The penthouse glowed in soft amber light, the city glittering beneath the wide glass windows. Samantha sat at the marble bar in a silk white nightdress, the fabric flowing like liquid against her skin, cinched neatly at the waist with a golden belt. She crossed one leg over the other, posture perfect, every movement deliberate. Across from her, Jake swirled a glass of whiskey while Lynn, neat as always, leaned forward with a tablet resting on her lap.
Samantha broke the silence first, her voice low but sharp.
"Tell me honestly," she said, turning her gaze to Jake. "Do you think the way I dealt with Shelly in public was the right move?"
Jake's eyes lifted, calm yet unwavering. He set the glass down and leaned forward.
"What you did wasn't wrong, Sam. You've always made the best decisions for yourself and for Elevate. Shelly tried to drag this company's name through the mud. You stopped her before she could tarnish everything we've built. That wasn't cruelty—it was leadership."
Samantha let the words hang in the air, her crimson lips curving faintly. She turned her gaze toward Lynn, who had been quietly observing.
"And you?" Samantha asked.
Lynn straightened, her voice steady. "From where I stand, Shelly wrote her own downfall. You only turned the lights on so everyone else could see it. You've always been decisive, Ma'am. I've never once seen you make a choice that wasn't for Elevate's survival. Tonight was no different."
Samantha drew in a quiet breath. "Yet, because of my actions, Elevate is without a general manager."
Jake leaned back, lips curling into a faint smile. "No, Sam. What you did was open the door to the right people. Didn't you see the look on everyone's faces tonight? Half the crowd was ready to submit their applications before you even stepped off stage. You don't need to worry. People are fighting for the chance to work under you."
Lynn lifted her tablet, scrolling through a list with swift taps of her manicured fingers. "Jake's right. Applications are already flooding in. My inbox has doubled in the past hour. All you have to do is choose carefully. The demand is there. Elevate isn't weakened. If anything—it's more desirable now than ever."
For a moment, silence fell again, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside. Jake tapped his glass once against the bar, then glanced at Samantha.
"Speaking of choosing carefully," Jake said slowly, "someone came to mind. Someone who might be… perfect."
Samantha arched a brow, intrigued. "And who would that be?"
"Nadia," Jake said plainly.
Samantha tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Nadia? You mean Chloe's best friend?"
"Yes, Sam. You heard me right." Jake's tone was matter-of-fact. "I've noticed something—things aren't going well between her and Chloe. Bringing Nadia in would do more than strengthen Elevate. It would fracture Chloe emotionally. She'd never recover from seeing her best friend aligned with you."
Samantha's eyes narrowed, considering. Jake wasn't wrong. Her mind spun with possibilities. Nadia, betrayed by her best friend, hungry for recognition, desperate for power. It was a weapon Samantha could use.
"You may be onto something," Samantha murmured. "Nadia could be the perfect dagger in my hand. With her, the Carter siblings won't just stumble—they'll collapse."
Her tone sharpened, the ruthless gleam in her eyes returning. "Send her a contract. Triple whatever she earned before. Let her know Elevate values her more than anyone else ever has."
"I'll see to it myself," Jake replied without hesitation.
Lynn took a subtle breath, almost impressed, but kept her composure. Samantha rose gracefully from her chair. A maid approached and lifted her empty wine glass from the bar. Samantha moved toward the elevator, exhaustion shadowing her perfect posture. Today had drained her—yet she never allowed weakness to show.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble, echoing through the vast penthouse as she disappeared behind the sliding doors.
*****
---
The next morning, in another corner of the city, Nadia sat cross-legged on her bed, scrolling lazily through her phone. The clock read 5:30 a.m. when her screen lit up with a new notification.
Elevate Strategic Group.
Her heart skipped. She scrambled for her laptop, nearly knocking over the bedside lamp. Within seconds, the message synced to her screen. She clicked it open, her breath catching as she read.
Subject: Urgent – General Manager Position.
Nadia's eyes widened. Her pulse quickened as she scrolled through the sleek contract. The headline was clear, bold, impossible to ignore:
We are offering you the position of General Manager at Elevate Strategic Group.
She kept scrolling, her jaw dropping as she reached the figures.
Salary: $1,000,000 annually, with immediate benefits and executive privileges.
She gasped aloud, hand flying to her mouth. "One million…"
Overwhelmed with excitement, Nadia clutched the laptop tighter. Her laughter filled the room, unrestrained and joyous. In her excitement, the laptop slipped from her lap and crashed onto the floor, the screen flickering black.
"Damn it!" she muttered, quickly scooping it up. Relief washed over her when it powered back on. She didn't waste another second—she signed electronically and hit send.
Her reflection in the mirror caught her eye. A smile stretched across her face, radiant with ambition.
"Today changes everything," she whispered.
Nadia rushed into the bathroom. In less than thirty minutes, she emerged, transformed. Her black pencil skirt hugged her hips, paired with a cream silk blouse tucked neatly at the waist. She slipped on nude heels, sharp and polished. Her hair, freshly styled into a sleek high ponytail, gave her an edge of confidence. She looked every inch the woman ready to claim her future.
Bag slung over her shoulder, she strode toward the door, heels clicking like a drumbeat of determination. She swung it open—only to freeze.
Ryan stood there, hand raised as if about to knock. His eyes widened at the sight of her, fully dressed and glowing with a determination he had never seen.
"Nadia? Where are you going this early?" he asked, stepping closer, confusion written across his face.
Nadia's jaw tightened. "What do you want, Ryan?"
He reached for her wrist, desperation leaking into his voice. "Please, just listen to me. Give me one chance, babe."
The word snapped something inside her. She shoved him back with all the strength she had, her eyes blazing. "Don't you dare call me that." Her hand swung across his face, the slap echoing through the hallway.
Ryan staggered, stunned, but she didn't flinch.
"It's over, Ryan. Over. Don't ever mistake me for Chloe—or for the fool you thought I was."
His eyes glassed over, voice breaking. "I love you, Nadia. It was always you. I never loved Chloe. You were the one I wanted, and Chloe knew it!"
Her back stiffened. For a fleeting second, pain flashed across her face. But then, her expression hardened.
"Let go of my hand before I call the police." Her voice was steel, unshakable.
Slowly, Ryan released her, shame dragging his shoulders low.
"You need to leave," Nadia said coldly, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "I'm running late for an interview. I don't have time for your garbage."
Her heels clicked against the polished marble as she walked away without looking back, her ponytail swaying like a whip with every step.
Ryan stood frozen in the doorway, his cheek stinging, his heart splintered. Watching her vanish down the hall, he realized he had lost her—not to Chloe, not to betrayal, but to something far greater.
He had lost her to ambition.