Episode # 2:- "A Reckoning with Power"

"Here is the file you asked for," Caleb, one of the trusted men, exclaimed, handing over a thick folder. The recipient opened it, but before he could read further, Caleb continued speaking.

"Hailey Andreev, age 27, is a hot-headed yet strong-willed individual. Three years ago, she started her own small company, and just last year, she received the Best CEO Award. While many people want to work with her, just as many want to see her fail. In a brief period, she has made both well-wishers and numerous enemies. She gives no quarter to those who try to misbehave with her, tolerating no nonsense. Because of that, she's lost business deals multiple times, but it hasn't stopped her from standing her ground. Originally from Auckland, she moved to Bristol eight years ago and has lived there ever since. Her penthouse is in one of the posh areas. There's no information on her family."

"Living alone?" he asked, his eyes scanning the report.

Caleb nodded. "Yes, and one more important piece of news I've got about her," Caleb added, leaning in slightly.

"What?" the man asked, his interest piqued.

"Two days ago, she added one more person to her enemies list," Caleb exclaimed.

"Who and what was the reason?" he inquired, leaning back in his chair.

Flashback:

"Abria, this meeting is important because we are going for the merger with Steve Incorporation," Hailey said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," Abria responded.

"Ma'am, I want..." Abria started speaking but was interrupted by Hailey's intercom ringing.

"Okay, coming," Hailey said on the intercom and stood up. "The client has arrived," she said to Abria.

Abria opened her mouth to say something but stopped and followed her. "Today, Adam Steve will be there and ma'am hasn't met him until now," Abria murmured in a worried tone.

An hour earlier, she had been with her boyfriend when she mentioned Steve Incorporation. Her boyfriend, a junior police officer, warned her that the CEO of that company is a certified jerk. Rumors suggested he was involved in human trafficking and running a prostitution ring.

Her boyfriend knew this because he often heard about it from his seniors. However, he mentioned that Adam Steve never attended meetings himself, so Abria wondered why he was coming today.

She was worried because she knew this merger was important for Hailey. Praying silently, she walked with Hailey towards the meeting room. She looked around and found Adam Steve standing there with the manager they had met before.

Abria glanced at Hailey, who was engrossed in a conversation with the person about to give the presentation. She turned her gaze back to Adam and her breath hitched when she realized why he was here. He was here for Hailey.

Hailey, despite her rude and arrogant demeanor, was undeniably stunning. She had waist-length hair, usually tied in a bun and rosy pink skin that needed no makeup. Her big black eyelashes contrasted beautifully with her dark brown eyes. Her features were striking, with high cheekbones and a delicate jawline. Her poised and confident presence commanded attention, making her a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Dressed in a sleek, tailored suit, she exuded both power and elegance.

Adam's eyes were fixed on Hailey, a predatory gleam evident in his gaze. Abria's worry deepened. This wasn't just a business meeting; it felt like something much more dangerous.

Hailey, unaware of the undercurrents, continued with the meeting. As the presentation began, Adam's intentions became clearer. His comments and gaze were laced with innuendos and unspoken threats.

Finally, Hailey had enough. "Mr. Steve, I believe we are here to discuss a merger, not to entertain your interests," she said coldly and turned her focus back to the presentation.

Her attention was entirely on the presentation when she felt a hand on her thigh. She jerked up and slapped Adam, who had dared to touch her, taking advantage of the dim lights in the presentation hall. "You bitch," Adam spat as everyone else stood up. The lights were turned on, but she cared less and slapped him hard again.

"Get the hell out of my office, all of you," she roared in anger, referring to the people who had come with Adam.

"You will pay for this," another person said, who was none other than Adam's manager.

"Guards," she shouted, and Abria called the guards. "Throw them out. I'm breaking this merger," she declared, and gasps were heard around the hall.

"You can't do this; you'll face a huge loss," one person argued.

"I will. In fact, I'm doing it now," she said, and within minutes, the people were out of the hall. As they left, Adam turned and said, "You will pay for this."

"GET OUT," she roared again, unwavering and fearless.

Flashback ends.

"Adam Steve is a person who once murdered his P.A. when she denied him a kiss. And here she has insulted him in a room full of people," Caleb exclaimed. He remained silent and eyed the picture of Hailey attached to the file.

Adam had tried to coerce her into a shady business deal, thinking he could intimidate her into compliance. But instead of backing down, she publicly humiliated him, calling him out for his unethical practices in front of potential partners. That not only ruined the deal but also damaged his reputation significantly. Word on the street is, he’s been fuming ever since, and she’s been on high alert, knowing he’s not the type to let things slide.”

The recipient of the file raised an eyebrow. “So, she’s not just making enemies; she’s making the kind that holds grudges.”

“Exactly,” Caleb confirmed. “She’s tough, but this could mean serious trouble if Adam decides to retaliate. She’s strong, but everyone has their limits, and Adam’s known for playing dirty.”

"Fix a meeting with her," he ordered.

"Sure," Caleb replied and left the room.

Hailey's Office:

"Ma'am, no one is ready to even listen to us. Adam Steve is powerful," Abria exclaimed, having just spoken to the last potential business partner, who also denied their proposal. Nobody wants to go against Adam Steve. Even a few investors who had promised to sign deals have backed out. "Ma'am, we can't survive for long if we don't get an investor soon," Abria added in a worried tone.

