Chapter 6: The Enemy Wearing My Family’s Face
For five seconds, nobody moved.
Not James.
Not me.
Not even the city outside my window.
My sister’s voice echoed through the phone.
“Claire, don’t trust James.””
I looked at the man standing across from my desk.
The same man who had just admitted making a deal with Alexander.
The same man who had given me documents proving Olivia’s involvement.
The same man who now looked almost as shocked as I was.
“Olivia,” I said slowly.
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
Then her breathing changed.
Like she was looking around to make sure nobody was listening.
“I can’t tell you.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because if they know I contacted you, I won’t get another chance.””
James took one step forward.
“Claire—”
I raised my hand.
He stopped.
I turned away from him.
“Who is ‘they’?””
Another pause.
Then Olivia whispered:
“Alexander.””
The name hung between us.
I looked at James.
He looked away.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
“Olivia,” I said, “I have a document with your signature on it.””
Silence.
“An agreement that could remove me from Aurelia.””
Her breath caught.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“No, Claire. Listen to me. You have to understand what happened.””
“I’m listening.””
“I never signed anything that would remove you.””
I looked down at the document on my desk.
“Your signature says otherwise.””
“I know.””
“You know?””
“Yes.””
The answer confused me.
“Explain.””
She was quiet.
Then she said:
“Because I signed something else.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What does that mean?””
“It means Alexander lied about what I was signing.””
James stepped closer.
I looked at him.
He mouthed one word.
“Careful.””
I ignored him.
“Olivia, start from the beginning.””
She took a shaky breath.
“I met Alexander six months ago.””
Of course.
The same timeline.
“Why?””
“Because he came to me.””
“What did he want?””
“Information.””
I closed my eyes briefly.
Information.
Everyone wanted pieces of my company.
My competitors.
My investors.
My own people.
“What kind of information?””
“About you.””
That hurt more than I expected.
Not because I didn’t know.
Because I needed to hear it from her.
“What did you tell him?””
“Nothing at first.””
“At first?””
She went silent.
“Olivia.””
“I gave him some things.””
The confession landed heavily.
“What things?””
“Personal things.””
“Meaning?””
“Things about how you make decisions.””
I stared at the floor.
Not financial records.
Not business secrets.
Something worse.
She gave him access to my thinking.
My habits.
My weaknesses.
“Why?””
Her voice became smaller.
“Because I was angry.””
There it was.
The emotion behind the betrayal.
Not greed.
Not ambition.
Anger.
“Angry at me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because you never needed me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“You built this entire empire.””
Her voice trembled.
“Everyone looked at you like you were extraordinary.””
“Olivia—”
“Mom talked about you. Dad talked about you. Everyone did.””
“That’s not true.””
“It is.””
“No.””
I walked toward the window.
“You were my sister.””
“That was the problem.””
I froze.
“What?””
“You loved me.””
Her voice cracked.
“But you always protected me like I was someone who needed saving.””
I didn’t respond.
Because maybe that was true.
When we were younger, Olivia struggled.
She changed schools.
Changed careers.
Changed plans every few months.
And every time she failed, I was there.
I helped.
I paid.
I fixed.
Maybe somewhere along the way, my help became something she resented.
“I never wanted you to feel small,” I said.
“But I did.””
The honesty hurt.
Not because it was cruel.
Because it was real.
James looked at me carefully.
He was listening.
Everyone was.
“I thought Alexander understood,” Olivia continued.
“Understood what?””
“What it felt like.””
I laughed quietly.
“Alexander?””
“Yes.””
I turned away from the window.
“Olivia, Alexander spent years trying to destroy me.””
“I know that now.””
The words stopped me.
“You know?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because I found out what he was really planning.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What was he planning?””
“He never wanted Aurelia.””
I frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It does.””
“Explain.””
“He wanted something bigger.””
I waited.
“He wanted your shares.””
I stared at the documents.
“My shares?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He needed control of the board.””
James suddenly spoke.
“Claire.””
I looked at him.
His expression was serious.
“What?””
He looked at the folder.
“Read the acquisition company name.””
I glanced back down.
My stomach dropped.
Because the company listed there wasn’t a competitor.
It was a shell company.
A hidden entity.
Created six months earlier.
Owned by multiple investors.
But controlled by one person.
I traced the ownership records.
And there it was.
A name hidden behind layers of corporate filings.
Alexander Cross.
My blood ran cold.
“He created a fake acquisition company.””
James nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To buy enough influence to force a board vote.””
I looked at him.
“Then why help him?””
James didn’t answer.
That was the first time I saw shame on his face.
“James.””
He swallowed.
“Because I thought he was right.””
The room went silent.
“About what?””
He looked at me.
“That Aurelia had become too dependent on you.””
I stared at him.
“You believed that?””
“Yes.””
“And you decided removing me was the solution?””
“I thought it would force you to step away.””
I almost smiled.
“You thought you could remove me from my own company and I would thank you?””
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
“I thought you would hate me.””
At least he was honest.
“Good.””
He looked surprised.
“Good?””
“Yes.””
I placed the folder down.
“Because at least you understood what you were doing.””
James lowered his eyes.
Olivia’s voice came through the phone.
“Claire.””
I answered.
“Yes?””
“There’s something else.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“What?””
“I wasn’t the only person Alexander approached.””
“Who else?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“The board.””
That wasn’t surprising.
“Anyone else?””
Silence.
Too long.
“Olivia.””
“Someone inside your executive team.””
I looked at James.
He looked confused.
Not guilty.
Confused.
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because Alexander mentioned them.””
“What did he say?””
Her voice dropped.
“He said the final piece was already in place.””
A chill moved through me.
“What final piece?””
“He said once that person activated it…”
She stopped.
“Olivia.””
“He said Aurelia would no longer belong to you.””
My phone suddenly beeped.
A new notification.
I looked down.
An email.
From the board.
The subject line:
*Emergency Shareholder Meeting Confirmed — 9:00 AM*
My heart sank.
Tomorrow.
The vote.
James looked at the screen.
“It’s happening.””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
Olivia spoke.
“Claire, you need to leave.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone kept telling me to leave.
First Daniel.
Then James.
Now Olivia.
“Why does everyone think I should run?””
“Because Alexander doesn’t play fair.””
I looked around my office.
At the walls.
The photographs.
The awards.
The memories.
Everything I built.
“No.””
“Claire.””
“No.””
My voice became stronger.
“I spent ten years building Aurelia.””
I picked up the shareholder documents.
“I’m not walking away because someone decided they wanted it.””
James stared at me.
“What are you going to do?””
I looked at the clock.
8:47 PM.
The meeting was tomorrow morning.
Less than twelve hours.
“I’m going to find the person inside my company who helped Alexander.””
“And then?””
I looked at the city below.
“And then I’m going to remind everyone why Aurelia exists.””
James stepped forward.
“Claire, you don’t understand.””
I turned.
“What?””
His face was pale.
“There’s one thing I haven’t told you.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
He looked at the door.
Then back at me.
“The person who activated the final piece…”
He paused.
“Was someone with access to your private office.””
I stared.
“Who?””
James didn’t answer immediately.
Then he whispered:
“Someone who knew your password.””
My blood went cold.
Because there was only one person who had ever known it.
Someone I had trusted completely.
May you like
Someone whose name appeared on the phone screen just minutes earlier.
My sister.
