The First Blow
360 Words
Chapter 15: The First Blow
Damien stood over his laptop, eyes scanning line after line of digital logs.
Elle sat beside him, typing furiously.
“It wasn’t just a one-time attempt,” she said. “They’ve been poking around for days. Whoever’s doing this… they’ve already gotten in.”
Damien clenched his jaw. “And now they’re ready to hit.”
Before Elle could respond, a ping echoed through the penthouse.
His phone.
Another alert.
Then another.
And another.
He picked it up and froze.
> 🚨 Breaking News: Billionaire CEO Damien Alcott Under Fire for Offshore Asset Hiding Scheme
> 🚨 Anonymous Sources Reveal Secret Accounts, Possible Fraud Investigation Incoming
> 🚨 Fiancée Aria Sinclair “Devastated” by Secrets Behind the Man She Almost Married
Damien stared, his heart racing.
Elle grabbed her phone. Same headlines. Same chaos.
Twitter. LinkedIn. Finance blogs. Gossip pages.
They were all ablaze.
She turned the screen to him. “They’ve gone nuclear.”
Damien’s fists tightened.
“Aria,” he growled. “She fed them lies. Spun the story like I betrayed her.”
Elle stood quickly. “You need to control the narrative now. You need to respond.”
“No,” he said, voice steady. “Not yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not reacting,” he said coldly. “I’m going to expose them.”
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Elsewhere…
Aria and Cameron stood in a high-rise corner suite, sipping champagne as the headlines poured in.
“He’s probably losing his mind right now,” Cameron laughed.
Aria smiled. “This is just the beginning. Watch the stock drop. His board will panic. His partners will pull out.”
“And then?”
“I’ll be there,” she said sweetly, “with the right papers, the right allies, and a public sob story. His empire will be mine, piece by piece.”
---
Back at the penthouse…
Damien opened a secure vault drawer and pulled out an envelope—thick, marked Private: Aria Sinclair / Vincent Hale / Knox Holdings.
Elle blinked. “What’s that?”
Damien’s voice dropped.
“Insurance.”
---
[End of Chapter Fifteen]
- Writer
