Grace sat in a dimly lit room, her hands and feet bound, her body aching from the ordeal. Margaret's voice echoed in her mind, cold and calculating.
"You think you're special, don't you?" Margaret had sneered earlier. "Adrian doesn't deserve someone like you. And I won't let you ruin my plans for Benson."
Grace struggled against her restraints, but they wouldn't budge. She thought of Adrian, of their love, and of their unborn child. She had to stay strong—for them.
Adrian paced the floor of his study, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. His phone buzzed incessantly with updates from private investigators, but none of the leads panned out.
"She's gone," Adrian whispered, his voice breaking. He slammed his fist on the desk, scattering papers. "How can someone vanish like this?"
Fredrick, his trusted friend, placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find her, Adrian. Margaret can't hide forever."
Adrian clenched his jaw. "She's trying to destroy everything I've built—everything I love. I won't let her win."
Margaret stood in a secluded cabin, watching as one of her accomplices mixed a concoction in a small vial.
"This will ensure she loses the baby," Margaret said coldly. "Adrian will never recover from this."
"But what if she resists?" the accomplice asked nervously.
Margaret's eyes narrowed. "Then make her comply. Do whatever it takes."
A guard entered the room, holding a tray with food and a glass of water. Grace eyed him cautiously.
"You need to eat," he said gruffly, placing the tray on the floor.
Grace's stomach churned, not from hunger but from fear. She noticed something off about the water—the faintest tint of an unfamiliar color.
"No, thank you," Grace said firmly.
"You don't have a choice," the guard snapped.
Grace summoned her courage. "You think this will end well for you? Adrian will find me. And when he does, you'll wish you never got involved."
The guard hesitated, but Margaret's voice rang out from the hallway. "Force her if you must!"
Adrian received a call from one of his investigators.
"Mr. Williams, we've tracked a suspicious transaction from Margaret's account to a remote property upstate. It could be where she's hiding."
Adrian's heart leapt. "Send me the coordinates. I'm going there now."
Fredrick tried to stop him. "Adrian, you can't go alone. It's dangerous."
"I'm not waiting," Adrian snapped. "If Margaret lays a hand on Grace or our baby, I'll never forgive myself."
Adrian arrived at the secluded cabin under the cover of darkness. He spotted two guards patrolling the perimeter and quickly formulated a plan.
Using his training from years of self-defense classes, Adrian incapacitated the guards silently. He slipped into the cabin and navigated through its narrow halls until he found Grace's room.
"Grace!" Adrian whispered, rushing to her side.
"Adrian!" Tears streamed down her face as he untied her.
Margaret's voice rang out from behind them. "Not so fast!"
Adrian turned to see Margaret holding a gun, her face twisted with rage.
"You've ruined everything," Margaret spat. "Benson was supposed to have everything. You were never supposed to win."
"You've gone too far, Margaret," Adrian said, stepping protectively in front of Grace. "This ends now."
As Margaret's hand wavered, police sirens blared in the distance. Fredrick had called in reinforcements.
"You'll regret this, Adrian!" Margaret screamed as officers stormed in, disarming and arresting her.
Adrian stood in his office, his expression grim as he skimmed through the latest email reports. The boardroom buzzed with tension as his executives whispered amongst themselves.
Fredrick, his trusted friend, stormed in, slamming a folder onto the table. "Adrian, we've got a major problem. These documents have been leaked to the press."
Adrian's eyes widened as he flipped through the pages. It was the blueprint for Gigatech's upcoming venture—a revolutionary tech project that was meant to redefine the industry.
"How did this happen?" Adrian demanded, his voice laced with fury.
Fredrick shook his head. "We're still investigating, but it's clear someone on the inside sold us out. And there's more—Antony's company just announced a remarkably similar project. He's stolen your idea, Adrian."
Adrian's knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of the table. "Antony," he hissed. "I should've known he wouldn't stay quiet for long. He's always hated my success."
The security team identified the mole—a junior project manager named Carl, who had recently started acting suspiciously. Adrian wasted no time summoning him to his office.
Carl entered nervously, avoiding Adrian's piercing gaze.
"You know why you're here," Adrian began, his tone icy.
"I—I don't know what you mean, sir," Carl stammered.
Adrian threw a set of emails onto the desk. "These emails, Carl. They trace back to your account. You leaked our plans to Antony."
Carl's face turned pale. "I didn't have a choice! He paid me, and... and he threatened my family!"
Adrian leaned forward, his voice steady but intense. "You betrayed the company that trusted you. You didn't just hurt me—you jeopardized the livelihoods of everyone who works here."
Carl lowered his head, unable to meet Adrian's gaze.
"I'll deal with Antony," Adrian said coldly. "But you're done here. Security will escort you out."
Adrian gathered his top executives for an emergency meeting.
"We can't let Antony win," Adrian said firmly. "He may have stolen our plans, but he doesn't have our execution. We'll fast-track this project and launch it before he does."
One of the executives hesitated. "But, Adrian, we're stretched thin. With everything going on, this might be too much."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice. Antony wants to destroy us, and I won't let him. We'll work day and night if we have to."
Fredrick nodded. "I'll rally the team. We've got your back."
Antony sat in his luxurious office, sipping champagne as he watched the news coverage of Gigatech's leaked documents.
"This is just the beginning," Antony sneered. "Adrian thinks he's untouchable, but I'll show him what it means to lose."
One of his associates entered. "Sir, Adrian's team is already countering. They're accelerating their project launch."
Antony smirked. "Let them try. I've already planted another obstacle. By the time they recover, it'll be too late."
Back home, Adrian shared the day's events with Grace.
"I don't know how much more I can take," Adrian admitted, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Every time we get ahead, someone tries to tear us down."
Grace placed a reassuring hand on his. "Adrian, you've faced worse and come out stronger. This is just another challenge, and I know you'll overcome it."
Adrian sighed. "Antony's not just attacking the company—he's attacking everything I've built, everything we've worked for."
Grace smiled gently. "Then let's fight back together. You're not alone in this."
Adrian's team worked tirelessly, uncovering another mole Antony had planted and securing their remaining projects. They revamped their security protocols and created a bold marketing strategy to regain public trust.
On the day of the launch, Adrian stood before a packed press conference.
"Gigatech has faced challenges, but we're stronger than ever," Adrian declared. "Today, we're proud to unveil a product that will revolutionize the industry."
As the presentation unfolded, the audience erupted into applause. Adrian glanced at Grace, who watched from the front row, her smile radiating pride.
Antony, watching from his office, slammed his glass onto the floor. "This isn't over," he muttered, his eyes burning with resentment.