Chapter 67 POWER GAMES

Chapter 67 POWER GAMES
DAMIAN'S POV 

“Why are you here this early?” I asked, dropping my keys on the table.

He finally blinked. “We need to talk.”

I crossed the room, sat, and waited.

He didn’t.

Instead, he pushed his phone toward me. “Look.”

A series of email screenshots. Withdrawals. 

A broken agreements. Companies pulling out of deals we’d spent months negotiating. 

“When did these come in?” I asked.

“Three a.m. Two more at dawn.” Viktor leaned back. “And I’m guessing that’s only the beginning.”

This was suspicious,no one withdrawed from a contract without meeting me.

I didn’t respond immediately. 

I scrolled through message after message, each one more damaging than the last. Contracts dissolved. 

This was not random.

This was engineered.

“Which competitor?” I finally asked.

Viktor shrugged too easily. “Pick one. Everyone wants your head.”

He was calm. 

I tapped my screen, calling my assistant. “Get me the board. All of them. Room C in fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

I ended the call and stood. The air was suffocating.

I've never experienced this my whole life.

It was alarming.

“We knew they would respond,” Viktor said, rising to follow me. “But not this fast.”

My company was under attack. There was no time for intuition.

“Who leaked the ledger?” I asked him.

“No idea.” He didn’t blink. “Probably the same people buying out our partners.”

“Then who?”

“Everyone else.” he said. “We need to calm down, gather things bit by bit before we lose everything.”

“We?” I asked,my tone harsher. “All my life I've never experienced something like this, you don't know how hard I toiled and yet you're taking this lightly.”

“No,i tried a better strategy.”

“Fuck that strategy.” I scratched my hair, stomping my feet on the floor.
“Leave here. Now!” I barked.


In fifteen minutes,we all were in a board meeting.

The moment I stepped inside, everyone stopped taking.

“Good morning,” I said, not bothering with a formal greeting. “Let’s get to work.”

They exchanged glances, then one by one slid folders toward me. Their faces were tense, their postures stiff.

“Blackwood Holdings is losing investors,” one of the directors began. “Three major shareholders withdrew their stakes this morning.”

“That quickly?” I asked.

“We suspect price manipulation,” another chimed in. “Someone triggered fake alerts about instability in our market value.”

“Someone?” I repeated. “Or a coordinated group?”

No one answered.

Of course they didn’t.

Cowards.

A third director cleared his throat. “Sir… the leak compromised your credibility. Other CEOs think you’re weakening.”

“I am not weakening.”

“Then you need to show it,” he said.

I leaned forward. “Whoever is behind this wants internal collapse. They’re betting on panic. Don’t give them what they want.”

Someone at the far end whispered, “It might already be too late.”

I turned my eyes to him.

He swallowed hard. “One of our largest international partners, the Malik Consortium, has officially ended their alliance with us.”

“What?” I snapped.

“They said,” he stuttered, “that aligning with your company is too risky.”

I stared at the documents. This wasn’t sabotage from a rival with a loud agenda, this was clean.

Someone was moving pieces like a chessboard.

Not destroying.

Redesigning.

“Who communicated with Malik?” I asked.

No one raised their hand.

“Who?” I repeated, ice in my voice.

“We never got direct contact,” the finance head said. “All their messages went through their legal department.”

This is breaking me,all my life's struggle, gradually coming to end.

For a reason I don't know.

Could it be that I'm not good or.

I can't manage shares or my legacy is disoriented.

They were all looking waiting for my reply,but I quickly left the meeting.


Two hours later,I stood at my private office,staring outside at my building.

Why were they withdrawing?

I didn't know.

Why is everyone silent.

Will they quietly leave too?

Something told me this wasn't about business.

This was personal.

My phone vibrated.

A number I didn’t recognize.

I answered anyway. “Speak.”

A distorted voice ,a female “You’re bleeding, Blackwood.”

My grip tightened on the phone. “Who is this?”

“ Can't tell.”

“Identify yourself.”

“Aria”

“What? Aria,how are you doing…?”

Suddenly, the call cut.

That's when I realized I needed her.

I pressed the intercom. “Bring Viktor here.”

A faint beat passed before the assistant answered. “Sir, he left the building ten minutes ago.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t say.”

I paused.

Why would Viktor leave without telling me?

He never did that. He was consistent.

But today, he left without a word.

My instincts stirred, prickling like electricity under my skin.

Something wasn’t right.

Someone was playing the game better than me.

I would suffocate if I still stayed here.

I quickly left my building.

I didn't call my driver.

I drove myself home.

When I reached. I quickly looked for the address.

Aria's working address.

I finally found it.

I knew the place.

I fled out hastily.

I stepped out of the car almost too fast, the door slamming behind me.

I pushed through the glass doors.

The receptionist looked up, startled. “S–Sir, do you have an appointment?”

“No.” I walked past her. “Which floor is Aria Reynolds on?”

“She… just left.”

My breath stopped. “Left? When?”

“Maybe ten minutes ago.”

“Was she with someone?” I asked.

“No, but she was in a hurry.” She answered.

I didn’t respond. I rushed back outside, scanning the street.

No sign of her.

I saw someone familiar.

My voice dropped to a whisper. “Viktor… what the hell are you doing?”

“I came to check on someone here.” He said.

“You didn't let me know when you left.” I told him.

“I was in a hurry. I'll catch up with you later.” He said fastly, running.

I entered my car, frustrated. 

I hit my steering wheel twice. “ Fuck, what am I going to do?”

Why is everyone not helping?

Slowly I'm becoming depressed.