Chapter 114 TWO WOMEN ONE WAR

Chapter 114 TWO WOMEN ONE WAR


She gave a small smile.

“I want to see what happens to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to see if you survive,” Helena said. “If you can beat all of them. Rafael. Alexander. The FBI.”

Her eyes sharpened.

“I want to see if you’re strong enough.”

Sophia crossed her arms. “And if I’m not?”

Helena stood up slowly.

“Then you’ll end up like everyone else who tried to fight the system,” she said calmly.

“Broken. Destroyed. Forgotten.”

She turned toward the door.

Before leaving, she placed the USB drive firmly on the table.

“But I think you might be strong enough,” Helena added.

She looked back at Sophia one last time.

“So prove me right.”

“Use the evidence.”

“Destroy Rafael.”

“Keep your company.”

Helena opened the door and walked out.

The penthouse fell silent.

Sophia stood there alone, staring at the small USB drive on the table.

After a moment, she picked it up.

It felt heavier than it should have.

Such a small object.

But inside it was enough evidence to destroy a man’s entire life.

Sophia slowly plugged the USB drive into her laptop.

The screen filled with files.

Bank records. Wire transfers. Emails. Messages with known criminals. Photos. Videos.

Sophia scrolled through them, her heart beating faster.

“This is insane,” she muttered.

Every document told the same story.

Rafael Castillo’s entire criminal empire was laid out in detail.

Drug money. Bribes. Illegal deals.

Everything.

She leaned back in her chair.

“If I send this to the FBI tonight…” she whispered.

By tomorrow morning, Rafael would be arrested.

The takeover would collapse.

MLH would be saved.

But there was a price.

She would owe Helena.

And owing Helena meant being tied to her forever.

Sophia rubbed her temples.

“Great,” she murmured. “Just great.”

Her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the screen.

Claire.

Sophia blinked in surprise before answering.

“Hello?”

Claire’s voice came through quietly.

“I owe you an apology.”

Sophia frowned. “For what?”

“For blaming you for what happened at my wedding,” Claire said. “Marcus explained everything. About Julian having the recording. About how you didn’t know.”

Sophia closed her eyes.

“Claire… I’m so sorry—”

“I know,” Claire interrupted gently. “And I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have doubted you. I shouldn’t have thrown you out.”

There was a short pause.

“Are you okay?” Claire asked. “I heard about Rafael trying to take over your company.”

Sophia looked at the laptop screen.

“I’m fighting it,” she said quietly. “I have evidence that could stop him.”

“That sounds good.”

“It’s not that simple,” Sophia replied. “Using it means making a deal with Helena.”

Claire was silent for a moment.

“And you’ll regret that deal?”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t do it,” Claire said firmly.

Sophia blinked. “What?”

“Take the Japanese billionaire’s offer. Tanaka. Let him buy the company.”

“That means giving up control of MLH.”

“So?” Claire said bluntly. “It’s a company, Sophia. Not your life.”

Sophia didn’t respond.

“It’s definitely not worth your daughter’s future,” Claire continued. “You’re about to be a mother. Maybe it’s time to stop fighting and start surviving.”

The words hung in the air.

After a moment, the call ended.

Sophia slowly lowered the phone.

Her eyes moved back to the USB drive sitting beside her laptop.

Claire was right.

She could accept Tanaka’s offer.

Give up control of the company, but keep her position.

Focus on raising her child.

Let someone else deal with the endless wars and power fights.

It was the smart choice.

The safe choice.

COFFEE SHOP — AFTERNOON

Vanessa Laurent sat at a small table in a quiet coffee shop, holding her six-month-old son, Thomas.

The baby was crying again.

Vanessa rocked him gently, trying to calm him down.

“Shh, baby… it’s okay,” she whispered tiredly.

But Thomas kept fussing.

Vanessa looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Her baby bag was old and worn out. Her clothes were from last season, and the coffee in front of her had already gone cold.

Her bank app was still open on her phone.

Balance: $247.

“That’s all we have left,” she murmured softly.

After she testified against Alexander, Damien had completely cut her off.

No money. No child support. No calls.

Nothing.

And Alexander now sitting in jail and facing decades in prison couldn’t help her even if he wanted to.

Vanessa felt completely alone.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

She hesitated before answering.

“Hello?”

A smooth male voice spoke.

“Ms. Laurent? My name is Miguel Santos. I’m an attorney for Rafael Castillo.”

Vanessa’s stomach tightened immediately.

Rafael Castillo.

The man who tried to destroy MLH.

The man who kidnapped Isabella.

The same man now trying to take over Sophia’s company.

“What does he want with me?” Vanessa asked cautiously.

“Mr. Castillo would like to meet you,” Miguel said calmly. “He has a business proposition that might interest you.”

Vanessa frowned.

“Why would I meet with him?”

Miguel’s voice stayed smooth.

“Because you’re broke, alone, and raising a child by yourself.”

Vanessa went still.

“And Mr. Castillo can solve all those problems.”

She clenched the phone tighter.

“One meeting,” Miguel continued. “One hour. Just hear him out.”

“What do you have to lose?”

Vanessa stared down at her crying baby.

Everything, she thought.

But the truth was worse.

She had already lost everything.

She sighed quietly.

“Fine,” she said. “When and where?”

PRIVATE DINING ROOM — LUXURY RESTAURANT — TWO HOURS LATER

Two hours later, Vanessa sat across from Rafael Castillo in a private dining room at an expensive restaurant.

The table was covered with beautiful food.

Rafael looked relaxed. Confident. Powerful.

Everything Vanessa was not.

“Thank you for coming,” Rafael said with a polite smile.

He gestured toward the table.

“Please. Eat.”

Vanessa hesitated.

“You look hungry,” he added.

She hated that he was right.

Her stomach had been empty all day.

Slowly, she picked up her fork and started eating.

Rafael watched her quietly, a small smile on his face.

After a moment, he leaned back in his chair.

“You’re probably wondering why I asked you here,” he said.

Vanessa looked up.

“Yes.”

Rafael took a sip of wine.

“I’m currently in the process of acquiring MLH,” he said calmly. “But Elise Moreau—also known as Sophia Hart, depending on the day—is making things difficult.”

Vanessa stayed silent.

“I need leverage,” Rafael continued.

His eyes settled on her.

“And you, Ms. Laurent, can provide it.”

Vanessa frowned.

“How?”