AN ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND

Just as I was trying to process the chaos unfolding on my phone, Steven walked through the door. "Is this the revenge you meant, Alexa?" He spat. "How many videos do you have recorded?"

"What are you talking about, Steven?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the growing unease in my chest.

"Don't play innocent with me," Steven sneered, his voice filled with disgust. "You are the one who leaked those videos. Now everyone knows. Are you happy, Alexa? You are no longer a secret."

My hand connected with his face in a sharp slap. "What could I possibly gain from those videos?" I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and hurt. "Why would I sabotage my own reputation just to spite you?"

"Reputation?" Steven sneered. "Do you even care? I doubt you lose anything from that. But listen, Alexa, I have lost a lot . My wife is humiliated, too ashamed to even leave the house now."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, really? She should be ashamed?" Lala joined me, laughing out loud, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Steven's eyes blazed with fury. "You are going to fix this," he growled. "I will hold a press conference, and you will stand beside me and tell the world that you are just my manager. Also that I built this company from the ground up, without any help from you. You will tell them that I supervised every project you worked on, and that you were nothing more than an employee. And most importantly, you will make it clear that we have never been romantically involved, and in that interview ensure to appear to be on good terms with Nicole."

"And why should I follow your instructions, Steve?" I asked, defiance burning within me. So he wanted to discard me like trash now that I have served my purpose.

"You're a shareholder and an employee," Steven reminded me, his voice cold. "Failure to do so will be considered a deliberate attempt to maliciously destroy the company's reputation. Are you prepared to face the consequences?"

"Really, Steven?" I asked, my tone laced with anger.

He laughed as he pulled me closer. “You don't have to drag this out, Alexa. Just stay in your position, no one can replace you in my life. Be a good girl and it will all work out.” His words were laced with a possessiveness that made my skin crawl.

"And what exactly is that position?" I shot back, my tone dripping with sarcasm struggling to keep my anger in check.

He smiled, his eyes gleaming with loftiness. "As my manager, supervisor, the twin's nanny, but most importantly, my mistress." His hand reached out to caress my face.

I forced a smile as I replied. "Sometimes, we all need a rough awakening, don't we?" He nodded happily.

“Why don't you go get ready? Make sure you look perfect for the cameras." He informed me as he left.

"Bastard," He really wanted to leave me with nothing, I laughed. Two can play this game. Since he wanted to be ruthless, he shouldn't blame me then.

As soon as he walked out the door, I turned to Lala, she was my lawyer. “Do I have any chances in winning the case Lala?”

“Actually, you have a strong case,” she said confidently. “You can sell your shares, which would leave you just as an employee. Then, you can demand royalties for all the designs and buildings. The company profited heavily from those designs, and you were never compensated for your work. We can build a solid lawsuit around that.”

“However, there is one problem,” Lala said, her face filled with worry. "You'll need to find a buyer for your shares quickly. Noting that according to Hales Enterprises company law, a shareholder or employee of the company can't pursue a public case.”

“Where can I find a buyer for my shares urgently? I want to take that case public”

I paced back and forth across the room, my mind racing with thoughts. Lala watched me intently. Then suddenly, I smiled and turned to her.

“What's your opinion on Mr. Luke Hunter as a potential buyer?”

Lala's eyes widened in alarm. “You really want to play with the devil?” she asked, horrified.

I smiled “If that's what it takes.”

“Alexa, are you crazy?” Lala kept following me around as I prepared for my meeting with Mr. Hunter. I slipped on my office pants and turned to face Lala, "Think about it, all these years building Hales Construction Co. My toughest battles have been fought against Mr. Hunter. I may not know the reason behind his hatred towards the Hales family, but as the saying goes, an enemy of my enemy is a friend.”

Lala tossed me my cream-colored top, her expression a mixture of concern and disapproval. “He is no friend of anyone, he is known for being one of the most ruthless entrepreneurs.”

“And also the biggest rival of the Hales Group,” I added. “He treats that family like they are his sworn enemies. He is exactly the partner I need," I replied, my eyes locked on my reflection as I applied my lip gloss.

“I will go with you,” Lala said, her voice firm.

“Are you really sure, Lala?” I replied, chuckling. “He's the devil, after all.”

Very soon we arrived at the Hunter Group. I walked up to the reception desk, where a stunning red-haired woman looked up from her screen. "Good afternoon," I said with a confident smile. "I would like to schedule a meeting with Mr. Hunter, please."

The redhead's eyes widened in surprise, she seemed taken aback by our request. "May I know your names, please?" she asked, in a polite voice.

"Alexa Jones," I replied, watching as she quickly dialed a number. After a brief, hushed conversation, she hung up and turned back to me with a smile. "Madam Jones, please wait in the lobby. Someone will attend to you shortly."

We stood in the unfurnished lobby area for what felt like an eternity, our feet aching. "How can a company lobby lack even basic amenities, like chairs?" Lala complained. "Alexa, I told you this man is heartless."

As the hours ticked by, I grew desperate. I decided to talk to the secretary, But she kept saying we should wait. It wasn't until midnight, that we finally left the Hunter Group extremely exhausted.

I woke up to a notification about a Board of Directors meeting. Usually am the one sending out these notifications. But today, I was on the receiving end. It was sent by Nicole, newly added to the company group as Executive Director. I smiled at her new position.

I carefully chose my knee-length baby blue dress. I had been told countless times how the color blue complimented my eyes. Today, I wanted to look my absolute best.

As I walked towards my car, I couldn't help but notice the line of cars parked right in front of our house. But quickly decided to ignore them.

"Mrs. Alexa Jones, right?" A man asked as I unlocked my car. His voice was firm, but polite. I turned to face him, taking in his perfectly tailored suit.

"Yes, that's me," I replied, my eyes narrowing slightly as I waited for him to explain his presence.

"Mr. Hunter requests your presence," he simply answered.