Chapter 9: Exposure
571 Words
The video was 5 seconds long.
Long enough.
Damian’s hand on my arm. My face tilted up toward his. The lighting in the hallway made it look intimate, like we were about to kiss.
It wasn’t true. But it didn’t matter.
Unknown number: Let’s see how predictable he is when the board sees the video.
I deleted it before Damian could see.
Too late. His eyes caught the motion.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
Damian wasn’t stupid. He pulled out his own phone, opened his messages, and sure enough—Serena had sent it to him too.
His jaw locked.
“She’s going public.”
“Then we go public first,” I said.
He looked at me like I’d just suggested we jump off the building.
“With what? A denial? It looks exactly like what it is.”
“It isn’t what it is,” I shot back. “And people know it.”
“People believe what they see, Amina.”
Kemi shifted in the wheelchair Damian had grabbed from down the hall. “Can we argue about this somewhere that isn’t a hospital hallway? Because I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be upright.”
Damian ignored him. His focus was entirely on me.
“If Serena posts this with the caption she wants, the board will vote again. And this time, I lose.”
“Then we give them something else to look at.”
“What?”
“The offshore records,” I said. “We leak them ourselves. Before she leaks the video.”
Damian went still.
“You want to burn my father’s company to save it.”
“I want to make it so the board has to choose between losing you, or losing everything,” I said. “And I think I know which one they’ll pick.”
He studied me for a long moment.
“You’re reckless.”
“You’re welcome.”
Damian exhaled, then nodded.
“Get Kemi home. I’ll handle the leak.”
“What about Serena?”
“What about her?” Damian’s expression turned cold. “She wanted a war. She’s got one.”
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We got Kemi into a car twenty minutes later.
He was quiet the whole ride, staring at his hands like he couldn’t believe they were still attached.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said finally. “For me.”
“I’m not doing it for you,” I said. “I’m doing it because I’m tired of being used.”
Kemi looked at me, really looked.
“You’re starting to sound like him.”
“God, I hope not.”
By the time we reached his apartment, Damian had already sent me a link.
A news site I’d never heard of. Headline: Blackwood Industries CEO Threatened with SEC Leak Over Inheritance Dispute.
The story was live.
The video wasn’t.
Yet.
My phone buzzed.
Serena: Cute move. But the board meets in 6 hours. And my video drops in 5. Want to see who they believe?
I didn’t reply.
Damian texted instead: Stay home tonight. I’ll come to you.
I stared at the message for a long time.
Then I typed back: I’m not hiding.
His reply was instant: Then don’t.
The boardroom was on the 40th floor.
But right now, the real fight was happening online.
And Serena had just made it personal.
- Writer
