LOGINISABELLA’S POV The emergency board meeting notice had arrived at midnight. Formal language. Urgent attendance required. Leadership review.By 8:45, every member of the board was already seated.Waiting.I entered the room with Lucia beside me.No one spoke immediately.That silence told me enough.Samuel sat near the center of the table instead of at the far end this time. He looked calm.The chairman looked toward Samuel.“You requested this vote. You may begin.”Samuel stood slowly.“I do not make this request lightly,” he said calmly. “Isabella Moretti has contributed significantly to this company. Her work with Moretti Luxe and ISMARA has strengthened our global position considerably.”His voice carried evenly through the room.Every sentence balanced carefully.That made it worse.I watched several board members nod slightly.Samuel continued.“However, leadership is not judged only during successful periods. It is judged during instability.”There it was.He turned slightly to
ETHAN’S POV I found out through Caleb.He did not say it directly at first. He eased into it like it was normal conversation.“Isabella’s under pressure,” Caleb said during a late call.I set the phone down for a second and looked out the window. “What kind of pressure?” I asked.Caleb did not answer immediately.That told me more than words.“She’s dealing with board issues at Moretti Corp. Internal instability. Samuel is targeting her position.”I exhaled once.“Is she handling it?”A pause.“She says she is.”That was Isabella.I ended the call after that. Not because I was done listening, but because I already knew what I needed to do.~~~~~The next morning I caught her just before she left.“Isabella–”“I’m busy,” she said immediately.“I know,” I replied. “But I need to talk.”“I don’t have time for long conversations, Ethan.”“Then it won’t be long.”A pause.“Go ahead.”“I heard about Moretti Corp.”Silence.Then, carefully, “From who?”“Caleb.”Another pause.“I’m fine.”“
ISABELLA’S POV The leaks did not stop after the board meeting.They multiplied.One after another. Precisely timed. Strategically devastating.All of it traced back to my computer. My files. My office.All of it impossible to explain except as carelessness. Distraction. Compromised security.Each leak came with a board meeting. Each meeting came with Samuel's concerned questions."I hate to raise this again, but we have another breach.""Isabella, I know you're doing your best, but these patterns are troubling.""Perhaps we should consider interim leadership. Just until your personal situation stabilizes."The board was wavering. I could see it. Feel it. The doubt spreading like infection.Support eroding. Questions multiplying. Confidence disappearing.Lucia worked hard trying to trace the leaks. Hired cybersecurity experts. Audited every access log. Questioned every staff member.Found nothing. No evidence. No trail. No proof.Whoever was behind this was professional. Careful. Too
ISABELLA’S POV The board meeting ended but Samuel’s words stayed in the room even after everyone stood up. Not because they were loud. Because they were placed carefully enough that no one could ignore them.Doubt was now part of the conversation.I left the conference room with Lucia walking beside me. In the elevator, Lucia pressed the button for the lobby and leaned slightly back against the wall.“That went exactly how he wanted,” she said.I didn’t answer immediately.My hands were still folded. Still controlled.“It didn’t collapse,” I said.“That’s not the goal,” Lucia replied. “The goal is erosion. Small questions. Repeated often enough that they start to feel like facts.”The elevator moved quietly between floors.I stared at the doors.“He wants the board to doubt my judgment.”“He already planted it,” Lucia said. “Now he just needs time.”The doors opened. We walked out together.The lobby felt too bright after the room we just left.Lucia stopped walking near the entran
ISABELLA’S POV The statement went live at 8:03 AM.By 8:05, my phone started vibrating.Press requests. Investor inquiries. Media alerts. Messages from the board.I stood in the dressing room of the penthouse, staring at my reflection while Lucia monitored the response from her tablet.“Read it again,” I said.Lucia looked up. “You memorized it.”“Read it anyway.”She sighed softly but obeyed.“Mr. Ethan Dexter and Mrs. Isabella Moretti-Dexter confirm that they share a son, Brahms Moretti-Dexter, whose recent medical treatment required privacy and temporary withdrawal from public engagements. The family appreciates the concern shown during this period and asks for continued respect regarding their child’s health and privacy.”She lowered the tablet.“It’s controlled. Clean. Minimal. Exactly what we agreed on.”Minimal.That was the point.No age. No timeline. No details about Paris. No explanation for why no one knew the child existed.Just enough truth to stop speculation before the
SOPHIA'S POV The club was exclusive. The kind of place where powerful people handled problems quietly.I arrived at seven and was led straight to a private room.Samuel Moretti was already there."Ms. Vale," he said. "This is unexpected.""Mr. Moretti. Thank you for meeting me.""You said you had a proposition that benefits us both.”“I do.”I sat across from him and waited until the server left.Then I got straight to the point.Then I laid it out. Simply. Directly."I want to destroy Isabella Moretti's reputation. You want her out of the family company. We can help each other."Something flickered in his eyes.“What makes you think I want Isabella removed?”“I did my research. You’ve wanted control of Moretti Luxe Group for years. Isabella stands in the way.”“That’s quite an assumption.”“It's an observation. And it's accurate."He took a slow sip of his drink."Even if it were true, what exactly are you proposing?"“You pressure the board. Raise concerns about Isabella’s judgment
ETHAN’S POV I saw her reaction to the call. I noticed it was the same strange number that had called her before.The same number that was strangely saved. B with double hearts. Brahms.And whatever he'd said, it had shattered Isabella's composure completely.I continued my conversation with the c
ISABELLA’S POVThe call came at six in the morning. Alessandra, my fabric supplier in Milan.“Isabella, we have a problem.”I was upright instantly, reaching for my laptop. “What kind of problem?”“Our launch contract. Someone from Moretti Luxe contacted us yesterday claiming there were irregularit
LUCIA’S POVThe offshore account transfers were completed at two in the morning.I sat in my home office watching the confirmations populate across three different screens. Shell companies in Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands, and Delaware.Perfectly legal.Questionably ethical.Absolutely necessary.
ISABELLA'S POVI was leaving the ISMARA building at eight when Samuel stepped out of a car parked across the street."Isabella. Do you have a moment?"I stopped and looked at him. "I'm busy.""I can see that. You're always busy these days." He walked closer. "Too busy, some might say.""What do yo







