Elena pushed the heavy car door open before the driver could even put the SUV in park. Her high heels hit the concrete floor with a sharp, aggressive click. She fired off instructions to Thea at lightning speed as she marched toward her private elevator.
The elevator doors slid open on the executive floor.
The moment Elena stepped out, the atmosphere shifted. She could feel the heavy, uncomfortable stares of dozens of employees burning into her back.
As she walked down the corridor, people quickly ducked their heads, pretending to look at their monitors. But the low, buzzing sound of whispers followed her every step.
Thea walked closely behind her, using her body to physically block two middle managers who tried to step forward to ask questions.
Elena reached the massive mahogany double doors of her CEO office. She grabbed the brass handle and shoved the door open.
She stepped inside, her hand subtly brushing against the underside of her desk as she walked past it. Her finger found the small, hidden button she had installed months ago, pressing it until she felt a faint, confirming vibration. She stopped dead in her tracks.
Darron and Haylee were sitting on her custom Italian leather sofa. They looked entirely too comfortable, acting as if they owned the building.
Haylee was holding a crystal flute of champagne. When she saw Elena walk in, a sickeningly sweet, victorious smile spread across her face.
Elena's face hardened into stone. She stepped inside and slammed the heavy door shut behind her. She reached over and twisted the deadbolt. The loud, metallic click echoed in the large room.
Thea was locked outside. Elena was alone with the two people who had murdered her in her past life.
Darron stood up. He adjusted his tie, putting on a mask of deep disappointment. "Elena, you have pushed this company to the edge of a cliff."
He picked up a printed chart from her desk and slammed it down on the wood. The red line showing the stock's freefall was glaring.
Haylee stood up and walked over to Darron, wrapping her arm around his waist. She looked at Elena with fake pity. "Just go to the board and apologize, Elena. Tell them you made a mistake."
Darron stepped closer, his voice dropping into a smooth, manipulative tone. "Tell the press you've been struggling with your mental health. Say the stress caused a breakdown. If you do that, I will honor our engagement. I'll use my family's capital to buy up the stock and stabilize the market."
Elena listened to his textbook gaslighting. A cold, dark laugh bubbled up in her chest, but she kept her face completely blank.
She walked slowly around her desk. With the room's audio now securely backing up to the cloud, she pulled open the top drawer, reached inside, and pulled out a small, silver digital voice recorder that she had just synced.
She tossed it onto the hard surface of the desk. It landed with a sharp clatter, cutting Darron off mid-sentence.
Elena looked at him, her eyes dripping with contempt. "You want to save my stock? You can't even cover your own financial graves."
Darron's jaw tightened. "My funds are perfectly secure."
Elena placed both hands flat on the desk and leaned forward. The physical distance between them shrank, and her presence felt suffocating.
"Account number 884-921-B. Cayman Islands," Elena stated, her voice razor-sharp. "Current balance: negative forty-two million dollars."
Darron's pupils dilated in pure horror. A drop of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Haylee looked at Darron, her fake smile slipping. She frowned, clearly having no idea what Elena was talking about.
Elena didn't stop. "You embezzled corporate funds to cover your losses in Macau. If I hand the files on that account over to the SEC right now, you won't just lose your job. You will face federal felony charges."
Darron panicked. He lunged across the desk, his hand clawing frantically for the silver recorder.
Elena snatched it back effortlessly, her lips curling into a cruel sneer. "Don't bother. This is just a backup."
She stood up straight, her voice cracking like a whip. "Drop the savior act, Darron. You are bleeding out, and I am holding the knife."
The air in the office grew dense and heavy. Darron stood frozen, his chest heaving as he dragged in ragged breaths. He stared at Elena as if he were looking at a monster.
Haylee finally realized the power dynamic had completely flipped. She pointed a shaking finger at Elena. "You're lying! You forged those numbers!" she shrieked.
Elena didn't even blink at Haylee. She kept her dead, freezing eyes locked entirely on Darron, waiting for his fragile ego to completely shatter.
