CHAPTER SIX
742 Words
Chapter 6: The Unraveling
The next morning, Isabella Montgomery walked into Montgomery Enterprises with a cold, calculating demeanor. The conversation with Gabriel the previous night lingered in her mind like a dark cloud, but she refused to let it shake her.
She had built this company from the ground up, turned it into an empire of its own, and no one—especially not Gabriel—was going to take that from her.
As she stepped into the sleek glass doors of her office, Olivia was already waiting for her. The sharp-eyed assistant had a folder in her hand and an urgency in her stance.
“Ms. Montgomery, we have a problem,” Olivia said, following Isabella into her office.
Isabella set down her bag and turned to face her. “What kind of problem?”
Olivia handed her the folder. “Michael found more discrepancies in the accounts this morning. It’s worse than we thought.”
Isabella flipped open the folder, scanning the contents.
$2.3 million.
Gone.
Her jaw tightened as she clenched the papers in her hands. This wasn’t just a warning from Gabriel. He was taking things further, testing how far he could push her.
Her eyes flicked back to Olivia. “Who else knows?”
“Just Michael, you, and me,” Olivia replied, her expression unreadable. “But if we don’t act fast, the board is going to start asking questions.”
Isabella inhaled deeply, forcing her anger down. “Find out where the money is going. Trace every transaction. I want a full report by the end of the day.”
Olivia nodded. “Already on it.”
As she turned to leave, she hesitated. “There’s one more thing.”
Isabella raised a brow. “What is it?”
Olivia glanced at the door before lowering her voice. “Gabriel called this morning. He wants a meeting with you.”
A chill ran down Isabella’s spine, but she masked it with a cold smile. “Of course, he does.”
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The Meeting
The restaurant was dimly lit, the kind of place that oozed exclusivity. Gabriel was already seated when Isabella arrived, dressed in a charcoal-gray suit that did little to hide the predator beneath.
He stood when she approached, a smirk curling at the corners of his lips. “Isabella,” he greeted smoothly. “You look stunning, as always.”
She didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Cut the act, Gabriel. What do you want?”
He chuckled, taking his seat again and gesturing for her to do the same. “So impatient.”
She sat, keeping her posture rigid. “I don’t have time for games.”
Gabriel leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous. “Who said this is a game?”
She clenched her jaw. “Then get to the point.”
He studied her for a moment before finally speaking. “I know about the missing funds, Isabella.”
Her stomach twisted, but she kept her face unreadable. “Do you?”
His smirk deepened. “You’re losing control. Your company is slipping through your fingers, and it’s only a matter of time before the board turns on you.”
She folded her arms. “Let me guess—you’re here to offer a solution?”
Gabriel leaned back, feigning nonchalance. “Join forces with me. Merge Montgomery Enterprises with my firm. Together, we’d be unstoppable.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “You think I’d ever trust you again?”
He shrugged. “You don’t have to trust me. But you do need me.”
Her fingers curled into fists beneath the table. “I would rather watch my company burn than hand it over to you.”
His smile faltered for the briefest moment before he exhaled. “I expected you to say that.”
He leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper. “But let me make one thing very clear, Isabella—this isn’t a request. It’s an inevitability.”
She met his gaze with unflinching steel. “We’ll see about that.”
Gabriel smirked again, but this time, there was something darker behind it. “You always were a fighter.”
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the polished floor. “And I always win.”
With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, her heart pounding with fury.
She had just declared war.
And she was ready to fight.
- Writer
