"Elevate just lost the ZenithTech contract."
Jake's voice was sharp as a blade when he walked into Samantha's glass-walled office. No knock, no greeting — just those words that made the air drop ten degrees colder.
Samantha looked up slowly from her desk, her posture calm, but her eyes — those storm-gray eyes — darkened with dangerous precision. "Repeat that."
Jake tossed the file onto her desk. "They pulled out overnight. Said our competitor underbid us at the last second — with a mirror proposal. Down to the decimal."
For the first time that morning, Samantha's fingers stilled over the keyboard. "Impossible," she said quietly. "No one outside this floor had access to the Zenith file."
Jake's jaw tightened. "Exactly."
A beat of silence stretched between them. The hum of the city below was the only sound. Then Samantha leaned back in her chair, expression unreadable. "Someone leaked it."
Jake nodded grimly. "And whoever it is, they knew exactly what to take."
Her pulse quickened, but her voice stayed composed. "How much damage?"
"Millions in projected revenue. And ZenithTech's CEO publicly praised Marcus Reed for his 'innovative' offer."
Samantha's gaze flickered, cold realization dawning. "Marcus."
Jake crossed his arms. "If he got that proposal, he's playing dirty. But how?"
Samantha stood, walking to the window, watching the skyline like a general surveying her battlefield. The reflection of her face was calm, controlled — but her knuckles whitened where they gripped the glass.
"Jake," she said, voice low, dangerous. "There's a mole inside Elevate."
He nodded. "Already checking access logs. It had to be someone close."
Her eyes sharpened. "Find them. Quietly."
"Sam—"
"Quietly," she repeated, turning to face him fully now. "If Marcus believes we're blind, let him. But I want that leak cut off before the next deal falls through."
For a heartbeat, Jake just looked at her — the glint of fury behind her calm facade, the subtle tremor she hid so well. Then he gave a curt nod. "Understood."
---
Later that afternoon, the building buzzed with nervous whispers. The ZenithTech loss had spread fast. Departments were on edge.
In the staff restroom on the 18th floor, Lynn clutched the sink, her reflection pale and haunted.
Her phone vibrated again — a message from an unknown number.
Debt cleared. Your brother's company will receive full funding today. Good work.
She covered her mouth to keep from making a sound. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she slid down the wall, trembling.
"What have I done?" she whispered, voice breaking. "God, what have I done…"
The door creaked — someone entered. Lynn scrambled to compose herself, splashing water on her face just as another employee walked in. "You okay, Lynn?"
She forced a small smile, her eyes red. "Just… tired. It's been a long week."
The woman nodded sympathetically and left.
Lynn gripped the counter again, shaking. You did it to save him, she told herself. You had no choice.
But the guilt burned deep.
---
That evening, Elevate's boardroom was quieter than usual. Samantha sat at the head of the table, every executive tense.
"Marcus Reed has offered to step in," one of the board members announced. "He says he can help stabilize our losses through a joint venture."
Jake's eyes flicked up sharply. "Of course he did."
Samantha said nothing for a moment. Then, with a faint, controlled smile, she asked, "Did he specify his terms?"
"Minor share exchange," another replied. "Temporary. But… his proposal came only hours after ZenithTech announced their shift."
Jake scoffed. "Convenient."
Samantha folded her hands. "Tell Mr. Reed I appreciate his generosity. I'll meet him tomorrow."
Jake blinked. "Sam—"
Her tone was final. "Tomorrow, Jake."
When the room emptied, he stayed behind. "You're really going to entertain this? After what just happened?"
Samantha leaned back, eyes glinting. "Marcus Reed thinks he's playing chess. I'm simply inviting him to my board."
He frowned. "And if you lose?"
She turned to him fully, her smile sharp as glass. "Then I learn. But I don't lose."
Jake exhaled heavily. "You know, one day your confidence is going to scare even me."
"It already does," she murmured.
---
Across the city, Marcus Reed was already waiting for her response. He lounged in his penthouse suite, swirling a glass of whiskey as his assistant updated him.
"She agreed to meet," the assistant confirmed.
Marcus smirked. "Good. It's always better to have a queen at the table than a pawn in the shadows."
---
By morning, the storm had moved from Elevate's skyline to Carter Group.
Nick stood by the glass windows of his office, watching the media cycle spin — "ELEVATE FACES INTERNAL CRISIS" plastered across financial headlines.
He felt the ache in his chest again — guilt and something else. Worry.
Before he could stop himself, he reached for his phone.
"Get me Samantha Bradley."
Moments later, her voice came through, crisp and calm. "Nick Carter. To what do I owe the call?"
"I heard about your loss," he said. "Thought I'd offer assistance. If you need financial support—"
"Are you offering charity?"
Her tone sliced through the phone like silk wrapped around a blade.
"No," he said quickly. "I'm offering partnership. Temporary, of course. Until things stabilize."
"Generous," she replied smoothly. "Almost suspiciously so."
Nick hesitated. "You helped me once. Maybe this is just balance."
A pause. Then, softly — "Balance?"
He could almost hear her faint laugh. "You can't balance betrayal with money, Nick. But I'll consider your offer."
Before he could reply, the line clicked off.
He stared at the phone, frustrated — not at her words, but at how they still affected him. The cool precision in her tone, the subtle familiarity beneath it.
Who are you really, Samantha Bradley?
---
That afternoon, Nick showed up unannounced at Elevate's headquarters.
Jake met him in the lobby, jaw tight. "She's in a meeting."
"I'll wait," Nick said simply.
Jake stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Let me give you some advice, Carter. Don't try to fix what you broke. She doesn't need your redemption."
Nick's gaze didn't waver. "And you? You think you can protect her from everything?"
"I don't think," Jake replied coldly. "I do."
The elevator doors opened then, revealing Samantha's composed silhouette. Her gaze flicked between them — the tension palpable.
"Gentlemen," she said lightly. "If you're both done measuring the air, I have work to do."
Nick's lips twitched faintly. "Always the professional."
Samantha turned to him, her smile soft but distant. "Always."
---
That night, as she sat alone in her office, the city glittering beneath her, Samantha finally let the mask slip for a brief moment.
The ZenithTech file open on her tablet. The loss glaring back at her.
She clenched her jaw, eyes narrowing. "You want to play, Marcus?" she whispered to herself. "Then play. But remember — I wrote the rules."
Her reflection in the glass didn't flinch. But behind her calm, the storm had already begun to build.
And this time, Samantha Bradley wasn't just fighting for power — she was fighting to uncover the rot festering inside her own empire.