Part 26 –
The city glittered below them like a thousand secrets waiting to be exposed.
But tonight, the most dangerous secret wasn't in the skyline
It was in the silence between two hearts preparing for war.
The Plan
Lila and Ethan stood in front of a digital map of Wolfe Enterprises' major international accounts.
A red circle flashed around the Singapore division.
"That's where Julian and Damien moved the last of the siphoned funds," Lila said, zooming in. "They're trying to reroute it through a ghost subsidiary registered under Damien's old alias."
Ethan nodded grimly. "That's our opening."
Their plan was bold. Dangerous. And only had one real chance at working.
They would intercept the financial rerouting during a live authorization window. To do that, Ethan would need to attend a closed-door meeting with the banking contacts in Singapore virtual, but secure. Meanwhile, Lila would use the distraction to push an emergency shareholder vote to freeze all suspicious accounts, effectively cornering Julian and Damien.
It was a perfect strategy.
Until it wasn't.
The Setup
Ethan entered the high-security communications suite in the heart of the Wolfe tower's executive floor. Only four people in the company had access and he trusted every single one.
Or so he thought.
The door sealed behind him. The digital screen flickered.
And then—
Blackout.
The lights died. The signal dropped.
And the temperature seemed to plummet ten degrees in an instant.
Then a slow clap echoed through the chamber.
Ethan turned.
And there he was.
Damien Wolfe.
"Nice office," Damien said, stepping out of the shadows. "Little sterile for my taste, but fitting."
Ethan didn't flinch. "What do you want?"
Damien smiled coldly. "A chance to explain. Or maybe... just to watch your expression when I bring this place to its knees."
Meanwhile, at the Shareholder Meeting...
Lila stood on stage, commanding the room with icy precision.
The Wolfe boardroom was full investors, analysts, department heads. The vote was set to begin in five minutes.
But something felt wrong.
Her phone buzzed again. No signal from Ethan. No update.
She swallowed her panic and kept going.
"Today, we decide whether Wolfe Enterprises belongs to the people who built it or to those who think they can steal it," she said. "You've seen the documents. The forgeries. The siphoned accounts. We don't need more time we need action."
Just then, her assistant rushed forward, pale and breathless.
"Ma'am," she whispered, "we've lost contact with Mr. Wolfe. The secure suite's been disabled."
Lila's blood turned to ice.
"What?"
"They think it was triggered from inside. Someone trapped him there."
Lila stared ahead at the boardroom. The vote. The power she'd been fighting for.
And then she thought of Ethan trapped. Alone. Vulnerable.
The Decision
"You need to stay," her assistant urged. "This vote is everything. If you leave, they'll cancel it. You might lose everything we've worked for."
Lila's hands trembled.
She looked at the boardroom. At the silent men and women waiting for her to continue.
And then she turned away.
"I'd rather lose the empire," she said, "than the man who taught me how to fight for it."
She ran.
The Rescue
The elevator flew down to the executive floor.
Lila burst into the comm suite, override key in hand. Security was already on her heels.
When the doors opened, the lights flickered back on.
And she saw them
Damien, standing over Ethan. A blade in his hand. A twisted smirk on his face.
"You should've stayed in the boardroom," he told her. "They would've handed you the crown."
"I don't want the crown," Lila said, stepping forward. "I want him."
Then she threw the emergency lock release.
Security stormed in. Damien lunged
But Lila moved first.
She grabbed a heavy office lamp and slammed it into his arm. The blade clattered to the ground. Ethan shoved him back, fists flying. It took three guards to pull Damien away, snarling.
Lila dropped to her knees beside Ethan.
"Are you hurt?" she breathed.
He looked at her like she was the only light in the room.
"No. But I would've been if you didn't come."
She cupped his face. "I chose you."
He pulled her into his arms, and for one brief moment, the world disappeared.
Aftermath
The vote was lost.
But the board had seen something more powerful than any motion.
They'd seen loyalty. Sacrifice. Love.
That night, news broke across every business channel:
"Lila Whitmore Risks Corporate Throne to Save Wolfe CEO—Inside the Most Human Love Story Corporate America Has Seen."
And the tide?
Was beginning to turn.