ng to every hallway and conference room. Rumors no longer traveled in whispers; they were spoken in ful

longer than they should. Even his most loyal executive, Nathan Weiss, had seeme

d built Lancaster from his father's cold, dying legacy into a dominant

ally n

Phoenix skyline, bold and sunlit. But his focus was inward on the documents Sandra had uncovered the night

sabotage the merger she was pos

eve kn

ed his attention

me

al, polished, and far from the shy woman who once waited quietly by her father's c

ooking numbers, there's a trail. We find it, we go to t

sitated. "Steve... can

way

"Why her? Why Vivienn

r challenged me in a room. She was sharp, ambitious... I admired that. We

ows how to weaponize loyalty. She gets close. T

soft. "So this is

admitted.

d her first public meeting on

seeing you not just as my assistant bu

lled meeting room, her notepad rea

d in a sharp emerald suit, her heels

ienne said, her tone perfectly casual but laced

nch. "Sandra's e

rked. "Of co

performance, projections. But halfway thr

recent acquisition activities," she s

eyebrow. "Any

eetly. "Just

, who subtly opened her

enne was

m several senior staff members... about personal

om wen

ra f

n't shift. "Rumors are

oothly, "but perception s

Poisoning the roo

Steve reached beneath the table and gave her hand a quick, reassuring

f the 40th-floor executive lounge,

le us in front of the bo

" Steve admitted.

him. "Are you s

charming grin, but som

re abou

ith Sandra beside him, he felt the exhaustion of leade

tled between them. Not just a

ya

like you're living two lives?" she asked. "One where you're powerful and in

her. "That's what power is. Holding som

him. "And wh

er. Because love... mea

"I don't want to

eve said softly.

that moment, the world, with all its t

tter of keyboards and hushed conversation had given way to t

rla, knocked on his d

ething you n

e folder he'd been re

Phoenix Business Ledger. You

e reached for the sleek,

ationship Raises Ethical Concerns" was a grainy photo Steve exiti

nymous senior executive" questioning Steve's

ien

without eve

paper in his

Sandra?"

said carefully. "They ask

hey did," St

of HR, a stiff man named Gerald Nokes, who looked at

concerns," he said, his h

a repeated, keepi

n elevation to sensitive projects, and your involvement in acquisi

through her. "I've worked late every night, contributed actionab

Nokes interrupted. "We just need to ensur

ght in the eyes. "And w

at libert

ienne's handprints

ed Sandra on he

barely containing his fur

plied quietly. "And

she can scare you off. Undermine your position. She

im. "And what about you,

his voice. "Then we burn it

lf-smile. "I'm ho

ith his most trusted circle Nathan Weiss, the CFO; Tara

not as a silent observer,

at the head

"This article, the HR stunt it's all calculated to force

nervous. They're worried about perception, yes,

," Steve snapped. "

's been laying this groundwork for mo

id. He turned to Sandra.

ing her USB drive

etwork of shell companies, her use of Lancaster funds to backchannel investmen

get her investigate

first," Steve added,

t a war," Natha

d the table. "We'r

alone. Sandra had stayed late at the offic

beneath him, but hi

the edge of the floor-to-ceiling windows, watchi

hone

made your move. N

the message,

as co

't stop until

ice, the sound of her fingers tapping agai

dn't recognize a transfer receipt burie

Steve's ap

s Nat

Opened the

wired to an offshore account

omach

been playin

grabbing her phone

said the moment he answered. "

didn't

The night staff barely managed a startled nod as he strode down the corridor, his foots

, startled. "Ste

the

linked b

printed bank lo

n this?" he asked,

e, scanned it, and let o

"Half a million, disguised as consulting. Of

ivienne came to me six months ago. She said she had backing

d have co

ted. "But you were... distracted.

se, slamming both

blame her for

n fli

u're done. I want your

e, co

t o

hen he stood, straightened his tie,

leather couches, tablet in hand. When Steve entered, he looked lik

she aske

s go

Then we move

her. "The p

ing. I checked the board's calendar Vivien

urse s

ands their evidence, their data, their case.

at her, his

than most people I've pai

. "Maybe it's because I'm n

out, took

are you

I believe in you. Even

eard words like that before but never fr

serve you,"

e barely above a whisper

isse

e. It was desperate a collision of everythin

strategy or power p

y h

ext M

Vivienne, and to everyone's surprise Sandra,

smile was

ect you to bring your... assistant

"She's my advisor. And she's the reason

expressio

Transfers. Email correspondences. Offshore accounts

n bleeding this company for the last year. Orchestrated through multiple

xploded wi

ly. "Steve... This is

She clicked to the next slide a timeline of tr

e last nine months. With no board approval. And three false audit reports signed by

his isn't a question of ethic

flinch. She rose

built this company's reach while Steve was still clinging to Daddy's ghost. You want to believe her

e only thing that's going to

of Operations, cl

Cross on administrative le

followed.

smile final

vote?" St

t one a silent holdou

tion p

stared

he hissed. "I'll dra

"You'll be lucky to wal

her heel and

et of his penthouse, Steve

rying two glasses of wine. She ha

'll come back?" s

said. "People like h

re ready

y looked at her. "Not jus

her head again

weeks, Steve Lancaster a