Striking The First Blow
780 Words
Chapter 13: Striking the First Blow
The air in Damian’s penthouse was thick with tension. The city skyline stretched endlessly beyond the glass windows, but neither he nor Sophia was admiring the view.
Their war had begun.
But they couldn’t fight it alone.
Sophia exhaled, glancing at Damian. “We need Adrian.”
Damian didn’t hesitate. “I’ll call him.”
Adrian Knight wasn’t just Damian’s best friend—he was his right-hand man. The only person Damian truly trusted.
And if anyone could help them navigate this mess, it was Adrian.
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Scene Break: The Silent War Room
Half an hour later, Adrian arrived.
His sharp gray suit and easy smirk made him look like a man who had everything under control. But his eyes—dark and calculating—told a different story.
He took one look at Damian’s expression and sighed. “Alright. What the hell happened?”
Damian handed him the whiskey bottle instead of answering.
Adrian took it without question. “That bad?”
Sophia leaned forward. “Worse.”
Over the next few minutes, she laid out everything—Madeline’s plans, the board’s betrayal, the fabricated evidence, the upcoming vote.
Adrian listened in silence. When she finished, he whistled low.
“Damn.” He leaned back in his chair. “So they’re really going all in on this.”
Damian’s expression was cold. “They think they’ve already won.”
Adrian smirked. “Then let’s remind them who they’re up against.”
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Scene Break: The First Move
Sophia had spent the last few nights researching.
Digging into Harrison Locke, the senior board member who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
And she had found something interesting.
“We need to hit them where it hurts,” she told Damian and Adrian.
Adrian raised an eyebrow. “And where would that be?”
Sophia smirked. “Money.”
Damian’s gaze sharpened. “Go on.”
Sophia slid a file across the table. “Harrison Locke has been quietly funneling company assets into an offshore account. It’s illegal. If this goes public before the vote, the board will have no choice but to distance themselves.”
Adrian whistled. “Sophia, you’re ruthless.”
She smiled. “I prefer the term efficient.”
Damian studied the file, his mind already working through the possibilities. “If we leak this correctly, it’ll create chaos. The board will be too busy saving themselves to go after me.”
Adrian grinned. “I love this plan.”
Damian closed the file with a decisive snap. “Then let’s get to work.”
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Scene Break: The Leak
Adrian made the call.
A well-placed anonymous tip to an investigative journalist.
Within hours, the first whispers of a major corporate scandal began to spread.
Harrison Locke’s name started appearing in business blogs, finance reports, social media.
And then—
Boom.
A full-scale article dropped.
“BREAKING: Senior Board Member of Mark Enterprises Linked to Offshore Scandal.”
By the time the board woke up the next morning, their entire world was on fire.
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Scene Break: Madeline’s Meltdown
Sophia sat in the office, scrolling through her phone as more headlines flooded in.
Damian entered, holding his own phone to his ear.
“Yes, I understand, but I expect the board to handle this professionally,” he said coolly before hanging up.
Sophia smirked. “Damage control?”
He smirked back. “They’re panicking.”
As if on cue, Madeline stormed into the office.
“What the hell did you do?” she hissed, slamming her purse on the desk.
Sophia leaned back in her chair. “Good morning to you too, Madeline.”
Madeline’s eyes burned with fury. “You think you’re clever? You think leaking that information is going to save him?” She turned to Damian. “You’re still losing this vote, Damian.”
Damian remained unfazed. “Am I?”
Madeline’s jaw clenched.
Then, Sophia spoke. “Let me guess… Harrison Locke isn’t returning your calls?”
Madeline’s glare was sharp enough to cut steel.
Sophia smiled. “Of course he’s not. He’s too busy trying to cover his own a*s. And the board? They’re already looking for ways to save themselves. You’re losing allies, Madeline.”
Madeline exhaled sharply. Then she straightened, smoothing out her silk blouse. “This isn’t over.”
Sophia tilted her head. “Oh, I know.”
Madeline gave them one last glare before spinning on her heel and walking out.
As the door slammed shut, Adrian chuckled. “That was fun.”
Damian glanced at Sophia, his eyes gleaming. “One battle down. Now, we prepare for the war.”
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