When I entered Prospera's office early the following morning, the burden of everything I had learned was pressing down on me. My thoughts were racing, trying to piece together every interaction I had with Leo Jaxon, every suspicious look I had seen, every small gesture. The stakes were daunting even though I knew I was about to embark on a major project. Every step I took felt like it might blow everything apart. I was tiptoeing through a minefield.
The previous night, I didn't get much sleep. My feelings were exposed in a way that neither of us had anticipated following Amelia's encounter, leaving me feeling raw. However, there was currently no time to ponder that. Our current conflict had been simmering for far longer than any of us had thought. The puzzle was beginning to come together at last, but the image it created was scarier than I had thought.
As I moved passed the desks in a row, I looked around the office to see if there was anything odd. The Prospera headquarters was constantly humming with bustle, but today I sensed a tension, a vague dread that I couldn't quite place. Later, I was to meet with Amelia, but first, I needed answers; they could make or break everything we were fighting for.
I immediately made my way to my office and closed the door. My inquiry into Leo and his connections, which had taken place over several weeks, was documented on the walls with photos, notes, and documents. I'd been following his every move, his correspondence, and every transaction he made with great care, gradually revealing a network of dishonesty that extended throughout the entire organization. But everything had reached a new height after what I'd learned the previous evening.
With my laptop out of my hand, I opened the encrypted files I had broken into on Leo's drive. There it was: evidence of illicit activities, insider trading, and ties to influential investors who were covertly purchasing Prospera stock. All of this was a planned attempt to subvert Amelia's authority and establish Leo as the new spokesperson for the business. But the issues went beyond money and power. It was a private matter.
I read the emails, one after the other more scathing than the other. Leo had Amelia in mind in addition to the company. He was prepared to go to any lengths to remove her from the board, shame her, and get her fired. My blood boiled when I saw everything in front of me, even though I'd suspected as much. This was not your typical business strategy. This attack was planned.
Something knocked on my door and startled me out of my reverie. With haste, I turned to minimize the screen and turned to see Amelia standing there with a determined yet exhausted expression. Her normally put-together looks appeared somewhat disheveled as if she hadn't slept either. She yet retained the strong will that defined who she was despite everything.
She whispered, "Lucas," as she entered the office and shut the door. "We must speak."
With a nod, I motioned for her to take a seat. I said, getting right to the point, "I've found something." There was no time to dance around what we both knew was coming, no time for small conversation. Leo has spent months arranging his takeover of the business. Investors are queued up and prepared to go as soon as he gets the go-ahead. Amelia, this goes beyond money. He wants you to leave.
Her expression hardly revealed her feelings as she listened intently. However, I could see her thoughts racing as they processed each phrase and its implications. I showed her the emails, and she quickly scanned the screen, absorbing the proof of Leo's treachery. Everything was there, clearly visible, indisputable, and unforgivable.
At last, her voice tight with rage, she replied, "I knew he was ambitious." However, I didn't anticipate him going this far. I believed I could handle him and that he would never have the audacity to do anything of this nature.
I murmured, "You couldn't have known." It's not only you that Leo has been playing. In an attempt to ensure his victory, he has been spreading lies, faking data, and making use of all the connections he knows. He's attempting to ruin you, not just kidnap Prospera.
Leaning back in her chair, Amelia's eyes remained locked on the television, as though attempting to take in the sheer magnitude of what she was seeing. Her eyes were filled with anguish and a sense of betrayal that went beyond any economic transaction. Leo had been methodically pulling this existence apart from the inside out; this was her legacy.
"What should we do?" Her question sounded more steady than I had anticipated. In what way can we stop him?
That was the same question I had been contemplating all night. "We reveal him," I firmly stated. We present everything to them on the board. However, we must exercise caution. If we're not careful, Leo's supporters will defend him, so he won't go down without a fight.
With a determined expression, Amelia gave a nod. "These emails alone are not enough for us. We require testimonies and witnesses, or at least something the board cannot ignore. Leo will find a way to turn the tale around on us if we approach them with only half the truth.
Indeed, she was correct. There had to be no gaps in our plans that Leo could take advantage of. I pulled up the calendar and said, "There's a meeting with the board scheduled for next week." That's the greatest shot we have. We'll give them everything we have, but we must make sure it will be sufficient to persuade them.
Amelia stood up, her intensely furious gaze locked with mine. "Let's then confirm that we have adequate." I refuse to give up without a fight, and I won't allow Leo to take what is rightfully mine.
Her remarks caused me to have a sudden wave of pride. Amelia stood her ground despite everything that had been thrown at her, prepared to face down anyone who tried to threaten her. However, she wasn't going it alone this time.
I stretched out and grabbed her hand as she turned to go. With a brief glimpse of vulnerability, she glanced back at me. I gently squeezed her hand and murmured, "We're going to get through this." "We are going to eliminate him."
With a tightening grip, Amelia nodded. I felt like we were really on the same page for the first time when she said, "Together." There would be no more barriers or secrets, just the two of us, prepared to take on whatever lay ahead.
Despite the approaching storm, she walked out of the office with a confident demeanor, as I saw. Leo didn't know what was coming, even if he might have believed he had us surrounded. When all was said and done, there would be no question as to who ran Prospera Corporation because Amelia and I were going to expose every aspect of his plot.
I went back to my laptop and started going through the files again, determined. Even though we still had a long way to go, I felt like we had made progress for once. I was determined to regain our power and wasn't going to allow anything to get in the way of our goal of not just preserving the company.