The atmosphere in the Blackwood Enterprises tower was unnaturally tense. Whispers floated between assistants. Meetings were rescheduled without explanation. A storm was coming and Lena could feel it in her bones.
She stood before the large glass doors of the executive boardroom, her reflection staring back at her. Steadying herself, she pushed them open and walked in.
Sarah Larkin was alone, seated at the head of the long table like a queen on her throne. Her elegant frame was wrapped in a tailored charcoal suit, her lips painted a calculated red.
"Well, this is a surprise," Sarah said, her tone light but guarded. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Mrs. Blackwood?"
Lena closed the door behind her. "You've been meeting with my father."
Sarah's smile didn't falter. "Ah. So you've heard."
"I'm not here to play games, Sarah," Lena snapped, walking forward until they were eye to eye. "Why? Why would you betray Damien?"
Sarah's gaze flicked toward the window. "Damien is a product of Harold's world. Cold. Calculating. He may pretend to be different from his father, but in the end, the Blackwoods serve themselves. I made a choice to protect my future before it gets crushed like everyone else's."
"By aligning yourself with a criminal?" Lena demanded.
Sarah leaned back. "Paul Whitaker has information. Documents. The kind that can sink Harold's empire overnight. And if Harold goes down, Damien will go with him. I'm just getting ahead of the fall."
Lena's pulse roared in her ears. "You don't know Damien. He's not like Harold."
Sarah tilted her head. "Isn't he? He married you to seal a deal, didn't he?"
Lena's jaw tightened. "What started as business turned into something real."
"That's cute," Sarah said with a cold chuckle. "But feelings won't protect you when everything collapses."
Lena stepped forward, her voice low and fierce. "Damien's stronger than you think. And I'm not going to let people like you destroy him."
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Then you better watch your back, Lena. Because when this boardroom war begins, there won't be any rules."
Later That Evening – Blackwood Penthouse
Damien listened intently as Lena relayed every word from her conversation with Sarah. His expression remained unreadable, but his hands were clenched into fists.
"She admitted everything," Lena said. "She believes Harold's empire is going to collapse and wants to save herself."
"She's wrong," Damien muttered, pacing. "But if Paul really does have leverage on my father, we need to find out what it is fast."
Lena hesitated. "Damien… what if your father really has done something unforgivable?"
Damien stopped and looked at her. "He probably has. But I won't let him drag us down with him."
She walked to him, placing a hand on his chest. "Then we fight back. Together."
His expression softened. "We do this our way. No more secrets."
Across the City – An Abandoned Office
Paul Whitaker sat across from a grim-faced man in a tailored coat. Between them lay a thin envelope.
"That's everything?" the man asked.
Paul nodded. "Every financial record Harold buried. Every off-the-books deal. I've been keeping these in a safe deposit box for years."
The man picked up the envelope. "With this, we could take Harold Blackwood apart. But are you sure you don't want your daughter protected in the process?"
Paul's expression twisted. "She made her choice. She chose him."
Blackwood Enterprises – Two Days Later
The boardroom was silent as Harold Blackwood entered with Damien beside him. Sarah sat at her usual seat, expression impassive. Other members shifted uncomfortably, sensing the tension.
"Before we begin," Harold said, voice low but clear, "I'd like to address the elephant in the room."
He tossed a folder onto the table. "Evidence of board members colluding with a known felon Paul Whitaker. Including internal leaks, falsified contracts, and an attempt to destabilize Blackwood Enterprises from within."
Sarah's face paled, but she recovered quickly. "You have no proof those were my actions."
"Actually," Damien said, stepping forward, "we do."
He opened a file and revealed printed transcripts, emails, and call records—all connecting Sarah to Whitaker's plan.
One of the senior board members stood. "Sarah, is this true?"
Sarah stood as well, her composure cracking. "Everything I did was to survive. You all think Harold's going to protect you when things fall apart? Wake up. He's the reason the company's bleeding."
Another member looked to Harold. "What exactly is Whitaker threatening you with?"
Harold's lips thinned. "That's my concern. But if any of you continue working with him, you become my concern."
Sarah's lips curled. "You can't fire me."
"You're right," Harold said, standing. "But the board can vote to remove you."
In less than a minute, hands rose. Sarah's fate was sealed.
She looked at Lena with pure loathing. "You've doomed yourself by standing with them."
"No," Lena said calmly. "I just chose the right side."
That Night – Damien and Lena's Bedroom
Damien sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the city skyline. Lena joined him quietly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you," he said after a while. "For standing up to her. For standing by me."
"You would've done the same," she whispered.
He turned to face her, eyes searching. "There's still more coming. Paul won't stop. But we've dealt him a blow. And I won't let him touch you."
She leaned in, pressing her lips to his. "Then we're ready for whatever comes next."
Outside, lightning flashed across the sky but inside, the fire between them burned brighter than ever.