushed Alaina behind her own body, acting as a human shield.
"You do not touch my sister!" Helena hissed, her voice vibrating with raw rage, ready to kick him again if he tried to stand.
"What in the hell is going on here?"
The voice boomed across the lobby like thunder. It carried a weight and a fury that froze the blood in Helena's veins.
She stopped in her tracks, her chest heaving.
The crowd of employees parted instantly, scrambling backward to clear a path.
Hayward stood ten feet away. He had just stepped out of the private executive elevator. Behind him stood a group of pale, terrified overseas partners. He appeared to have just concluded an important meeting and was personally seeing his key guests out to their cars.
Hayward's eyes were locked on the scene on the floor.
Helena slowly lowered her guard. She took a half-step back from the groaning man on the floor, her hands still trembling from the adrenaline rush.
The two security guards who had rushed over finally reached them, grabbing the whimpering Warren by the arms and hauling him roughly to his feet.
Hayward did not look at the guards. He did not look at the board members. He turned his head slightly toward his assistant, Milos.
"Get them to my office," Hayward ordered. His voice was dangerously quiet. "All three of them. Now."
Hayward turned on his heel and walked back into the private elevator. Helena grabbed Alaina's trembling hand.
