Zara had always known that Lucien Vale was a man of calculations, a man who saw everything as a strategic move, a way to advance. But this… this was something new. Sitting across from him in his glass-walled office, Zara couldn't help but feel a chill spread across her skin as Lucien's words cut through the silence.
"We need to create a diversion," Lucien's voice was steady, but the weight of his plan hung in the air like a storm about to break. "A scandal. A public fallout between us."
Zara's eyes narrowed. "A fallout?" she repeated, the disbelief in her voice barely concealed. "You want us to stage a fight for the public to see?"
Lucien leaned back in his chair, looking entirely unbothered, the faintest smile playing on his lips. "Yes. It's the perfect way to throw off the scent. No one will suspect that we're working together. It's chaos, but chaos can be controlled." He paused, letting his words sink in. "I'll handle the public fallout. You just have to let it happen."
Her chest tightened. "What if it goes too far?"
"It won't," he assured, his confidence unwavering. "This isn't just about protecting the operation. It's about creating a smokescreen. They'll never see us coming."
Zara was silent for a moment. She could feel the weight of the decision hanging in the air. It wasn't just about the business. It was about her life, her reputation, everything she'd worked for in the last few years.
"If you're sure about this, I'll do it," she said finally, her voice cold, though her heart was racing.
Lucien's eyes flashed with something—satisfaction, perhaps, or maybe it was just the way he viewed the world, a constant game to be played. "Tomorrow night. The gala. That's when we start."
Her stomach twisted at the thought. The gala would be the perfect place. But she had a feeling she would regret this.