Power Plays and Pearls
Eva stepped into the living room, and the sight before her nearly knocked the breath out of her.
Her little brother Bob was sitting on the floor, chatting animatedly with Victor, his entire face glowing with the kind of joy she hadn't seen in a long time. The coffee table was practically buried under a mountain of gifts. Her eyes scanned the spread, state-of-the-art video game consoles and accessories, the latest drone model Bob had begged for last Christmas, noise-cancelling headphones, a sleek tablet, and even a limited edition gaming laptop. All high-end. All expensive. All things Bob had only ever dreamed of.
Beside the electronics lay designer clothes with tags still on them, Dolce & Gabbana hoodies, a Burberry trench coat, Armani sneakers, and even a new set of school bags, leather jackets, and high-end wristwatches that shimmered beneath the light. The unmistakable scent of luxury perfumes lingered in the air, each bottle sealed and branded like rare treasure.
Her heart clenched. How much had Victor spent?
"Big sis!" Bob's voice snapped her from her thoughts. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he ran to her, practically bouncing. "You won't believe what big bro got you!"
He dashed to a box she hadn't noticed earlier, carefully tucked near the armchair. With a dramatic flourish, he pulled out a velvet case and flipped it open.
"Look! It's a jewelry set, they call it Delicate Pearl! Bernard was just talking about it at school the other day. He said his sister wanted one so badly but couldn't get it because some rich guy bought the last one." He laughed in awe, eyes wide. "Despite how rich Bernard family is, they still couldn't afford it but Victor got it for you? Do you even know how much this costs? Millions, sis. Actual millions."
Eva's gaze softened, but her face remained unreadable.
Bob didn't notice, he was still caught up in the magic.
"And that's not all," he said, pulling out a stunning midnight-blue gown. "He got you this dress too! A real ball gown! I've never seen you in anything like this before, but I know it'll look perfect on you. Especially since Victor picked it himself. Oh, and guess what? He paid all my school fees for the entire term! Can you believe that?"
He beamed proudly, then added one more thing, almost bursting at the seams. "And, remember the washing machine? The one that stopped working yesterday? He replaced it already! A new one just arrived!"
But when he looked up at her again, her expression hadn't changed. No smile. No excitement.
Just silence.
Bob's smile faltered. The joy in his eyes dimmed.
He gave a small, awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head.
"I guess... I'll leave you two to talk," he mumbled, and quietly slipped out of the room, his excitement deflating like a balloon pricked too soon.
"What is this whole thing about?" She said impatiently pointing to the gifts and all.
"I came to see you."
"See me? Oh, you mean to finally finish me off."
Victor flinched at her biting sarcasm.
"Ana, I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have gone overboard. I was blinded by jealousy... I lost control. See, I still couldn't bring myself to hurt anyone. But believe me, I never truly meant to hurt anyone. I was angry, angry and desperate. And I know no number of apologies can undo what I did. But I'll say it anyway... Forgive me, Ana. I'm sorry.".
Ana turned her face sharply to the side, jaw clenched, her voice like cold steel.
"See, like I guess, you would not accept my apology either" Vic said
"Why should I?" Her eyes flashed. "I almost died. And now there's Damien in the mix. You keep making a fuss about me hanging around him, trying to expose Dexter's secret, but you don't know you are the one trying to expose it all! You had the effrontery to attack Damien, do you want him digging into you? When he eventually finds out you are connected to Dexter it is all going to be your fault, not mine. Because from my end I am doing a good job. He doesn't even have the slightest inkling that I am Ana. How else do you want me to explain that to you?!"
Victor's voice rose, strained with worry.
"I don't want you around him. People of that caliber are very wise and intelligent. You may think he doesn't recognize you, but you will be shocked when he suddenly pulls you out! One wrong move and he'll piece it all together!"
"That's not your problem to solve, Victor! It's mine! So back off!"
"I won't," he said with quiet firmness.
Ana's eyes burned with fury.
"Why am I surprised? what could I possibly expect from a person like you. You claim you have changed but clearly a taut will always be a taut! And don't think buying us gifts makes you a saint, I hate owing people anything, so stop!"
Victor's face twisted with frustration.
"You can't stop me, Ana. I'm warning you , if you won't have me as a friend, then you'll meet the version of me you won't like. So take my kindness in good faith... while it lasts."
Ana glared at him like she could burn him with her eyes.
Then, suddenly, Victor softened his voice.
""We don't necessarily have to ruin the mood, actually, the main reasons why I came to see you today is because I brought good news." He smiled broadly, the sudden switch making her suspicious.
"Good news?" Ana crossed her arms tightly across her chest as she gave him a suspicious look. "What kind of good news?"
Victor's eyes gleamed with pride.
"I've been invited to the Crystal Crown Gala, you know, the one only the ultra-rich and elite get to attend."
Ana arched a brow skeptically.
"You're joking."
He straightened proudly.
"You're looking at the newest CEO in town. Ever heard of the Larvae Group?"
Her expression turned to disbelief.
"The Larvae Group? Lopez Group's biggest rival?"
"Exactly." His grin widened. "And I became their highest shareholder today. That makes me their CEO."
Ana's mouth parted in shock.
"You did that... just to spite Damien?"
"I did it for you, Ana. I sat with myself and thought deeply, how can I earn your respect without becoming a villain? I knew my past with Dexter was a stain I couldn't scrub away. So I decided to flip the script. I chose a path that would make you proud. I may not like wearing suits, but I'll wear them. I'll be a CEO like he is, because I want you to see me differently."
Ana took a step back, stunned, folding her arms again like a shield.
"So to prove yourself, you went after Damien's biggest competitor? You're declaring war on him now?"
"That depends on you, Ana. On what you choose."
"I can't believe you."
Victor reached into a box at his feet and pulled out a shimmering evening gown and an engraved invitation.
"And since I'm a man of status now, I'm allowed a plus one to the gala. I bought this dress for you. Isn't it beautiful?"
Ana scoffed bitterly.
"I'm not interested in whatever game you're playing. And I couldn't care less about your invitation. I'm not going, I have work on that day."
"Take the day off! Just one day, Ana!" he barked, suddenly losing his cool.
"Oh, so now I can't even decide what to do with my own time?" she snapped. "Stop trying to control me, Victor! You say you know me, then you should know how stubborn I am. When i say no, it means no. Get it into your thick skull!"
With that, Ana stormed off, her heels pounding furiously against the floor. Victor stood there, fists clenched at his sides, seething in silence. And Victor was left pissed as he grinds on his teeth.
Back at Work
Eva hadn't returned to work since the elevator incident.
After her discharge from the hospital, she was given medical leave to fully recover.
One solid week had passed.
Today was her first day back.
Eva knocked softly, the sound barely audible before she eased the door open and stepped inside, only to be taken aback by the sight. Damian's office was buzzing with activity. Eric and few other executives were gathered around him, discussing something intensely.
Papers shuffled, voices buzzed with energy, and to the side, Eva stood still, observing silently, like a shadow stitched into the room.
Eva blinked, quickly gathering herself as her eyes darted across the room. From the snippets of their conversation, it was clear, Damien was being invited to the prestigious Crystal Crown Gala. Not just as a guest. He was the highlight. The keynote speaker. The man whose words would echo through the ears of titans, billionaires, visionaries, legends. Damien Lopez was about to stand before the world's elite to share secrets of success, consistency, and dominance in the cutthroat world of business.
The men weren't just guests. They were his stylists, handlers, prep crew. They were sculpting a king for his throne.