Chapter 12: The First Move
1374 Words
Catalina didn’t delete the message.
She read it again.
You think you’ve won. You haven’t.
No name. No number traceable at first glance. No obvious threat—just enough ambiguity to be irritating.
And Catalina hated irritation.
It implied someone thought they could touch her… without consequence.
She leaned back in her chair, tapping the phone lightly against the table. Her expression was calm—but her mind was already moving.
Fast.
Precise.
Dangerous.
Who?
Not Alejandro. Too obvious. Too small. He didn’t have the reach for something like this—not anymore.
This felt different.
Calculated.
Confident.
Someone who believed they were still in the game.
“Interesting,” she murmured.
The door opened quietly.
Lucas stepped in.
“You’re still here?” he asked.
Catalina didn’t look up. “So are you.”
“I was waiting.”
“For?”
He studied her. “To see if you were going to celebrate… or prepare.”
That made her smile slightly.
“Which one do you think I’m doing?”
Lucas walked closer, glancing at the empty boardroom.
“You don’t celebrate,” he said. “You escalate.”
Catalina finally met his gaze.
“Correct.”
She slid the phone across the table.
Lucas picked it up, reading the message.
His expression didn’t change—but his eyes sharpened.
“Anonymous?”
“For now.”
“You think it’s connected to today?”
“Yes.”
Lucas handed the phone back. “Alejandro?”
“No.”
“You sound certain.”
“I am.”
She stood, walking slowly toward the glass wall overlooking the city.
Lights flickered across Ventura’s skyline—alive, restless, full of opportunity… and enemies.
“This isn’t retaliation,” Catalina said. “It’s positioning.”
Lucas frowned slightly. “Meaning?”
“Whoever sent this doesn’t want revenge.”
She turned to him.
“They want to play.”
A beat of silence.
Lucas exhaled. “Then they’re either very brave… or very stupid.”
Catalina’s lips curved.
“We’ll find out which.”
—
The next morning, the city woke up to chaos.
By 9 a.m., every major financial outlet carried the same headline:
VALVERDE HOLDINGS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR FRAUD
Catalina read it once.
Then again.
Still calm.
Still composed.
But her fingers tightened slightly around the tablet.
“Interesting,” she said.
Lucas, standing across from her desk, looked far less calm.
“This isn’t random,” he said. “Someone leaked something.”
“Of course they did.”
“The timing—right after yesterday—”
“Yes.”
Her voice was steady.
Too steady.
Lucas narrowed his eyes. “You’re not surprised.”
Catalina set the tablet down.
“I was expecting a response,” she said. “I just didn’t expect it this quickly.”
Lucas walked closer.
“This is serious,” he said. “Regulators are already asking questions. The stock is dropping.”
“How much?”
“Seven percent in the last hour.”
Catalina considered that.
Then—
“Call a press conference.”
Lucas blinked. “Now?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t even know what they have.”
“I don’t need to.”
Her gaze hardened.
“I control the narrative.”
Lucas hesitated.
Then nodded. “I’ll arrange it.”
He turned to leave—
“Lucas.”
He stopped.
She didn’t look at him.
“Find the source.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“I will.”
“And when you do…”
Now she looked at him.
Cold.
Decisive.
“Don’t warn me.”
Lucas held her gaze.
Then nodded once.
“Understood.”
—
The press conference began at noon.
The room was packed.
Reporters. Cameras. Flashing lights. Whispered speculation.
They smelled blood.
Catalina stepped onto the stage without hesitation.
No notes.
No fear.
Just control.
The noise died instantly.
“Good afternoon,” she began.
Her voice was calm, clear, impossible to ignore.
“I’m sure you’ve all seen the headlines this morning.”
A ripple of murmurs.
Catalina continued.
“Let me be clear: Valverde Holdings is not under investigation for fraud.”
A reporter raised a hand immediately.
“Then how do you explain the documents—”
“Fabricated.”
The word cut through the room.
Sharp. Final.
“You’re saying this is false?” another reporter asked.
“Yes.”
“Completely?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then—
“Then why is the regulatory board reviewing your financial records?”
Catalina smiled slightly.
“Because someone wanted them to.”
Silence.
The room leaned in.
“You believe this is an attack?” a journalist asked.
“I don’t believe,” Catalina said calmly.
“I know.”
The tension shifted.
Curiosity replaced accusation.
Good.
She had them.
“This company,” she continued, “has grown faster than any other in Ventura. That kind of success creates… attention.”
“Enemies,” someone muttered.
Catalina heard it.
“Yes,” she said.
“Enemies.”
A beat.
“But let me assure you—Valverde Holdings has nothing to hide.”
Her gaze swept across the room.
“And whoever orchestrated this…”
Now her voice dropped slightly.
“They’ve just made a very expensive mistake.”
Cameras flashed.
Questions erupted.
But Catalina stepped away from the podium.
Done.
She didn’t answer another question.
She didn’t need to.
—
Back in her office, Lucas was already waiting.
“You handled that well,” he said.
“I always do.”
He didn’t argue.
“The board is nervous,” he added. “They want reassurance.”
“They’ll get results.”
“And the stock?”
Catalina glanced at her screen.
It had dropped further.
Ten percent now.
She exhaled slowly.
“Stabilize it,” she said.
Lucas frowned. “How?”
Catalina smiled.
“Buy.”
“How much?”
“All of it.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“That’s… aggressive.”
“That’s control.”
Lucas studied her.
“You’re doubling down.”
“I’m taking advantage.”
He hesitated.
“This could backfire.”
Catalina’s gaze locked onto his.
“Everything can.”
A pause.
Then—
“Do it.”
Lucas nodded.
“Alright.”
He turned—
“Lucas.”
He stopped again.
“If this goes wrong…”
He waited.
Catalina’s expression didn’t change.
“It won’t.”
He almost smiled.
Then left.
—
By evening, the market had shifted.
Slowly.
Then suddenly.
Valverde stock began to rise.
Confidence returning.
Investors following Catalina’s lead.
Fear… turning into belief.
Again.
Catalina stood by the window, watching the numbers climb.
She had regained control.
But she wasn’t satisfied.
Not yet.
Her phone buzzed.
Same unknown number.
Another message.
She opened it.
“Impressive recovery.”
A pause.
Then a second line appeared.
“Let’s see how long it lasts.”
Catalina’s eyes darkened slightly.
Now she was certain.
This wasn’t random.
This wasn’t desperation.
This was strategy.
She typed a response.
Three words.
“Show yourself.”
The reply came almost instantly.
“Soon.”
Catalina stared at the screen.
Then smiled.
Slow.
Dangerous.
“Good,” she whispered.
Because whoever this was…
They weren’t running.
They were coming closer.
And Catalina…
was ready to destroy them.
—
Later that night, Óscar stood alone on his balcony, overlooking the same city.
His phone buzzed.
He glanced down.
A message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
“She’s stronger than we thought.”
Óscar’s expression didn’t change.
He typed back.
“I told you she would be.”
A pause.
Then the reply:
“Then we break her differently.”
Óscar’s grip tightened slightly on the phone.
His gaze drifted toward the skyline.
Toward where Catalina’s office tower stood.
Bright.
Untouchable.
For now.
He exhaled slowly.
Then typed:
“Be careful.”
The response came.
Cold.
Certain.
“You’re getting attached.”
Óscar didn’t reply.
He just stared at the city.
At her world.
At the war that had already begun.
And for the first time…
He wasn’t sure which side he was on.
Catalina thinks she’s hunting her enemy…
But she has no idea—
The enemy is already inside her world.
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