Chapter 32 – The Trap is Set

The week began with a flurry of meetings, and Evelyn, now fully immersed in her role as Head of Marketing, found herself pulled in every direction. She thrived on the fast pace, the challenge of it all. Alexander had taken a step back, allowing her to shape the department as she saw fit, and she did so with quiet tenacity. Under her leadership, morale had improved, collaboration flowed more freely, and the fall campaign metrics were on track to exceed projections.

Still, the faint echo of anxiety followed her. It wasn't about her work and it was the lingering sense that something unseen was circling.

She wasn't wrong.

Genevieve had spent the weekend orchestrating her next move, an idea formed over a long phone call with Claudia. It was subtle, sophisticated, designed to plant seeds of doubt rather than burn bridges outright. The first step: a report. Falsified numbers, planted inconsistencies, and whispers that Evelyn's proposals had gone over budget.

The second step: Claudia's network.

By Tuesday, murmurs began to surface. A few department heads,particularly those aligned with the old guard, started raising questions. Had Evelyn truly earned her promotion? Was her relationship with Alexander affecting her judgment?

Genevieve made sure she wasn't the one asking, but always near enough to echo the concern.

"She's… enthusiastic, I'll give her that," she told the CFO with a concerned frown. "But I worry she's too emotionally invested. That can be dangerous in this kind of position."

Meanwhile, Evelyn remained unaware of the trap forming around her. She was more focused on securing a new ad partner for Drake's upcoming international campaign, a move that would cement their expansion into the European market. Late nights and endless edits consumed her. She didn't notice the subtle chill from a few colleagues or the sideways glances exchanged in elevators.

But Alexander did.

He watched the subtle shift in energy. His executive assistant mentioned overhearing a few unsettling things during a leadership briefing. Alexander didn't react, but later that night, he reviewed Evelyn's campaign files himself. There were no errors. Her projections were tight, strategy clean. If anything, the success of her approach only reinforced his decision to promote her.

Still, he said nothing. Not yet. He wanted to see how far they would go.

At the café downstairs, Hana and Noah sat at a corner table sipping matcha lattes after a long meeting with HR. Hana had offered to assist with onboarding a new hire, and Noah had insisted she take a break afterward.

"You're not just efficient, you're a force," he said with a small grin.

Hana rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "You say that now. Wait until I start reorganizing your project folders."

He laughed, leaning in. "Honestly? I'd welcome the help. Most days I'm one caffeine crash away from chaos."

Their banter continued, light but comfortable. There was something settling between them, an ease that hadn't existed a few weeks ago. Something that, if not yet called romantic, was certainly its prologue.

By Thursday, Claudia made her entrance. She attended the afternoon board strategy session with a serene smile, greeting executives like a returning monarch. Evelyn was there, presenting updated forecasts and pitching expansion opportunities in Southeast Asia.

"Impressive," Claudia said with a faint nod afterward. "But tell me, Ms. Hart, how are you ensuring these figures aren't… optimistic?"

The question came like a blade wrapped in silk.

Evelyn blinked, then straightened. "We've cross-validated all projected KPIs with current growth trends and Q4 market analysis. The budget was approved last month with oversight from Finance."

Claudia smiled. "Of course. Just making sure we stay grounded."

Genevieve sat at the far end of the table, saying nothing. But her eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

Outside the conference room, Alexander stood near the elevator, arms folded. He hadn't missed the exchange. Nor the timing.

He tapped out a message to Noah: Pull a full audit of marketing's Q3 files. Discreetly. Let me know if anything seems off.

The trap was set. But Alexander had no intention of letting Evelyn fall into it without a fight.

And Genevieve? She had no idea just how closely she was being watched.

The game had begun.