Chapter 29: Lena

Eve sat alone in her dimly lit apartment, the events of the past few days replaying in her mind like a relentless nightmare. Just a short while ago, she had been the confident leader of Blackwood Industries, determined to secure her position and protect everything she had worked so hard to build. Now, she was suspended from her duties, stripped of her authority, and facing the harsh reality that she had been outmaneuvered by the very person she had trusted—Lena.

The oppressive silence in the room was only broken by the steady ticking of the clock, each tick a cruel reminder of how everything had unraveled. How had she allowed Lena, with her calculated charm and carefully crafted vulnerability, to get so close? The betrayal stung deeply, but what haunted Eve most was the doubt that Lena had planted in her mind. Had she been so focused on the battle that she failed to see the war raging around her?

Her phone buzzed on the table, breaking the silence. It was a text from Violet: *"I'm on my way home. We need to talk."* The message sent a jolt of anxiety through Eve. Violet had always been her rock, the one person she could count on. But now, even that felt precarious. What would Violet say? How could they possibly move forward from this?

When Violet finally walked through the door, her normally bright eyes were clouded with exhaustion, yet they still held that fierce determination Eve loved so much. Without a word, they moved toward each other, meeting in a tight embrace that felt like a lifeline amidst the chaos. For a long moment, they clung to each other, drawing strength from the connection they shared in the midst of the turmoil.

As they pulled apart, Violet looked up at Eve, her expression resolute. "We can't let Lena win," she said, her voice steady despite the frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Eve nodded, though doubt still gnawed at her. "But how? Lena's manipulated the board, discredited me, and now she's coming after you. She's outmaneuvered us at every turn."

Violet moved to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair and gesturing for Eve to sit down. The gesture, simple as it was, felt like a quiet assertion of control in a situation where they had so little. "We fight her the only way we can—by making her believe she's already won. Lena's counting on us to react, to scramble and make desperate moves. But what if we did the opposite? What if we made her think she's in control, that we're defeated, and then we strike when she least expects it?"

Eve frowned slightly, trying to grasp the plan forming in Violet's mind. "You mean… we play her game, but better?"

Violet's eyes sparked with a mix of hope and fire. "Exactly. Lena's a master manipulator, but she's arrogant. She thinks she's the smartest person in the room. If we can feed that arrogance, make her overplay her hand, we can turn the tables on her."

A slow smile began to form on Eve's lips as the pieces fell into place. "We give her a taste of her own medicine. But we need to be careful—one wrong move, and we're finished."

Violet reached across the table, taking Eve's hand in hers. The warmth of her touch grounded Eve, reminding her that no matter what happened, they were in this together. "We'll be careful. But first, we need to make sure we're solid—no doubts, no secrets, no second-guessing each other."

Eve felt a surge of emotion as she looked into Violet's eyes, seeing the love and trust that had been their foundation through everything. "I trust you, Violet. I love you, and I don't want to lose you because of this mess."

Violet's grip tightened, her voice soft but firm. "You won't lose me, Eve. But we have to trust each other completely. We're not just fighting for the company—we're fighting for us."

Eve nodded, determination replacing the lingering doubt. "Then let's do this. Together."

---

The next morning, Eve walked into Blackwood Industries with a calmness that belied the storm brewing beneath the surface. She met with her legal team in a private conference room, the blinds drawn tight, as she quietly instructed them to dig into the company's financials with a fine-tooth comb. The goal was clear: find anything that could be used against Lena, any misstep, any hidden transaction, any sign of corruption.

Meanwhile, Violet moved like a shadow through the company, quietly rallying support from key employees who had grown disillusioned with Lena's sudden return. These were people who had seen the company through its darkest times and had no interest in being pawns in Lena's power games. Violet's approach was subtle, her conversations framed as casual chats, her words laced with the promise of a better future without ever outright stating the plan.

Lena, on the other hand, reveled in her newfound power. She walked the halls with her head held high, the smugness in her expression unmistakable. She wasted no time making changes—restructuring departments, renegotiating contracts, and consolidating power in her hands. She believed she had won, that Eve and Violet were no longer threats but remnants of a failed regime.

But Lena's overconfidence was precisely what Eve and Violet were counting on. Every bold move Lena made was quietly documented, every questionable decision noted, and every ally she alienated turned into a potential asset for Eve and Violet. The trap was being set, and Lena was walking right into it.

The final piece of their plan came into play when Eve and Violet approached Gregory, the company's largest independent shareholder. Gregory was a man of few words but held immense influence. He had stayed neutral during the power struggle, watching from the sidelines as Lena and Eve fought for control. When Eve and Violet presented him with their findings—detailing Lena's manipulations, her hidden transactions, and the true cost of her leadership—Gregory's reaction was swift and decisive.

An emergency board meeting was called, and Lena walked in with the same confidence that had carried her through every other challenge. But this time, the room was different. There was a tension in the air, a quiet unease that even Lena couldn't ignore. When Gregory began to speak, laying out the evidence against her, the color drained from her face. She tried to defend herself, to spin the narrative in her favor, but the evidence was irrefutable. Every document, every witness, every fact pointed to one conclusion: Lena had used and abused her power for personal gain.

The board, once swayed by Lena's charisma and cunning, turned against her. Even those who had been her staunchest supporters saw the writing on the wall. It wasn't a permanent dismissal; the board wasn't ready to make such a drastic move just yet. Instead, they decided to temporarily remove Lena from her position, pending further investigation. Lena was escorted out of the building, her face a mask of shock and disbelief, but there was a glimmer in her eyes—a silent promise that this wasn't over.

As Lena walked out, her head held high despite the circumstances, Eve and Violet exchanged a glance. This wasn't the total victory they had hoped for, but it was a significant blow to Lena's plans. They had bought themselves time, and now, they needed to make sure Lena wouldn't find a way to return to power.

---

That evening, the weight of the day's events settled in as Eve and Violet sat together on the couch in their apartment. The battle was far from over, but they had scored a crucial win. Violet leaned against Eve, her head resting on her shoulder, a contented smile playing on her lips despite the lingering tension.

"We've pushed her out, at least for now," Violet murmured, her voice filled with quiet satisfaction.

Eve kissed the top of her head, her heart swelling with love and pride. "We've bought ourselves some time. But we can't get complacent—Lena's not one to give up easily."

Lena might be down, but she wasn't out, and they both knew it.