Hailey, who was engrossed in reading a file, didn't take her eyes off the documents. "Don't worry, I'll not let you people suffer," Hailey reassured her.

"Ma'am, what about you?" Abria asked, feeling concerned for Hailey, as she had been her P.A. for the last two years and felt a certain attachment to her.

"No worries, if I have to live on the roads, then also no problem at all," Hailey replied, still unaffected by Abria's words.

"But..." Abria started, but Hailey turned her chair towards the window.

Abria's face fell, and she left the cabin without saying anything. Hailey, who had gotten engrossed in the file again, heard her cell phone ringing. She picked it up without looking at the caller ID. "Hello," she said.

"Hailey Andreev," a voice came, and Hailey's expression turned furious.

"Adam Steve," she said, gritting her teeth.

"My name sounds even better coming from your mouth. I was wondering what it would be like when you're under me, writhing and chanting my name again and again," Adam exclaimed shamelessly.

"You..." Hailey started, but Adam cut her off.

"Those who insult me don't see the light of the next day. But here I am, giving you a second chance. Meet me tonight at the hotel, and everything will be fine," Adam said.

"Fuck off," Hailey exclaimed and cut the call.

"Bloody bastard," Hailey muttered in anger. She took a deep breath to control her temper. Suddenly, her cell phone started ringing again. Without looking at the caller ID, she picked it up and spat in anger.

"Adam Steve, go and sleep with your mother, who gave birth to a scumbag like you. If you think I'll get afraid and sleep with you, then you've knocked on the wrong door. Do whatever you want; I'm not afraid of you. And don't you dare call me again," Hailey screamed into the phone.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a deep sigh from the other side of the call, and she checked the caller ID. It showed a private number.

"Hello," she said but received no reply. She repeated the greeting, but still, no one responded. Then suddenly, the call was disconnected. She frowned but, assuming the caller was Adam, didn't pay it much heed.

Abria's cabin:-

Abria was sitting in her cabin with a sad face. She truly wanted Hailey to secure an investor because Hailey was the best boss anyone could ever wish for. She knew that Hailey was facing all this trouble because she never tolerated any nonsense from anyone. It was a good trait, but nobody had the guts to tell Hailey that sometimes, in the business world, you have to tolerate certain things. However, tolerance was not in Hailey's dictionary, and Abria knew this very well.

She had tried to call some other people, but a few of them didn't even pick up her call. Frustrated, she threw her cell phone on the table and held her head with both hands. Suddenly, her cell phone started ringing.

"Hello," she answered the call.

"Am I speaking with Abria Williams, P.A. of Hailey Andreev?" a manly voice asked from the other side.

"Yes, who is this?" Abria inquired.

"I'm calling from the Holt Group of Companies. Tomorrow at 2 PM sharp, ask Miss Andreev to come for a meeting at Holt's head office in London. I'm sending you the email as well," the person said and then disconnected.

Abria was speechless, her tongue tied in shock. Not only had she received a call from the Holt Group of Companies—a call that was nearly impossible for anyone to get—but they had also scheduled a meeting with them. She could hardly believe her ears.

She immediately checked her email to make sure the call was genuine. She didn't want to be pranked. She opened her email, and the very first message was from the HR department of the Holt Group of Companies.

She checked the email twice and found the invitation for the meeting along with their flight details. Without wasting a second, she printed it out and ran towards Hailey's cabin.

"Ma'am, ma'am," Abria dashed into Hailey's cabin, calling her name loudly. Hailey was about to shout at her, but Abria beat her to it and placed the paper in front of her. "Look," she said, trying to calm her breath.

Hailey gave a bored look at the paper but suddenly straightened in her chair and read it again. "What the hell? How did they out of nowhere schedule a meeting with us?" Hailey asked, her voice filled with shock.

The Holt Group of Companies was one of the top companies in the entire UK and had a significant reputation worldwide. Getting a call from them was a far-off dream; if any random person called them, the call wouldn't even be connected. And here they had scheduled a meeting with her?

"Ma'am, I'm so happy. Only Holt has the power to stop Steve's Incorporation. I know that once they're with us, nobody will be able to say anything to you," Abria blabbered happily, squealing at the end because she still couldn't believe they were going to Holt's head office tomorrow.

"It's just a meeting, Abria. They don't even know me or my company. I bet they've never even heard of my company. Don't get your hopes up. We'll see tomorrow why they want to meet with us," Hailey said.

"Ma'am,..." Abria started.

"You can go; it's already very late," Hailey said and headed towards the washroom. Abria made a sad face, but when her eyes fell on the email printout, her lips turned into a big smile.

"Yes," she squealed like a schoolgirl and left the cabin.

Washroom:

Hailey splashed water on her face a few times and took a deep breath. She placed her hands on the basin and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her grip tightened on the basin's edge, and suddenly she hissed and looked at her hand. Even after years, she still sometimes felt pain in her hand whenever she tightened her grip.

She looked at her hand and moved the sleeve a little. There was a scar, about three inches long, on the inner side of her lower arm. Over time, it had turned white, but she could still feel it whenever she rubbed her fingers over it.

In that accident, she got many scars, but the big one was on her hand, and the other one was below her collarbone, above her heart. Luckily, her face didn't get even a scratch. Anyone who saw the condition of her car would never believe that the person inside had survived.

She eyed her reflection one last time and then headed towards her penthouse.

To be continued...