Chapter 101
Sapphire
It was late into the night, well, technically morning–around 2am when the shrill ring of my phone cut through the quiet. My hand fumbled across the bedside table, searching blindly until my fingers closed around the device. Without even glancing at the caller ID, I pressed it to my ear and
agroggy, “Hello?
“Sapphire, what the hell did you do?” Benita practically screeched into my ear, startling me awake.
1 squinted at the screen, my irritation spiking as herrame glared back at me. I scoffed, loud enough for her to hear, before bringing the phone back
to my ear. “It’s two in the morning. Benza” I said. “This isn’t exactly an appropriate time to be calling someone.”
“I don’t care what time it is!” she snapped her tone sharp and biting. “Answer met What the hell did you do to my company”
I blinked, feigning confusion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said with just enough indifference to imitate her farther.
“Cut the crap, Sapphiret” she barked. “Someone hacked into my servers, scrambled my data, and left a damn message. Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me it wasn’t you?”
I leaned back against the pillows, striking to myself in the dark. “Benita, your paranoia is reaching concerning levels. Maybe you should see someone about that,” I said smoothly. “I didn’t touch your precious company. Besides, you’ve made so many enemies over the year–are you really that surprised someone’s coming for you!”
“She let out a low growl of frustration, and I could practically see her pacing back and forth, gripping the phone like it was my neck “Don’t play
games with me. Sapphire,” she wamed. “If I find out this was you
“You’ll what?” I interrupted, unable to suppress the amusement in my voice. “Throw more empty threats my way! Haven’t you gotten tired of bearing yourself talk yet?”
Her silence on the other end of the line was brief but telling. I’d hit a nerve
“Listen” I continued, my tone firm now. “I don’t have time for your delusions, Benita. If someone wants to take y mine. Maybe thesis karma finally catching up to you.”
“You think this is a joke!” she hissed
down that’s your problem, not
“Oh, I think it’s hilarious,” I shot back, my smile widening. But do us both a vor, don’t call me again. Especially not at this hour. You’re starting to sound desperate, and it’s not a good look on you.
“Sapphire-”
“Goodnight, Benita” I said sweetly, cutting her off before ending the call.
The room fell silent once more, and I placed my phone back on the nightstand, the smirk still lingering on my lips. The satisfaction of her panic was more comforting than the warm blanket draped over me.
Lying back down. I replayed the conversation in my head, savoring every word. She had no proof, of course. Not that it mattered. I wanted her to find out that it was me but at the same time, I didn’t want that. Berita was always so quick to assume, always so sure that everyone else’s actions
revolved around her.
I knew her type too well. She would come after me if she knew I did it but I wanted it to be on my own terms.
I stretched my arms over my head, sinking deeper into the mattress as the tension in my body eased. A chuckle escaped me as I thought about her waming “Deal with me,” she’d said. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Benita had built a house of cards, propped up by fear and lies, and she was terrified of seeing it all come mashing down. But this? This was just the
beginning
I closed my eyes, the gr stilltugging at the comers of my mouth. Sleep came easily after that the thought of her frustration lulling me back inco peaceful dream
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, waking me from the best sleep I’d had in weeks. I stretched lazily, my body feeling lighter, as though I’d shed a weight. I didn’t realize I was carrying.
As I made my way downstairs, the smell of coffee greeted me, and I found Aragan in the kitchen, his call frame leaning casually against the counter as he sipped from his mug
“Morung,” he said, his eyes meeting mine with a knowing look. “You seem_rested.”
I poured myself a cup, unable to suppress the smirk that crept onto my face.“1 am.” I admitted, taking a slow sip
*Anything I should know?” he asked,
“No, I am good”
He got up and left the room when I told him we needed to talk. I didn’t w
about so he wanted to avoid it.
want to pressure him but I had a feeling he thought he knew what I wanted to
Berata thought she could intimidate me, that she could rattle me with her late–night calls and hollow threats. But she underestimated just how far I www willing to go to protect what was mine.
This was just the beginning. And if the thought last night was bad, she hadn’t seen anything yet.
Chapter 101
I still had more tricks up my sleeve, I was going to wait till tomorrow to do another but she just annoyed me with thi
I went back up to my room
יון
The plan was simple. Elegant, even When dealing with someone like Benita, you didn’t play fair. You played smurt Ticked my hair behind my rar grabbed my second phone, untraceable, of course and blocked my caller ID. If she thought she could intimidate me into silmussens she was about
to get a nude awakening
I scrolled through my notes
a until I found the contact lureded our of her board members. Has se was Charles Franklin, a man sehat prided himself on his spotless reputation. I tapped the number and leaned back in may chair, waiting for the lur in pick up.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Franklin,” I said smoothly. “Good evening”
“Who is this?” he asked sharply. “And why is your number hidden?”
“Who I am isn’t important.” I replied, allowing a hint of anusement to creep into my tone. “What matters is that have some rather, enlightening. information for you.”
There was a beat of silence, then a scoff. “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t have time for prank calls Goodbye
“Charles Gregory Franklin,” I interrupted, my voice sharp new. “Hom July 17th, graduated from Columbia University in 98. Currently living at 1128 West Willow Lane with your wife, Miranda, and two childrens Shall I contact
The silence that followed was delicious. “How do you know all that?” he asked, his tone now
“Let’s just say your esteemed CEO keeps a rather comprehensive file on all of her board members,” I said ligbly. “Just to keep you all in line. Dad you know that. Charles? What I read are just introductions, you have some pretty dirty deeds listed here,”
T—” He stamunered, then cleared his throat. “No, I didnt. Are you saying benira. 2
“Keeps tabs on all of your Absolinely, h’s all here, so I figured you could know something about her to balance the scales,” I uid, forwarding the encrypted file I’d extracted from Benita’s system directly to his phone. My work was flawless, there was no way it could be traced back to me.
I waited as he opened the file, the sound of his sharp intake of breath coming through the line. “This. This is illegalt If this gets out, it could rein
her.”
“Excly,” I said, the corners of my lips curling into a satisfied smile. “Now, why you choose to act on this information or not is entirely up to you.”
“Why are you doing this?” he demanded. “What’s your angle?”
1 laughed sofily. “Let’s just say Benita annoyed me. Consider this a little payback.”
“Annoyed you? he repeated, incredulous “Thurs
it?”
“That’s enough,” I said firmly. “You can decide what to do with the information, Charles Expose her, keep it for leverage, or simply do nothing. I don’t care. But I do hope you understand now what kind of person you’re working for.”
There was a long pause, then he asked, “And if I go to her with the
I smiled, though he couldn’t see it. “You could. But she’ll deny everything. And I’ll make sure you look parannal in the process. So ask yourself: is she
He didn’t answer, but I could hear the wheels turning in his head,
“Good luck, Charles,” I said sweetly. “I’m sure you’ll make the right choice.”
And with that, I hung up.
I set the phone down and leaned back, i
k, feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over me. Benita wanted to play gainest Fine. I’d show her how the was really played.
She had no idea who I really was and Thad a feeling she was about to know.
