The atmosphere inside Sara's office was suffocating.
Papers lay scattered across the desk, her perfectly manicured nails dug into the polished wood, and her expression was a storm barely restrained.
Everything.
Everything had gone wrong.
Nadia had won.
She had walked into that meeting—confident, prepared, armed with a deal from Zayne Alaric himself—and stolen the victory that should have belonged to Sara.
Her chest tightened, fury simmering beneath her skin.
It wasn't just about losing.
It was about who she lost to.
Nadia Al-Fayed, the girl she had spent years crushing beneath her heel. The girl she had ensured would never rise in the business world.
And yet,
Today, in that meeting, she had watched her rise.
Her fingers curled into fists.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
A smooth chuckle filled the air behind her.
"You're tense," Kareem drawled, stepping into her office, unbothered as always. "Should I call for a masseuse?"
Sara whipped around, eyes flashing. "Shut up, Kareem."
He raised his hands in surrender, anyone else and they'd be dead but he'd allow it from her, smirking. "That bad, huh?"
Sara clenched her jaw. "She won."
"For now." Kareem sauntered forward, completely at ease, as if this didn't affect him at all. "You need to stop letting one setback get under your skin."
"She's working with Zayne Alaric."
At that, Kareem paused, brow quirking.
"That is surprising," he admitted. "The Zayne Alaric—investing in a company that's barely clawing out of its grave? Interesting."
"Exactly," Sara snapped. "And why? Why would he—of all people—invest in her?"
Kareem leaned against the edge of her desk, arms crossed. "Maybe he likes a challenge. Maybe he thinks she'll be entertaining." His smirk turned knowing. "Or maybe… he likes her."
Sara stiffened.
No.
No, that couldn't be.
Zayne Alaric didn't like people. He didn't entertain women.
He was a businessman, cold and calculated.
So why was he backing Nadia?
She swallowed, hating the unsettling feeling creeping into her gut.
Kareem chuckled. "Relax, Sara. Even if Alaric's interested, it won't last long. Men like him get bored fast."
She didn't look convinced.
Kareem sighed, pushing off the desk and stepping closer, voice turning silky. "Look at me."
She did.
His eyes gleamed with amusement. "You're letting this get to you."
She hated how effortlessly calm he was.
"You think she's won just because she got through one meeting?" He scoffed. "We have an entire business world waiting to see her fail."
Sara exhaled sharply, trying to grasp onto the confidence he exuded so easily. "So what's the plan?"
Kareem's smirk returned, slow and dangerous.
"The upcoming gala."
Her eyes narrowed.
"The business gala?"
He nodded. "The perfect stage. Everyone who matters will be there. Investors, CEOs, media." His voice lowered, like a serpent whispering in her ear. "We let her have this little win. Let her get comfortable. And then, at the gala, we drop something so damning, so scandalous… even Zayne won't be able to ignore it."
Sara's lips parted, the pieces clicking into place.
"You think he'll pull out of the deal."
Kareem's smirk widened. "I know he will."
Sara's nails tapped impatiently against the sleek glass of Kareem's desk. "What evidence are we dropping?"
Kareem reclined in his chair, watching her with lazy amusement. "You're eager."
Sara scowled. "We lost today. I need to know we'll win the next battle."
His smirk widened. He reached into his drawer, pulling out a black folder. "We're not just embarrassing Nadia, Sara. We're burying her."
Sara snatched the folder, flipping it open. Her breath caught.
It wasn't just damaging. It was ruinous.
A collection of medical reports, sworn testimonies, and, she blinked. Security footage?
Sara's lips curled in delight. "Where did you get this?"
Kareem chuckled. "Does it matter?"
She scanned the papers again, this time slower, savoring every word.
According to this, two years ago—during one of Al-Fayed's biggest corporate projects—a safety inspection had been forged.
Not overlooked.
Not missed.
Forged.
A building project, one that had once been celebrated as Al-Fayed's expansion into high-end commercial real estate, had been greenlit despite structural concerns.
A few months after completion, a section of the building had collapsed.
Two workers had been injured. One had nearly died.
And worst of all—
"The paperwork makes it look like Nadia was the one who signed off on the falsified reports," Sara murmured, a slow, wicked smile forming.
Kareem's eyes gleamed. "The public will see this as criminal negligence."
Sara let out a delighted breath. "Alaric won't just pull out—they'll be forced to sever ties with her."
Kareem's grin widened. "And the best part? We don't even have to prove it's real. All we have to do is let the press get a whiff of it."
Sara exhaled, practically buzzing with anticipation.
This was perfect.
The next business gala wasn't just about deals—it was a media spectacle.
If they timed this right, they wouldn't even need to convince the board to vote her out.
The world would do it for them.
A small click echoed in the silence.
Sara's head snapped toward the office door.
Nothing.
No movement.
No shadow.
Still, a strange unease slithered down her spine.
Kareem, utterly unbothered, stood and stretched. "Now, all we have to do is sit back and let the trap spring."
Sara forced herself to relax, pushing aside the irrational feeling.
This was her moment.
Nadia might have won today—
But after the gala?
She'd be finished.