Chapter 13
The elevator ride to the executive floor felt heavier than usual, each glowing floor number a countdown to an increasingly hostile environment. Emma adjusted her blazer, her polished exterior a necessary armor. The fallout from the gala was palpable. The polite smiles and murmured pleasantries from colleagues had given way to sidelong glances and hushed whispers. She’d always expected scrutiny, but now, it felt laced with venom.
She stepped into the glass-paneled boardroom and immediately noticed how the energy shifted. Conversations died as heads turned toward her. Elliana was already there, seated next to Luka, her crimson nails idly tapping on the sleek mahogany table. Her expression was serene, but her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Emma,” Elliana said with a warm smile that barely reached her eyes, “so glad you could join us.”
“Of course,” Emma replied evenly, slipping into her chair. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
She caught Luka watching her, his lips curling faintly as though he were privy to a joke she hadn’t been let in on. Beside her, Alex sat stiffly, his gaze fixed on his notes, avoiding her eyes. That stung more than she cared to admit.
The meeting unfolded with a biting efficiency that felt deliberately cutting. When Emma presented her updates on the expansion project, Elliana leaned forward, her tone dripping with concern.
“Emma, darling, these projections look ambitious. Are you certain we can hit these targets without…cutting corners?” The question was innocent on the surface, but the implication hung heavy in the room.
Emma straightened. “The targets are based on extensive market research and internal data. I’m confident we can achieve them.”
Elliana tilted her head, her expression one of faux concern.
“It’s just that…I’ve heard murmurs about discrepancies in other areas. Perhaps it’s something the board should investigate further?”
The room seemed to hold its breath, the weight of the accusation sinking in. Emma’s pulse quickened, but she kept her expression neutral.
“If you’ve heard something specific, Elliana, I’d encourage you to share it so we can address it directly.”
Elliana smiled sweetly. “Oh, nothing concrete. Just whispers. You know how people love to gossip.”
Luka’s voice cut through the tension, smooth and commanding.
“Let’s not lose focus. Emma’s projections are ambitious, but ambition is what keeps this company ahead. However, I agree that accountability is key. Perhaps we should consider appointing a co-lead for the expansion project—someone to share the load and ensure every decision is transparent.”
Emma’s stomach dropped. She knew exactly where this was going.
Diane Barrett, ever composed, raised an eyebrow. “And who do you suggest, Luka?”
Luka leaned back in his chair, his smile easy. “Elliana has extensive experience in this market. Her perspective could be invaluable.”
Emma’s nails dug into her palm beneath the table, her heart pounding. She shot a glance at Alex, willing him to intervene, but he remained silent, his jaw tight.
* * *
The meeting ended, and Emma bolted from the room, her frustration bubbling dangerously close to the surface. She made it to her office, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it for support. Her head spun, not just from Elliana’s orchestrated undermining but from Alex’s silence.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She straightened as Alex stepped in, closing the door behind him.
“You are upset,” he said quietly, his hands in his pockets.
“You think so?” she shot back, her voice sharper than she intended. “I’m being publicly sabotaged and you’re just… sitting there and doing nothing.”
“It’s not that simple,” Alex said, his voice low. “Luka’s investment in Barrett Industries is critical right now. If I antagonize him—”
Emma cut him off. “So I’m just supposed to be collateral damage? Elliana’s spreading rumors that I’m incompetent, that I’m sleeping with board members! Do you know how humiliating that is?”
Alex stepped closer, his expression conflicted.
“Emma, I’m trying to protect you.”
“By staying silent?” she countered, crossing her arms. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re protecting them.”
His jaw tightened. “You just simply don’t understand how dangerous Luka is.”
“Then explain it to me,” she demanded. “Because I’m not going to sit back while they destroy everything I’ve worked for.”
He hesitated, his hand brushing over the back of his neck. “Luka has leverage. Things from my past that could ruin me.”
Emma’s anger flickered into something colder. “What kind of things?”
Alex didn’t answer immediately, his eyes dropping to the floor. That was enough to answer.
Emma stared at Alex, the weight of his silence hanging between them like a physical barrier. He didn’t need to elaborate; she could see the guilt etched in his features, hear it in the way his breath hitched before he turned away. The man who had always seemed so unshakable now stood before her looking almost… small.
“That’s it?” she asked, her voice laced with frustration. “You’re just going to let Luka hold this over you?”
“It’s not that simple,” Alex muttered, his tone defensive. “You think I want this? Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to keep this buried?”
“I don’t care how hard it is,” Emma shot back, stepping closer. “You made me a target the moment you let Luka walk into our lives with this hanging over your head.”
He didn’t respond, his jaw clenching as he turned toward the window. That was all she needed to see. If Alex wasn’t going to act, she would.
Without another word, Emma left, her heels echoing sharply on the marble floor. If Luka had leverage on Alex, she’d find out exactly what it was. And she wouldn’t stop until she had the truth.
Determined to find answers on her own, Emma spent the rest of the day buried in company records. The deeper she dug, the more unsettling the patterns became. Luka’s involvement with Barrett Industries wasn’t just recent—he’d been pulling strings behind the scenes for years. And Alex’s name appeared more than once in connection to deals that skirted the edges of legality.
Late in the evening, her perseverance paid off. She found a document buried in an older file—a contract between Barrett Industries and a now-defunct South American firm. Alex’s signature was on it, alongside Luka’s. The terms were vague, but the numbers were staggering. It reeked of bribery and cover-ups.
Her heart sank as she stared at Alex’s name on the dotted line. Whatever Luka had on him, it was bigger than she’d realized.
Emma closed the file with a snap, her hands trembling as she leaned back in her chair. The office was silent, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning, but her mind was anything but. The document sat like a weight on her desk, the implications churning her stomach.
Alex had been more entangled with Luka than he’d ever let on. Worse, Luka had ensured his hooks were deep, leaving Alex beholden to him in ways Emma was only beginning to understand.
She glanced at her phone, the time glaring back at her. The corporate dinner was less than an hour away and she hadn’t even changed. With a deep breath, she shoved the file into her bag, her decision made. If Alex wouldn’t come clean, she’d find the answers herself, no matter how deep the rabbit hole went.
By the time she arrived at the venue, the laughter and clinking glasses of the corporate elite grated against her frayed nerves. She forced a smile as she entered, her eyes immediately scanning for Elliana. The woman was there, glowing as always, her every move calculated to charm and intimidate. Emma’s eyes narrowed, determination hardening into resolve. Tonight, she will get closer.
Emma attended a small corporate dinner, dreading yet another confrontation with the Diazes. Elliana, as always, was the picture of poise, laughing softly at some executive’s joke. Emma’s gaze narrowed as she noticed the other woman’s purse resting on a nearby table, partially open. A glint of something inside caught her eye.
Feigning nonchalance, Emma moved closer, her hand brushing against the purse as though adjusting her drink. Her fingers grazed the object, and she froze.
Prenatal vitamins.
She quickly pulled her hand away, her mind racing. The implication was immediate and staggering. If Elliana was pregnant—or claiming to be—it wasn’t just a personal announcement. It was a power play, a direct strike in her ongoing battle to unseat Emma.
Elliana glanced over at that moment, catching Emma’s eye. Her smile was slow and deliberate, as though she knew exactly what Emma had seen.
Elliana’s smile was slow and deliberate, her eyes sparkling with the satisfaction of a predator who knew her prey had stumbled.
“Is everything all right? You look a little… flushed.”
Emma forced a smile, her lips curving as she fought to keep her composure.
“I’m fine,” she replied lightly, lifting her glass. But inside, her mind churned.
Elliana had seen her. And that smile—she knew.
________________
