The boardroom smelled like polished wood and quiet arrogance.
Lina sat at the head of the table, hands folded neatly in front of her, her posture straight and composed. Around her were men twice her age—seasoned executives who had built careers on underestimating people like her.
They didn't bother hiding it.
"This is a mistake," one of them said bluntly. "We've operated this company the same way for twenty years."
Lina met his gaze. "And that's why you're drowning in debt."
A ripple of unease passed through the room.
She tapped the tablet in front of her, projecting financial data onto the screen.
"Moore Holdings rerouted contracts through intermediaries," she continued calmly. "They tightened your margins until you had no room to breathe."
A man scoffed. "You expect us to fight Moore Holdings?"
"No," Lina said. "I expect you to stop serving them."
Silence.
"That route accounts for forty percent of our revenue," another executive snapped. "We cut it, we collapse."
Lina leaned forward slightly.
"Or," she said, "we replace it."
Three hours later, Lina stepped out of the building into flashing lights.
Reporters.
Too many.
Someone had tipped them off.
"Ms. Hart!" a woman shouted. "Is it true you're disrupting Moore Holdings' logistics network?"
Lina paused.
Mara's voice echoed in her head.
Never run from your first storm.
She turned.
"I'm optimizing my own company," Lina said evenly. "If others feel disrupted, that's not my responsibility."
Cameras clicked furiously.
"Are you backed by Blackwood International?" another reporter demanded.
Lina's eyes sharpened.
"No," she said clearly. "I'm backed by competence."
The headline would write itself.
Evelyn Moore watched the footage in silence.
"She's bold," her advisor murmured. "But she's exposed."
Evelyn nodded slowly.
"Then let's teach her what exposure costs."
She picked up her phone.
"Proceed," she said.
The call came at midnight.
Lina answered on the second ring.
"Ms. Hart," the voice said politely. "This is the Regional Trade Compliance Office."
Her heart sank—but her voice stayed steady.
"Yes?"
"We've received reports of irregularities in your recent acquisition," the man continued. "We'll need to conduct a full audit."
Lina closed her eyes briefly.
"Of course," she said. "When?"
"Tomorrow morning."
The line went dead.
Mara didn't look surprised when Lina told her.
"This is the test," she said. "Not of legality. Of loyalty."
The audit team arrived with smiles that didn't reach their eyes.
Files were requested. Systems accessed. Employees questioned.
Lina stood firm.
She had nothing to hide.
But she knew how this game worked.
At noon, her operations manager pulled her aside.
"They're pressuring people," he whispered. "Asking leading questions."
Lina nodded.
"Stay calm," she said. "Answer only what's asked."
Minutes later, the same manager returned—pale.
"They offered me a deal," he admitted quietly. "If I testify that you rushed the acquisition without due process…"
Lina studied him carefully.
"And?"
"I refused," he said. "But others might not."
Lina felt a flicker of something she hadn't expected.
Pride.
Across town, Nathaniel stood in a glass-walled conference room.
"They're squeezing her," his advisor warned. "If Moore Holdings escalates—"
"They will," Nathaniel said calmly. "And when they do, they'll expose themselves."
He picked up his phone.
"Prepare the release," he ordered.
The audit concluded at dusk.
No violations.
No irregularities.
But the damage lingered.
Employees were shaken. Partners nervous.
Lina gathered her team that evening.
"This won't be the last time," she said honestly. "Some of you didn't sign up for this."
A young woman near the back stood up.
"I did," she said. "Because no one's ever defended us before."
Others nodded.
Lina felt something shift.
Not power.
Trust.
The next morning, everything exploded.
BLACKWOOD INTERNATIONAL FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST MOORE HOLDINGS
Markets reacted instantly.
Analysts speculated.
Commentators shouted.
Lina stared at the headline in disbelief.
Mara smiled faintly.
"He moved," she said.
Lina's phone buzzed.
Nathaniel's name.
She hesitated.
Then answered.
"I didn't ask you to do that," she said quietly.
"I know," he replied. "But this time, it aligns with my interests too."
A pause.
"They won't forgive you for this," he added.
Lina looked out the window at the city.
"I'm done asking for forgiveness."
Her phone buzzed again.
A new message.
You've crossed the line. Choose your side.
No sender.
No explanation.
Just a choice.
Lina's pulse quickened—but her hands were steady.
She typed a reply.
I already did.
She hit send.
Outside, thunder rolled across the city.
And for the first time, Lina Hart wasn't reacting to power—
She was challenging it.
[End of Chapter 10]