Alina stared at her laptop screen, blinking at the spreadsheet that refused to make sense. Her mind was everywhere-on Jesse, on Victor, and on the possibility that her empire was being hunted from both outside and within.
It was past noon, and she'd been sitting in her office for hours, dressed in a sleek black suit, hair pinned tight, heels discarded beside her desk. Her assistant Naomi hadn't dared enter all morning-until now.
A soft knock broke the silence.
"Yes?" Alina didn't look up.
Naomi stepped in, holding a tablet and her usual look of "I'm here to clean up everything you forgot." "Two things, ma'am. One urgent, one possibly world-ending."
Alina sighed. "Start with urgent."
"You have a meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. with Vantage Group."
Alina blinked. "Wait. What meeting?"
Naomi arched a brow. "The one you've been trying to land for three months. You asked them to reschedule when you were in Geneva. They finally did."
Alina groaned. "Damn it. I completely forgot."
Naomi gave a sympathetic smile. "That's why I exist."
Alina stood up, stretching. "Okay, push my lunch meeting with the Morado engineers. I need to prep for this. Vantage can't slip again."
"Done," Naomi said, tapping her tablet. "Now, for the possibly world-ending part..."
Alina narrowed her eyes. "That bad?"
Naomi nodded, stepping closer and lowering her voice. "Jesse's father."
Alina's spine stiffened.
"I know it's not my business," Naomi said quickly, "but word is spreading-on social, in whispers at some of your competitors. There's talk that he's out. That he's not just free, but making calls."
Alina's pulse quickened. "How do you know?"
"I have a cousin who handles PR for corporate crime profiles. She said his name came up in a flagged search two days ago."
Alina exhaled slowly. "He's working with someone. We think... Victor."
Naomi's eyes widened. "The Victor you fired?"
"That's the one."
"Yikes."
Alina sat back down. "And Jesse? He only found out last night."
Naomi hesitated. "Can I ask something?"
Alina gave her a nod.
"How much of this... is Jesse? I mean, his father's a known con. Victor's not exactly a saint. I'm not saying Jesse's guilty-but if immigration gets wind of a contract marriage *and* criminal ties..."
Alina frowned. "You think I don't know that?"
"I think you trust him," Naomi said gently, "more than you probably should."
Silence.
Then Alina looked up. "He didn't choose his father."
"I know. But you did choose *him*-for this deal."
Alina folded her arms. "It wasn't just a deal."
Naomi looked at her knowingly. "It's not, anymore. That's why it's dangerous."
Alina turned away, staring out the window. "He's trying to protect me."
Naomi took a step back. "Then let him. But don't let him sink you."
Another knock interrupted them.
"Come in," Alina said.
Jesse poked his head in, clearly having caught the tail end of the conversation. "Sink who?"
Naomi cleared her throat. "I'll be at my desk."
She slipped out swiftly, tablet hugged to her chest.
Alina glanced at Jesse. "You're not supposed to be in here."
Jesse walked in, closing the door behind him. "That's never stopped me."
She sighed. "Vantage meeting tomorrow. Naomi just reminded me. I almost forgot everything."
"You've been distracted," he said carefully. "With good reason."
She stood, walking over to him. "Naomi knows. About your dad."
His jaw clenched. "Word's spreading faster than I thought."
"She also asked if I trust you."
"And?"
"I said yes."
He looked at her, eyes softening. "You still do? After... all this?"
"I'd be a fool not to question it. But trust? That's not gone."
A beat passed between them. Then Jesse stepped forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You shouldn't have to clean up after my family's dirt."
"I'm not. I'm cleaning up *ours*."
He gave her a sad smile. "You really are the only person who makes me feel like I matter."
"You do," she whispered.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Then the door flew open.
"Excuse me!" Gran barked, bursting in with no shame. "Am I interrupting anything steamy?"
Alina stepped back, face instantly cold. Jesse sighed. "Always with the timing."
Gran waved a folded paper. "Update. I found something."
Jesse frowned. "What now?"
She handed the paper to Alina. "It's from your internal board reports. Victor still has a proxy vote-his shares were never fully transferred back after termination. Someone slipped in a loophole. If he gets a foot in the door at Vantage-he could undercut your offer. Make you look weak."
Alina stared at the paper, her eyes scanning quickly. "No. No. This isn't possible. That clause was buried in last year's audit."
"And guess who signed that audit?"
Alina froze.
"Your uncle," Gran said, deadly quiet.
Jesse's eyes widened. "He's helping Victor?"
Gran shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time he tried to sabotage you."
Alina threw the paper onto the desk. "I need to call Vantage. Push the meeting up. Tonight."
"Are you sure?" Jesse asked.
"If Victor shows up with my board's backing before I do, I'll look incompetent."
Gran tilted her head. "Then it's a good thing you have something he doesn't."
"What's that?"
"A reputation," she smirked. "And a husband who doesn't like losing."
Jesse cracked a smile. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"I'm old, not heartless."
Alina looked between them, pulse racing, head spinning.
Enemies were moving in shadows.
Deals were being rewritten in secret.
And her company-her legacy-was now in someone else's crosshairs.
"Tonight," she said again, this time with fire in her voice. "We fight back tonight."