Chapter 3: The First Bite
1079 Words
The headquarters of Porter Corporation was unusually tense that morning.
Employees hurried through the hallways carrying files and tablets while department heads rushed between conference rooms. The atmosphere was far from the confident image the company usually projected.
Inside the executive boardroom, Xavier Porter sat at the head of the long table.
His expression remained unreadable as one of the executives finished the presentation.
"The leak cost us millions."
Silence followed.
No one dared speak first.
Everyone knew how serious the situation was.
Their newest summer clothing collection had been one of the company's biggest projects of the year. Months of planning, research, production and marketing had gone into it.
Then someone leaked confidential information to a competing company.
The rival brand launched similar products before Porter Corporation could.
The result was disastrous and millions in potential profits had disappeared overnight.
Xavier calmly reviewed the report in front of him.
"Have we identified the employee responsible?"
The head of security nodded.
"We have suspects, but nothing concrete yet."
Xavier's jaw tightened.
"Incompetence is becoming expensive."
The room instantly grew colder. Nobody responded. Everyone understood the warning.
Beside him, Halix Torres adjusted his glasses.
"We can still recover."
Several executives looked toward him.
Halix continued.
"The public is still interested in the collection."
"How?" one executive asked.
"We need a face."
A few people immediately understood what he meant.
"A celebrity endorsement."
Halix nodded.
"Not just any celebrity. Someone who dominates social media, television, movies and advertising."
One of Xavier's friends leaned forward.
"I actually know the perfect candidate."
Xavier raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
The man grinned.
"Lilia David."
Several people immediately agreed.
"That's actually a great idea."
"She's everywhere these days."
"Her latest movie broke records."
"Her television series was a success too."
Another executive nodded.
"She's one of Spain's most influential celebrities."
The discussion continued. Statistics appeared on the screen. Engagement numbers. Audience reach. Brand influence.
Everything pointed to one conclusion. Lilia David was exactly what they needed.
Halix glanced at Xavier.
"Financially, it's the smartest move."
Xavier remained silent. For some reason, the image of a woman in a red dress flashed through his mind.
Oops.
A small smile threatened to appear. Interesting woman. Interesting enough to remember.
"Draft the contract."
Everyone looked toward him.
"Contact her agency."
The executives immediately began taking notes.
"If negotiations succeed," Xavier continued, "we proceed with the campaign."
Halix nodded.
"I'll handle it personally."
The meeting finally ended.
As everyone left the boardroom, Xavier remained seated. For reasons he couldn't explain, he found himself curious.
Perhaps it was her confidence. Perhaps it was the way she walked away without trying to impress anyone. Or perhaps it was because she treated him like an ordinary man.
Whatever the reason was, Lilia David had successfully captured his attention.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, another battle was taking place. The Flores training compound echoed with painful screams.
"ARGH!"
A massive man crashed onto the training mat. Before he could recover, another fighter charged forward.
A sharp kick connected with his ribs.
CRACK.
The man immediately fell, groaning and defeated.
Standing in the center of the training area was Mhagi Flores. Sweat glistened across her skin. Her breathing remained steady.
Calm.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
Three men already lay on the floor with bruised, bleeding cuts and unable to continue.
A fourth fighter rushed toward her. Mhagi sidestepped effortlessly. Her fist shot forward.
The man barely had time to react.
BOOM.
He stumbled backward. Blood dripping from his mouth. The surrounding guards winced.
No matter how many times they witnessed it, the sight remained terrifying.
Their young mistress fought like a machine. No hesitation. No mercy.
Only precision.
The fighter attempted another attack. Mhagi lowered her stance. Prepared to deliver a finishing blow.
Then—
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of a cane echoed throughout the training hall. Instantly, everyone froze. Mhagi turned and a smile appeared on her face.
Don Nicollo Flores stood near the entrance. The old mafia king shook his head.
"That's enough, my princesa."
The defeated fighters visibly relaxed.
"You'll end up killing them if you continue."
The old man chuckled.
"I already spend enough money sending them to the hospital."
Laughter spread through the room.
Even Mhagi laughed.
"That joke wasn't funny, Grandpa."
"Maybe not."
Don Nicollo opened his arms.
"But it got your attention."
Without hesitation, Mhagi walked toward him and embraced him tightly.
"Grandpa."
"I missed you too, mi hija."
The old man smiled warmly.
Despite ruling one of the most feared organizations in Europe, he always became soft around her.
They moved toward the garden outside. For the next hour, they talked. Not about business. Not about enemies.
Just family.
Don Nicollo asked about her acting career. Her health. Whether she was sleeping properly. Whether she was eating enough.
The questions made Mhagi smile.
No matter how powerful she became, her grandfather still treated her like the little girl he had saved years ago.
Most importantly, he never pressured her. He knew revenge already lived inside her heart. Days passed peacefully. At least on the surface.
Then one afternoon, Fathima entered Mhagi's office carrying a sealed envelope.
The moment Mhagi saw the logo, her lips slowly curved upward. Porter Corporation. Finally.
Fathima placed the envelope on the desk.
"He reached out."
Mhagi casually leaned back in her chair. A month. It had taken exactly one month. Long enough for curiosity to grow. Long enough for interest to become stronger.
She opened the envelope. Inside was a partnership proposal. A modeling contract. An endorsement deal. Exactly what she had expected.
The fish had followed the bait.
Fathima crossed her arms.
"What do you want me to tell them?"
Mhagi carefully placed the documents back inside. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. The game was finally beginning.
"Let them know my answer."
A knowing smile appeared on Fathima's face.
"Copy that, Mhags."
Mhagi nodded.
"Thanks, Fathima."
The two women exchanged a glance. No further explanation was needed. Because they both understood what this really meant.
This was never about fashion. Never about business. And certainly never about money. It was revenge.
Slow. Patient. Calculated revenge.
As Fathima left the room, Mhagi walked toward the window overlooking the city.
Far away, somewhere among those buildings, lived the family responsible for her parents' deaths.
For years she had waited. For years she had prepared. And now the first door had finally opened.
A dangerous smile appeared on her lips.
"The fish finally bit the hook."
- Writer
