My Rival is My CEO

Chapter 6: The 30% Deal To The Gala

*CHAPTER 6 : THE 30% DEAL TO THE GALA*

*ELENA'S POV*

The deal was done. 30%.

I walked out of the Knight Corp boardroom that day owning almost a third of Damian Knight's company. My father called it a win. Zara called it marriage. Maya called it risky. Chloe called it illegal and then said "but iconic."

Three days later, I was CEO of Evans Global. Officially.

I had not slept in three days. I was already missing my bed.

*DAY 1 AS CEO — EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS THE ASSISTANT*

7:30 AM. Lobby. My father's people watching me come in with coffee.

Mr. Tanaka from Osaka flew 14 hours for Richard Evans. He bowed to my father, then looked at me. "And you are Mr. Evans' secretary?"

Maya stepped forward. "This is Elena Rose Evans. CEO."

He went pale. "My apologies!"

"Don't apologize," I said, shaking his hand. "My father is retired as of yesterday. If you wanted him, you should have flown faster."

He laughed. Good.

Zara had moved his warehouse tour to a sunset dinner cruise without asking me because she read Tanaka closes deals at sunset. He closed. $80M.

At 4 PM, three board members tried me. "Richard's daughter, sweetheart, Savannah has been our route for 15 years—"

"It's been losing money for 15 years," I said. "Maya, numbers."

One slide. Charleston vs Savannah. Save $12M a year. 11 hours faster.

"It's done. We rerouted last night. You were being informed, not asked. Meeting adjourned."

My father watched from the doorway and just nodded.

*DAY 2 — THE CALLS*

14 calls. Back to back.

Singapore wanted to pull out. Hong Kong wanted a discount. Berlin wanted the real CEO.

I told Singapore: "Stay and I make you 18% more this quarter, or leave and I buy your competitor tomorrow at 4 AM your time."

He stayed.

I told Hong Kong: "You don't need cheaper. You need faster. I give you faster."

They took it.

Berlin got a midnight call. Zara brought pasta, Maya brought spreadsheets, Chloe brought legal clauses to say no without saying no. Chloe fell asleep on my couch with a contract on her face.

Maya looked at me: "You have not stopped talking since 7 AM."

"I like talking when people finally listen," I said.

For four years at Crestwood I was quiet. Now I could be loud and people had to write it down.

My mom came at midnight with soup. "Your girls are better at keeping you alive than I was. Keep them."

"I gave them jobs," I said.

*DAY 3 — THE QUIET*

By Day 3, they called me Ms. Evans. Not Miss Elena. The guard said "Morning, boss."

At 10 AM I had an hour with no meetings. Sat on the floor of my office, barefoot, glasses on, just breathing. Maya sat next to me.

"We did $200M in retained business in 72 hours."

"And I haven't seen Knight in 3 days. Real win," I said.

Zara: "Liar. You checked your phone 5 times for Cole."

Then it buzzed.

*Cole:* _Ms. Evans — Knight Corp board meeting Monday 9 AM. Mr. Knight asks if you will attend as shareholder._

*ELENA:* _Tell Mr. Knight I will be there. Tell him to bring real numbers._

---

*MONDAY 9 AM — THE SHAREHOLDERS MEETING*

I was late on purpose. 8:59.

Knight Corp boardroom. Glass, steel. Damian at the head, no tie, cold face. His board, 8 men.

I sat at the opposite head. Two heads now.

"This is a shareholders meeting, you sit on the side—"

"I own 30% and the coffee you drink. I can sit where I want," I said.

Cole started slides. Q2 losses.

Maya: "Labor up 14% because Queens is still manual. Automate. Save $2M."

Damian didn't blink. "We priced it. $400K. ROI 8 months. Approved last week. Installing Thursday. Check minutes you didn't read."

First hit.

Slide 4 — East Coast.

"We're losing contracts to Evans Global," Cole said.

"You're not losing them to Evans Global," I started —

"You're losing them to Charleston," Damian finished for me, calm. "Your reroute. We saw it. Copied it. 60% moved through Charleston as of Friday. Thank you for saving consulting fee."

Second hit.

He took the clicker. "My Q3 plan. We keep Queens. We don't cut. We automate — already ordered — and retrain, not fire."

He clicked. A slide: _E. Evans Route Optimization, Q2_ — my name on his deck.

"You thought I'd fire people to fix math? I learned that in year one."

I stood. Head-to-head.

"You prepped for me," I said quietly, only for him.

"You prepped for me for four years at Crestwood. I returned favor. For 72 hours," he said same quiet.

Meeting ended 10:12.

"Next month. Same time. Bring better argument. Toyota one is old."

"Next month. Bring a tie. You look almost competent with one. Adequate."

He smiled. Small, real.

---

*SAME NIGHT — THE GALA*

Manhattan Business Council Gala.

I walked in with my girls. Black velvet, backless, red lip.

Then I saw Damian. Tom Ford tux. And next to him — blonde, red dress, hand on his arm.

Sophia. Crestwood. Dated him senior year.

Damian walked over. Sophia attached.

"Evans," he said.

"Knight. And Sophia. I didn't know council allowed guests who think EBITDA is pasta," I said.

Sophia: "Elena. Still driving Toyota?"

"No. Still borrowing personalities?"

Photographer: "Mr. Knight! Ms. Evans! Together — you're his largest shareholder now?"

Forced photo. Me in velvet, him in tux, Sophia half-cropped. Flash.

"Smile, Knight. You look less disturbing when pretending to be happy," I whispered.

"Smile, Evans. You look less irritating when not threatening people," he whispered back.

Photo online in 4 minutes. Caption: _Rivals or More? Youngest CEOs sparkle at Gala with 30% stake linking them._

"You brought a plus one," I said quietly when photographer left.

"You brought three."

"Mine work for me."

"Mine works for i********:," he admitted, glancing at Sophia taking selfies alone.

"Why did you bring her?"

"My mother said I needed to look approachable. You make me look like I have competition. That's better."

Sophia came back. "Damian, Vanity Fair wants us—"

"I have to talk to your father," he said to me, leaving her at the bar.

Across the room — Damian in tux, eyes flicking to me every 20 seconds. Sophia alone.

I felt like the head of the table again.

*Then —*

My phone buzzed. Unknown number. No, not unknown. Knight Corp legal.

*Cole:* _Ms. Evans, do not leave the gala. Emergency board clause triggered. Mr. Charles Knight just called a vote to remove Mr. Damian Knight as CEO. He needs your 30% to survive. Tonight._

I looked up across the ballroom.

Damian was looking at his phone too. Face white. Sophia was gone. Charles Knight was walking toward him with two board members, smiling.

Zara grabbed my arm. "Elena, what is it?"

Maya: "Elena? You just went pale."

I had 30%. I could save him. Or I could let his own father fire him and take Knight Corp for nothing.

And Damian was looking straight at me — not as a rival now. As the only person in the room who could decide if he still had a job in 10 minutes.