The air was thick with the aroma of cigars and pricey whiskey, and the darkly lit room hummed with the faint murmur of voices. Standing at the head of a large wood table, Lila Moreau looked around at the men seated there, a grin curving her red lips. These were not your typical businesspeople; they were sharks, vicious, crafty, and prepared to destroy anything that stood in their way in order to make money. And Dorian Blackwood was their victim tonight.
"Thank you for joining me, gentlemen," Lila said in a silky voice. I think we all have the same objective: to bring down Dorian Blackwood's empire.
A man sat close to the end of the table leaned forward, the faint light highlighting his pointed features. And, Ms. Moreau, what do you get from this? Why should we put our faith in you?
Lila's smile remained unwavering. "Because I am more familiar with Dorian than any of you are." I am aware of his blind spots and shortcomings. Above all else, I am able to hit him where it hurts.
"How is his family doing?" Another man inquired in a chilly tone. "The mother and the children? They are his weak point, aren't they?
Malice glinted in Lila's eyes. "Exactly. He is quite distracted because of Ana and those twins. He is at risk, and this is the ideal moment to attack.
---
Dorian had no idea that a tempest was building behind his back in Eirian Vale. His face was shadowed by the flickering firelight as he sat in Ana's cottage's little living room. Ana sat opposite him, her face reserved and her arms folded. You could feel the tension between them.
The hush was finally broken by Ana saying, "You've been quiet all evening."
"I've been contemplating," Dorian said softly. Concerning the children. regarding you. about all I've done incorrectly.
Ana's eyebrows went up. "The past cannot be altered by regret."
"I am aware of that," he answered, looking her in the eye. However, I can't get rid of the sense that something is approaching. anything greater than ourselves.
Ana leaned forward and scowled. "What are you discussing?"
Dorian was silent for a moment. I have been monitoring my business. The movements have been... strange. Partners abruptly withdrawing, deals falling through. It seems like someone is secretly working against me.
Ana felt a knot in her gut. "Do you believe it to be Lila?"
"I wouldn't rule her out," Dorian said somberly. "She can accomplish anything."
A loud tap on the door cut off their discourse. Ana's heart thumped as she froze. Dorian got up and walked toward the entrance, his stance rigid. When he opened it, Hazel was there, her eyes wide with fear and her face pallid.
As she thrust a folded newspaper into his hands, she whispered, "You must see this."
With a clenched jaw, Dorian opened it and read the headline: "Scandal in Blackwood Industries: Corruption Allegations Surface."
"What on earth is this?" Dorian growled as he whispered.
Hazel responded in a worried tone, "I thought you'd know." "Everyone in the community is discussing it. They claim that your business is being investigated.
Ana took a step forward, looking over the article. "This is illogical," she remarked. "How could this have occurred?"
Dorian's face grew serious. The coincidence isn't the cause. Someone is planning this.
Hazel gave a nod. "And if I had to guess, I'd say that the person who just waltzed into our village is that snake in heels."
"Lila," Ana stated in a strained voice.
Dorian balled his fists. "I will protect her. Whatever is necessary.
---
Lila had already started working on her idea. She was talking to Vincent Ashford, one of Dorian's competitors, while sitting in an opulent hotel suite with her phone glued to her ear.
"Are the records prepared?" Lila's tone was stern as she inquired.
"It's all set," Vincent answered. "Blackwood Industries will be in complete disarray once these fraudulent records are made public."
"And the press?" Lila pushed.
They are prepared to leap. It will be too late when Dorian discovers what is going on.
Lila grinned more broadly. "Excellent. Please keep me informed.
She looked at the packet on the table in front of her as she hung up the phone. Forged documents that depicted Dorian as a dishonest CEO engaged in embezzlement and illicit activities were found within. Lila was aware that the incriminating proof would be sufficient to destroy him.
She wasn't finished yet, though.
She picked up her phone once more and dialed a different number. She called a private investigator she had engaged to look into Ana's history this time.
"Have you discovered anything?" Lila inquired.
"A lot," the investigator answered. She has been concealing more than only the twins, so your suspicion was correct. Something from her history has the potential to ruin her.
Lila's eyes shone brightly. "Please send me everything you own."
---
Dorian sat at the kitchen table back in Eirian Vale, looking over financial reports and emails on his open laptop. He persisted even though it felt like every thread he followed ended in a dead end.
Ana came in with a tentative look on her face. "How bad is it?"
"I'm sorry," Dorian said without raising his gaze. "Everything I've built could be destroyed if this goes public."
She said, "Is there anything I can do?"
Startled by the offer, Dorian gave her a quick glance. "Just allowing me to remain here is enough on your part."
Ana sat opposite him, her eyes unwavering. "Dorian, you are the father of my children. Even if I don't fully trust you, I don't want to watch you fail.
His phone chimed before he could reply, but something in her words touched him. His face stiffening as he listened, he responded rapidly.
"What is it?" When he hung up, Ana inquired.
"Lila," he stated in an irate tone. "Vincent Ashford is her collaborator."
Ana felt sick to her stomach. "What is meant by that?"
"It indicates that they are attempting to ruin me," Dorian stated. "And until they succeed, they won't give up."
---
Ana couldn't get rid of the uneasiness she was experiencing that night as she laid in bed. She shuddered at the idea of Lila working against them. The twins were asleep in their room when she looked at them; their innocence stood in sharp contrast to the mayhem going on all around them.
Dorian crossed the living room downstairs, his thoughts whirling. He couldn't allow Lila to prevail. Not now. However, a shadow moved in the distance, just past the trees, as he gazed out the window into the pitch-black hamlet.
As Dorian approached the window, his heart began to race. The sense of being watched persisted even after the shadow had vanished.
His jaw tensed with determination as he turned back to face the room. Lila was going to get a war if she wanted one.
However, he couldn't get rid of the sensation that the fight ahead would cost him more than he was willing to lose as he went up the stairs to see how Anna and the twins were doing.