The Counterstrike

Alina was mid-sentence in a call with the new operations lead when the message came through. A single text from Naomi: "Turn on the news. Now."

Her heart dropped. She didn't hesitate. With a few taps, the massive screen on her office wall flickered to life, already tuned to a business network. The chyron was enough to make her blood go cold.

BREAKING: CEO Alina Caldwell Under Investigation for Misappropriation of Funds.

Alina stared at the screen. They'd used her official headshot-the one from the internal press kit. The anchor's voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"...sources say that during her tenure as CFO, Caldwell may have reallocated discretionary funds into off-book projects without proper board approval. While no formal charges have been filed, anonymous internal documents suggest a pattern of questionable accounting practices..."

The report droned on, but Alina had heard enough. She muted the volume just as Naomi burst through the door, tablet in hand.

"It's Gregory," Naomi said, breathless. "He timed this perfectly. Just as you're consolidating support, he drops this on every major outlet. He's painting it like you were always playing dirty-like you muscled him out to hide your own skeletons."

Alina didn't blink. "What's the source?"

"An internal audit draft. Incomplete. Never validated. But it has your name all over it."

Alina's fingers tightened on the edge of her desk. "He's weaponizing half-truths."

"Exactly," Naomi said. "The board hasn't seen this yet, but they will. We've got maybe two hours before this goes from rumor to corporate crisis."

Alina stood slowly. Her jaw was set. "Then we beat him at his own game."

Naomi raised an eyebrow. "You have a plan?"

"I have several," Alina said coldly. "But first, get Legal. We're issuing a public statement within the hour-and I want our internal auditors to release everything from that period. Full transparency."

Naomi hesitated. "That's risky. What if-"

"I have nothing to hide," Alina said. "Let him throw mud. I'll bury him with facts."

---

One Hour Later: The War Room

Alina stood at the head of the table, her leadership team arrayed before her. Screens displayed real-time updates from media outlets and social platforms. The scandal was gaining traction-hashtags, headlines, pundits speculating. But she wasn't here to panic.

"We're not going to play defense," Alina said. "We're going to pivot this narrative."

She tapped her tablet, pulling up a timeline of Gregory's financial decisions during his tenure. Red flags dotted the screen.

"This is our counterstrike. Gregory's hands aren't clean-and the audit he leaked was flagged because he was trying to funnel money into shell projects without oversight. The draft mentioned my name because I halted those transfers. That's the story."

Heads nodded around the table. Naomi added, "We'll issue a joint statement with our auditors. Frame it as an integrity move on Alina's part-correcting past abuses."

"Exactly," Alina said. "And while we're at it, I want you"-she pointed to her PR chief-"to set up an exclusive with Forbes or The Journal. I'll go on the record. We don't hide in the shadows."

Her voice was steel. "Gregory wants to burn the house down. I'm going to show the world I rebuilt the damn foundation."

---

That Evening: The Exclusive

Alina sat under the soft lights of a downtown studio, opposite a seasoned financial journalist known for cutting through spin. The interview was live.

"You've been accused of financial misconduct during your time as CFO," the journalist said. "Why should your board-and your investors-still trust you?"

Alina didn't flinch. "Because I was the one who caught the misconduct. What Gregory leaked was a draft-an incomplete document pulled before our compliance team could finish its investigation. He's banking on smoke and mirrors. But I deal in facts."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze steady.

"I've made mistakes, like anyone in this business. But I've never compromised the integrity of this company. Gregory did. And now he's trying to rewrite history to save face. But the truth doesn't need spin-it just needs to be seen."

---

Later That Night: Fallout

In the shadows of his penthouse, Gregory watched the interview with narrowed eyes. He poured himself another drink, the amber liquid trembling slightly in his glass.

"She's better at this than I thought," he muttered.

Behind him, his lawyer cleared his throat. "We may have overplayed our hand."

Gregory's smile was thin and bitter. "Maybe. But the game's not over."

---

Back in Alina's Office

Naomi sat across from her, the tension finally starting to ease.

"The board's seen the interview," Naomi said. "The swing votes? They're solidifying. You turned it around."

Alina exhaled slowly, not quite smiling. "He came for my credibility. I gave him facts."

Naomi shook her head in admiration. "You didn't just survive-you turned his attack into a power move."

Alina stood, walking once more to the window, the city glowing below.

"I told you," she said softly. "This isn't just about surviving Gregory. It's about proving I was always the future of this company."

She turned back to Naomi.

"Now it's time to end this-for good..."