"Wait."
The voice echoed as the door opened. Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Calliah burst in wearing John suit and a fitted black inner shirt. Her lips were a soft pink, and her hair flew freely as she walked in with confidence. Axel stood behind her near the door, calm and unreadable, watching the scene unfold.
Zane and Xena froze.
"Who allowed you in?" he yelled.
"It's my father's company," she said coldly. "I have every right to come in and out whenever I want."
Everyone turned to stare at her.
"But the documents are with me," Zane snapped.
"That's just a piece of paper, you dummy," Calliah shot back. "I also have a share in my father's company fifty-fifty. And if I make the company rise again, it'll all be mine. You fail, you lose."
Zane was silent for a moment. "I won't agree to that."
"Unless you're afraid," Calliah mocked. She walked over to Xena, smirking.
"Hey, sissy. Zane's precious sister in bed ," she said, laughing as she tapped Xena's head.
Then she leaned close to Zane, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Just watch and learn. And wait till your secret comes out."
She straightened up, laughing loudly.
"Bye. See you at work next week," she said and walked out, Axel following behind her silently.
The party ended the moment she left the building. Murmurs spread across the room as people whispered. Zane clenched his jaw, his pride wounded.
. ~~~~
THE FOLLOWING WEEK
Zane hurried into his office with Xena beside him.
"Won't you do something about Calliah?" Xena said, frustration in her tone.
"Here you go again," Zane sighed.
"What do you mean by that? That daughter of a bitch..." She stopped mid-sentence.
The office chair slowly rotated. Calliah sat in it, her legs crossed, holding the company's sales report. She raised her head, smirking.
"What are you doing here?" Zane asked.
"First of all, it's my dad's company. It's shared, so this is my office too," she said smoothly. "And secondly, I heard the best couple I mean fuck mate oh, sorry, siblings of the year are having trouble because of me?"She laughed and gently placed her legs on the table.
"Sissy, I'm not a bitch," she said, her tone suddenly sharp. "I'll soon be your devil."
Zane clenched his fists. "Oh, Calliah. You still haven't let go of the past. This is the present. You're hiding your feelings from me, aren't you? Whatever you're planning, just know I'm ahead of you."
"Hahaha, you're so funny, Zane," she said, covering her mouth mockingly. "I hope you're ready for this one. Ohand by the way, the company's already falling. The profit and sales are just as low as your sister's brain."
She got up, patted Xena on the back, then walked toward Zane. She grabbed his neck lightly as if to kiss him but instead brushed her face against his and whispered,
"Watch your back."
Zane stood still while Xena burst into tears.
"Relax, Xena," he said, hugging her. "I have a plan for her."
LATER THAT DAY
Calliah sat in the private cafeteria, sipping her coffee when her phone rang.
"He llo, ma'am. This is a call from the hospital. Your father has been moved to a private ward and is recovering fast."
"But I didn't pay," she said.
"Someone did, under your name."
"A guy?" she asked quickly.
"Yes, ma'am."
Before she could ask more, she heard footsteps approaching. She ended the call immediately.
Zane walked in with a cup of coffee, setting it on her table. He took a slow sip, opening his mouth slightly and licking the rim of the cup, teasingly.
Calliah ignored him completely.
"You. want me, right?" Zane said with a smirk. "You whore. Axel must've fucked you. That fool probably just lost his virginity."
"Axel… a virgin?" she murmured under her breath.
"So, you have a thing with him?"
"Why do you care?" she replied, calm but sharp.
"He fucked you, didn't he?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself? He's your friend," she shot back.
"You're getting bolder every day," he said darkly. "I wonder how many men have slept with you since your fiancé broke your heart." He chuckled. "You were expecting me to be your husband?"
"You really want to know about me?" she said. "Then check yourself"
Before she could finish, he shoved everything off the table, slamming his hands down on it and dragging his face closer to hers. His breath was heavy. His eyes scanned her face slowly, intensely.
Calliah didn't flinch.
He brushed a few strands of hair off her face, his hand lingering. His lips hovered near hers just inches apart. Her grey eyes flicked to the CCTV camera above them. A small smirk touched her lips.
As his lips neared hers, she raised her straw and pressed it against his mouth.
He froze, about to slap her but before he could, she poured her hot coffee on his suit and ran out with her phone.
"Calliah," he muttered, pulling a wipe from his pocket to clean the stain off calmly.
Calliah ran into the bathroom, breathing heavily.
"Ugh…" she exhaled, splashing cold water on her face.
Her heart was still racing. "Plan first. Emotions last," she whispered, looking into the mirror.
She hurried to the CCTV control room, downloaded the footage to her phone, then deleted it from the main server.
Xena sat in Zane's office, scrolling on her phone when he walked in.
"Why are your clothes stained with coffee?" she asked.
"It fell on me," he said quickly, sitting down.
Then Xena's phone vibrated a video sent from an unknown number.
She clicked it. Her eyes widened as she watched the footage of Zane and Calliah at the cafeteria.
"What is this?" she demanded.
"That?" Zane's eyes widened. He recognized it instantly the cafeteria scene.
"You kissed her?"
"No… It's fake. AI edited or something but I didn'tshe"
He couldn't finish before Xena grabbed her bag and stormed out of the office.