Sophia Reed slammed her phone onto the polished surface of her desk.
Her knuckles turned white from the force.
Isabella Scott had actually dared to challenge her so openly.
The defiance was unexpected, but it played perfectly into Sophia’s hands.
She knew Isabella couldn't leave the hospital.
The demand had been timed perfectly to maximize pressure.
It was meant to throw Isabella off balance, to make her desperate.
Sophia took a slow, steadying breath.
She picked up her phone again, her movements deliberate.
She dialed a familiar number.
“Korbin,” she said, her voice cold and sharp. “Initiate the Eternal Promise lawsuit immediately. Use the documents I provided. Sue Isabella’s studio for breach of contract. Claim the designs are subpar. Accuse them of gross unprofessionalism. I want her reputation completely destroyed. I want it dragged through the mud publicly.”
She paused, letting the silence stretch.
“Do it fast. And show no mercy. I want severe consequences for her. I want them now.”
A deferential voice answered on the other end. “Understood, Miss Reed. I will start the proceedings right away.”
Sophia ended the call.
A thin, triumphant smile touched her lips.
She turned and pulled a thick folder from her desk drawer.
She flipped through the pages inside, one by one.
This wasn't just about ruining Isabella’s career.
This was about stripping her of everything she had left.
Clutching the Northwood project documents, Sophia prepared to update Ethan.
She needed to maintain her facade of diligent work.
“Ethan, regarding the Northwood project…” She pushed open the door to the CEO’s office, but her words died in her throat.
Ethan Blackwood stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
His tall, imposing figure was silhouetted against the bright city skyline.
His back was to her.
He was speaking in a low, commanding tone to his assistant, Benjamin Clark.
“Ensure this is handled with absolute discretion. I require the most precise results. There is no room for error.”
“Understood, Mr. Blackwood,” Benjamin responded with a respectful nod.
He turned to leave, passing Sophia at the door with a brief, professional acknowledgment.
Sophia froze.
Her grip on the documents tightened painfully.
Fragments of their conversation echoed in her mind.
A cold wave of dread washed over her.
Ethan turned and noticed her lingering at the doorway.
A flicker of slight confusion crossed his features.
Sophia quickly masked her panic with a practiced, bright smile. “Ethan—”
He interrupted her before she could continue. “I was just about to call for you.”
He walked to his desk, retrieved a file, and handed it to her. “Review the latest proposal for the Northwood project. I want your feedback by this afternoon.”
Sophia took the file mechanically.
Her thoughts were still racing, stuck on Benjamin and the cryptic instructions.
A paternity test? Was that what Ethan was secretly arranging?
“Sophia? Is something wrong?” Ethan’s question snapped her back to the present.
“No, nothing at all,” she responded a little too quickly, forcing another smile. “I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.”
She placed the file on the edge of his desk. “Ethan, please excuse me. There’s something urgent I must attend to immediately.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned and hurried out of the office.
Her steps were quick, almost faltering under the weight of her sudden, chilling fear.
At the hospital, Isabella’s slender fingers clutched her phone.
The screen glowed with a devastating news headline: Blackwood Enterprises Files Major Lawsuit Against Scott Studio.
They had actually done it.
The lawsuit was real. It was public.
Was this all part of their calculated, cruel plan?
The door to her room burst open.
Oliver Davies rushed in, a tablet gripped tightly in his hand, his face pale with urgency.
“Miss Scott! It’s terrible news! Blackwood Enterprises has officially filed a lawsuit against us! They’re demanding an astronomical amount in damages! It’s all over the financial and gossip sites!”
He stopped short, noticing her ashen complexion. His own anxiety spiked higher.
Isabella took the tablet from his trembling hands.
Her voice was surprisingly calm, a stark contrast to the storm inside her. “I know, Oliver. I’ve already seen it. There’s no need to panic. We will face this. We will handle each challenge as it comes.”
Oliver stared at her, taken aback by her composed demeanor in the face of utter disaster.