Chapter 17: Enemies in High Places
754 Words
The headlines were everywhere.
COLE-VANDERLEIGH UNION FALLS THROUGH — TENSION IN THE COLE DYNASTY
Xavier barely blinked at the noise. Let the media speculate. Let Celeste run her interviews and Victor issue vague threats through anonymous sources. None of it changed the truth: he had made his choice. And that choice was Zara.
But in the shadows, enemies stirred.
---
Zara stood by the window of her apartment, watching the rain paint streaks down the glass. Her phone buzzed endlessly — messages, articles, gossip. But she silenced them all.
What mattered most was what Xavier had said in that SUV.
"I’m not risking anything. I’m choosing."
Tasha came in from the kitchen, a bowl of instant noodles in one hand. "You sure you’re ready for the world to come for your neck again? ‘Cause girl, they’re lining up."
Zara gave a dry smile. "Let them line up. I’m done hiding."
---
The next morning, Zara stepped into Cole Industries like she owned the place. The office buzzed with whispers, but no one dared approach her directly. Everyone had seen the public support statement Xavier released:
Zara Martins continues to serve as a key executive team member at Cole Industries. Her performance has been exemplary, and her presence here is not up for debate.
Short. Sharp. Final.
Gabriella was gone. Celeste was exposed. And yet, the tension hadn’t eased. If anything, it had morphed into something more cunning.
---
“Did you hear?” whispered one intern to another. “The board’s meeting in secret. Victor’s making moves.”
“Thought he couldn’t touch the company without Xavier’s signature?”
“Yeah, but he still owns a chunk. And he’s pulling strings from the shadows. Word is, he’s planning to call an emergency shareholders’ meeting.”
Xavier knew.
And he was ready.
---
In the executive suite, Xavier handed Zara a document.
"What's this?" she asked, brows knitting.
"My contingency plan," he said. "If Victor pushes for a takeover, we’re countering with proof of misappropriated funds on his end. I’ve been gathering it for months. Just in case."
Zara stared at him. "You’ve been planning for war this whole time?"
"Let’s just say... I know my father."
"And what do you need me for in all this?"
He looked at her, steady. "To be my ally. Not just in the boardroom. In everything."
---
Meanwhile, across town, Victor Cole was not idle.
He sat in a private room with two of his most trusted allies—one from the board, the other a powerful banker.
"Xavier is emotional," he said. "And emotional leaders burn empires. If he won’t listen, we’ll force his hand."
The banker raised a brow. "And the girl?"
Victor’s jaw clenched. "We pressure her. Privately. Legally if we have to. She’ll back down. She’s soft."
But Victor had underestimated Zara before.
---
Later that evening, a thick envelope was hand-delivered to Zara’s door. It was filled with legal jargon, vague threats, and subtle implications of past debts she didn’t even know existed.
She stared at the letter.
Then she called Xavier.
"They’re coming after me. Legally."
"I’m already on it," he said. "You’re not alone in this."
She swallowed. "I’m scared."
"Then we’ll be scared together. But we won’t run."
---
At Cole Industries, whispers turned into storms. Shareholders began choosing sides. Victor promised stability. Xavier promised vision.
And Zara?
Zara became the symbol of rebellion.
A girl from nowhere standing tall in a tower built by billionaires.
She gave a presentation that week—polished, fearless, and unforgettable. It was streamed across departments.
"I may not come from legacy," she said, "but I understand value. Loyalty. Growth. You want a future for this company? Then look beyond bloodlines. Look at results."
The applause was cautious. But it grew.
And in Victor’s estate, watching the stream in silence, the old man scowled.
"She’s not backing down."
"What now, sir?"
Victor’s eyes burned. "We find her weakness. Everyone has one."
---
Zara’s phone rang again that night. A blocked number. She answered out of instinct.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice—cold and calculated. "He’s not safe with you. You’ll destroy him. Just like she destroyed Victor."
Zara froze. "Who is this?"
But the line cut.
She sat in silence, shaken.
Tasha returned with two mugs of tea. "You okay?"
Zara forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
But deep down, a part of her had started to wonder...
Was history repeating itself?
And if so... who was she in the story?
- Writer
