Vale Estate | The Morning After
Freya had survived assassins, warzones, and the high-stakes world of corporate power. Yet, as she walked into Nevaris Vale's penthouse office, she found herself facing something entirely new.
Petty revenge.
Nevaris barely spared her a glance as she entered, lounging on the leather couch like a king at rest. A gaming controller was in his hands, his golden eyes focused on the massive screen before him. Next to him, an oversized bowl of chips and a half-empty energy drink completed the picture of casual chaos.
And then—without looking away from his game—he muttered, "Traitor."
Freya stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Nevaris paused the game dramatically before turning to her with a look of exaggerated betrayal. "Tea, Freya? With her?"
Freya sighed. "You're seriously mad about that?"
"Mad?" Nevaris scoffed. "Mad would imply emotion. No, I am deeply wounded. My own assistant, consorting with the enemy." He placed a hand over his chest like he was on the verge of collapse.
Freya crossed her arms. "Your mother is not the enemy."
Nevaris narrowed his eyes. "She absolutely is."
Freya shook her head. "She invited me. I accepted. It was a normal conversation."
Nevaris snorted. "There's no such thing as a normal conversation with Celestine Vale. Every word out of her mouth is laced with a hidden meaning. She's worse than an investment banker."
Freya smirked. "She said the same thing about you."
Nevaris gasped, placing a hand over his heart again. "Et tu, Freya?"
Freya rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up."
Nevaris grumbled something under his breath before dramatically flopping back onto the couch. "What did she want?"
Freya hesitated. Celestine's words still lingered in her mind.
"You're the only one who keeps up with him."
"For keeping him grounded… for making sure he doesn't lose himself."
"You remind me of his grandfather."
She could still see the weight behind Celestine's words—the way she had looked at her, like she knew.
Freya shook off the thought. "She just wanted to talk about you."
Nevaris made a face. "Ugh. That is worse than an ambush."
Freya let out a small chuckle, then walked over and plucked the gaming controller from his hands.
"Hey!"
"Enough sulking. You called me here for something."
Nevaris sighed dramatically before reaching for his phone. "Fine, but I reserve the right to be mildly petty about this betrayal for at least another twenty-four hours."
Freya smirked. "Noted."
He tossed the phone to her. She caught it effortlessly and glanced at the screen.
Confidential Report – Titan Vale Corporation
Compiled by: CFO Adrien Clarke
Recent stock fluctuations indicate potential manipulation against Titan Vale's interests.
Unverified but strong rumors suggest that an unnamed entity is leveraging governmental influence to restrict Titan Vale's expansion.
Multiple smaller corporations—previously neutral—have suddenly aligned against us in legal disputes.
At least three separate shell companies have surfaced, each buying up shares of our subsidiary networks.
Freya's expression hardened. "Who?"
Nevaris smirked. "That's the fun part, isn't it?"
"You already know."
His golden eyes gleamed. "I have my suspicions."
Freya scrolled further, noting the meticulous details Clarke had compiled. "What's the play?"
Nevaris leaned back, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "Oh, we're going to have some fun."
Freya sighed. That never meant something good.
"I want to know exactly who's backing this," Nevaris continued, his voice losing its usual playfulness. His golden eyes darkened slightly. "And then I want to break them."
"Legally or otherwise?" Freya asked.
Nevaris grinned. "Oh, I'll start with legal. Contracts are a wonderful thing, after all."
"And if that doesn't work?"
His grin sharpened. "Then I remind them why I'm called The Demon of Contracts."
Freya exhaled. "You can't go off on another warpath every time someone challenges you, Nevaris."
His golden eyes glinted with amusement. "Why not? It's fun."
She shot him a look.
Nevaris chuckled. "Fine, fine. We'll do it your way first."
Freya rubbed her temples. "I'll have someone track the shell companies."
"Good," Nevaris said, finally sitting up properly. He tapped his fingers together. "We're playing a long game here, Freya."
"Meaning?"
His gaze darkened. "Someone out there thinks they can move against us subtly. They think I won't notice." His lips curled slightly. "They think I'm playing the same game as everyone else."
Freya understood instantly.
They weren't.
Titan Vale Corporation didn't compete. It dominated.
Nevaris tilted his head, watching her carefully. "You ever seen a lion hunt, Freya?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Yes."
Nevaris' smirk widened. "Then you know—lions don't chase prey. They let it get comfortable first."
Freya didn't respond.
Nevaris leaned back again, his posture deceptively relaxed. "Let them think they have the upper hand. Let them think we're scrambling." His golden eyes slowly shifted—
Crimson.
Blood-red.
A demon's eyes, finding its prey.
Freya exhaled. "Sometimes I forget how much of a monster you really are."
Nevaris smirked. "A necessary monster."
Freya didn't disagree.
Because in their world, monsters were the only ones who survived.