Part 31 –
They don't always stab you with knives.
Sometimes it's headlines.
And they cut deeper.
The Perfect Morning Before the Storm
The day began deceptively perfect.
Sunlight streamed into the penthouse. Lila stirred awake wrapped in Ethan's arms, the scent of his skin grounding her amidst the chaos.
For a few minutes, they weren't CEOs or soldiers in a corporate war.
Just two people in love.
Lila traced her fingers along his jaw. "We're getting stronger," she whispered.
Ethan kissed her forehead. "Which means Lucien's about to hit harder."
Neither of them knew how right he was.
The Headlines Break
It started with a ping on Lila's phone.
Then another. Then dozens.
Messages. Missed calls. PR alerts.
Delilah, their head of communications, burst into the room.
"You need to see this. Now."
She turned the TV on, and every major news channel was broadcasting the same story:
"Billionaire CEO Lila Whitmore Accused of Insider Trading"
Wolfe Enterprises under SEC scrutiny after explosive leak.
Lila's heart dropped.
The screen flashed with fake emails, falsified spreadsheets, even manipulated surveillance images each one painting her as the architect of a massive financial scam.
The voiceover continued:
"Sources say the company's co-CEO allegedly used privileged information to influence stock trends, benefiting offshore accounts tied to her late mother's estate..."
"Offshore accounts?" Lila whispered. "I've never "
"I know," Ethan said, already grabbing his phone. "These are forged. But they look real."
Delilah nodded. "Too real. Someone built this frame-up over months."
Lucien.
Only he had the reach and precision to orchestrate a smear campaign like this.
Damage Control
By midmorning, the boardroom was in chaos.
Some board members were defensive. Others panicked.
And one Kenneth Grant, an old-guard executive Lila had never trusted looked almost pleased.
"We have to distance ourselves," he said coldly. "This is tanking investor confidence."
Ethan stood beside Lila, his voice cold as steel. "If anyone distances themselves before we vet the truth, they'll be joining Vega on the outside of this company."
Lila raised her chin. "You want my resignation? Prove the evidence is real. Until then I'm not going anywhere."
And just like that, the battle lines were redrawn.
The Enemy Within
Later that evening, Marion barged into their private conference room.
"We've got a lead. The leaked files were sent from inside Wolfe Tower."
Lila's eyes narrowed. "Someone betrayed us."
Kai tracked the IP. "It was masked through three proxies, but... I traced it back to an assistant in Research & Development. Jamie Torres."
"He's not bright enough to orchestrate this," Ethan said. "Someone used him."
"Exactly," Marion replied. "And guess who Jamie was meeting for lunch last week?"
She slid a photo across the table.
It was Jamie shaking hands with Kenneth Grant.
Lila's blood turned to ice.
Grant wasn't just a traitor.
He was Lucien's mole.
The Confrontation
That night, Lila didn't wait.
She marched into Grant's private club, flanked by Ethan and Marion, as the elite executives around them stared in shocked silence.
He was mid-sip of brandy when he looked up and smirked. "Care for a drink, Lila?"
She dropped a folder in front of him. "Here's a breakdown of every document you sent to Luthor's shell firm. Including timestamps."
Grant's smirk faded.
"You played dirty," Lila continued. "But you forgot who you were dealing with."
Grant sneered. "You think you've won?"
Lila stepped closer.
"I'm not just here to win. I'm here to rewrite the rules."
Ethan's Secret Move
Back at Wolfe Tower, Ethan pulled Marion aside.
"I want you to initiate Project Prometheus."
Marion blinked. "That's a full corporate firewall initiative designed for hostile takeovers."
Ethan nodded. "Lucien's after more than reputation. He wants to gut us. We activate Prometheus, we lock down everything servers, divisions, assets. No one in or out."
"And the cost?"
"We burn any board members tied to Luthor. That includes Kenneth."
Marion raised a brow. "And Lila?"
Ethan paused.
"She can't know. Not until I'm sure we've locked out every risk."
Betrayal in Bloom
Hours later, Lila sat in her office, exhausted. A new crisis erupted every five minutes.
Then her assistant rushed in. "Ma'am, you need to see this."
A private financial blog had leaked a memo this time from Ethan's own encrypted server.
It claimed that he had authorized the fake offshore accounts.
Lila froze. Her heart cracked, her mind spiraling.
No. It couldn't be.
The Ethan she loved the man who fought beside her, bled with her, trusted her
Had he gone behind her back?
Then the realization hit.
Lucien had forged a wedge between them.
But the damage had begun.
Two Hearts, One War
That night, Lila sat alone in the penthouse, watching the city burn in newsfeeds and investor fear.
Ethan came home to silence.
She didn't turn around.
"I saw the memo."
He closed the door gently behind him. "It's fake. But Lucien made it look like I kept secrets from you."
"Did you?" she asked quietly.
"I authorized Prometheus," he admitted. "Without telling you."
Lila stood slowly.
"I don't need protecting, Ethan. I need a partner."
He stepped closer.
"You have one. But I didn't want to watch you fall. So I tried to shield you."
Lila turned to face him, eyes full of steel.
"Then let's start protecting each other. No more secrets. No more lies. We either fight side by side or we don't fight at all."
Ethan pulled her into his arms.
"No more walls. I promise."
Outside, the night was filled with the hum of city lights and the low growl of a lion waiting in the dark.
Lucien wasn't done.
But neither were they.