Chapter 5 - The Rival's WhisperThe Oak Room was a sanctuary of old money, smelling of expensive scotch, rich mahogany, and expensive cigars. Lily felt entirely out of place in her thrift-store trench coat, but she walked with her head held high.
Julian Sterling was waiting in a private leather booth in the back. He was devastatingly handsome, dressed in a bespoke charcoal suit that radiated power. As Lily slid into the booth, he pushed a glass of sparkling water toward her.
"You have remarkable nerve, Lily," Julian said, his piercing blue eyes studying her. "To infiltrate Vivian’s inner circle, steal her data, and confront her on the night of her biggest triumph. It’s poetic."
"I’m not here for poetry, Mr. Sterling. I’m here for justice," Lily said, keeping her hands folded on the table.
"Justice is a naive concept. Let’s talk about execution," Julian smiled, leaning forward. "Vivian’s security chief, Marcus, is currently planting fabricated evidence on your personal bank accounts. By tomorrow morning, the FBI will receive an anonymous tip that you have been embezzling millions from Vivian Enterprises. They will arrest you, seize your electronics, and your files will conveniently disappear in federal lockup."
Lily’s blood ran cold. She had anticipated Vivian would fight back, but framing her for federal crimes was a level of corruption she hadn't prepared for.
"How do you know this?" Lily asked.
"I have moles inside her company," Julian replied effortlessly. "I can stop it. I have the best cybersecurity firm on the East Coast on retainer. I can encrypt your files behind a military-grade firewall, and I can wipe the fabricated evidence from your bank accounts before the FBI even sees it."
"And what do you want in return?" Lily narrowed her eyes. Billionaires didn't do favors out of the goodness of their hearts.
Julian’s smile faded into a look of absolute, predatory ambition. "When you release the files and Vivian steps down in disgrace, Vivian Enterprises will go into freefall. The board will be desperate for a buyout to avoid total bankruptcy. I want to buy the company for pennies on the dollar. But I need you to time the leak perfectly. During her keynote address at Fashion Week tomorrow."
Lily looked at the man across from her. He was using her mother’s tragedy for a corporate takeover. It made her sick to her stomach. But without him, she would end up in a federal prison, and Vivian would win.
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"Fine," Lily said, her voice hard. "But on one condition. When you buy the company, you rebrand the flagship line. You name it The Elena Rossi Collection."
Julian looked surprised for a moment, then let out a genuine laugh. "You have a deal, Ms. Rossi. Let's go to war."
