Chapter 218 218

Chapter 218 218
The next morning, Chloe wasn't just awake, she was reborn.

Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as she walked into the Chloe Luxe headquarters. The atmosphere inside the glass skyscraper was tense; employees whispered in corners, glancing up as she passed. They'd all seen the news. They all knew the rumors.

But today, Chloe was not coming to play defense. She was coming for blood.

Lucius was already waiting in her office, leaning casually against the edge of her desk, dressed in his signature black suit. A faint smirk touched his lips when she walked in. "Someone looks dangerous this morning," he said.

"I am," Chloe replied, tossing her bag onto her desk and turning to face him. "Alexa and Clarisse think they can destroy everything I built with a few headlines and PR stunts? They have no idea who they're dealing with."

Lucius chuckled under his breath. "I love this side of you.

So, how is it going to be, boss?"

"You're sure the files are ready?" Chloe asked, her tone calm but her eyes fierce.
Lucius smirked. "Ready, verified, and timed. Once it goes live, Clarisse and Alexa won't know what hit them."

"Good," Chloe said. "We're not just hitting them. We're erasing them." She turned toward the window, her reflection glowing faintly against the skyline. "They used lies," she said quietly. "Let's use the truth."

Lucius tilted his head. "And a little fear," he added. "Fear always makes the truth louder."  She didn't argue.

By noon, the operation began.

Lucius's underworld network, journalists, data analysts, silent hackers, and PR fixers started feeding real information to major outlets:

Leaked reports revealed that Alexa Beauty's "organic" supplements were unapproved and contained banned substances
Photos of Clarisse's factory in Milan show unhygienic production conditions.
Screenshots of falsified testimonials and influencer contracts showing bribery and fake reviews.

Within an hour, it was trending everywhere.
#AlexaBeautyScandal
#DelacroixExposed
#ChloeLuxeTruth

Lucius watched the chaos unfold from Chloe's desk. "Beautiful," he murmured.

Chloe barely looked up. She was on a call with her PR director, her voice clipped, professional. "Issue the official Chloe Luxe statement. We're not celebrating this, we're
protecting consumers. I want empathy, not ego. Make sure every headline says Chloe Luxe Leads Transparency in the Beauty Industry. Got it?" She ended the call and exhaled slowly.

Lucius grinned. "You sound like you've been doing this your whole life."

She looked at him, eyes fierce but tired. "I have. I just forgot who I was for a while."

By evening, the markets had turned
Alexa Beauty & Wellness stocks fell by twenty-two percent. Delacroix Skin suspended sales "pending review."
While Chloe Luxe's numbers, however, doubled.

Chloe sat quietly in her office, lights dimmed, scrolling through the reports. She didn't smile. She didn't gloat.

Lucius leaned against the window. arms folded, "You won Chloe.”

She looked up at him, eyes unreadable. "No, Lucius. I answered."

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, the city glowing around them, both aware of what they'd unleashed.
Then Lucius moved closer, his voice low. "You know this won't end here, right? They'll come for you next."

Chloe's lips curved slightly. "Let them try."

The air between them grew tense, thick with adrenaline, victory, and something unspoken.

Lucius stepped closer, eyes locked on hers. "You're dangerous when you're like this."

"Good," Chloe murmured, turning away, her reflection splitting between glass and shadow. "Because I'm just getting started."

———————-
The atmosphere inside Delacroix Headquarters was suffocating. The once-fragrant air, always thick with the scent of Clarisse's signature jasmine perfume, now reeked of tension and perfume mixed with panic.

Alexa sat at the edge of the marble conference table, her hands trembling on her lap, scrolling helplessly through her phone. News headlines kept popping up:
Delacroix Skin is under fire for product contamination.
Alexa Beauty scandal deepens, partnership in jeopardy.
Luxe rises as rivals collapse.

She swallowed hard, forcing a breath. "Clarisse, we can fix this. We just need to.."

"Fix this?" Clarisse's voice cut through her like glass. She stood at the far end of the room, her heels clicking sharply as she approached. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me?"

Alexa looked up, her voice small. "Clarisse, please..."

"Because of you," Clarisse continued, slamming a folder on the table. "My factories are being investigated. My distributors are threatening to pull out. My investors, Alexa... my investors are calling me like vultures! All because I partnered with your pathetic, drama-ridden brand!"

Alexa's face went pale. "You said you wanted market expansion. I gave you that. You said you wanted Chloe Luxe's audience. I found a way..."

"By lying to me!" Clarisse snapped, eyes blazing. "You didn't tell me Chloe Luxe had that much power, that she had PR alliances, that she had powerful connections. You didn't tell me she was untouchable!"

Alexa's lips parted, but no sound came out.

Clarisse leaned closer, her voice dripping with fury. "You dragged me into your personal vendetta, your childish obsession with Chloe. And now look around, Alexa. Look what's left." She gestured to the large monitor where live updates scrolled in red: Delacroix Skin stock down 18%.

Alexa blinked rapidly, her throat tightening. "Clarisse, please, just give me time. I can make this right. I'll issue a statement..."

Clarisse laughed bitterly. "A statement? You think words will save a brand drowning in scandal? You think your little influencer's smiles will undo the damage?"

"Clarisse..."

"No," Clarisse hissed, straightening. "This partnership is over. As of this moment, Alexa Beauty & Wellness is no longer affiliated with Delacroix Skin. I've instructed legal to terminate our contracts. Every deal, every co-campaign, every cross-promotion, gone."

Alexa froze. "You... you can't do that."

"Oh, I can," Clarisse said icily, grabbing her tablet. "And I just did." She tapped the screen, and within seconds, Alexa's access badge blinked red. Security protocol.

Alexa's breath caught. "Clarisse, please don't do this. We can recover together. I can fix it...'

Clarisse turned, eyes cold as winter steel. "No, Alexa. I'm done letting you ruin me. You came into my life with your chaos, your scandals, your messy past and I was foolish enough to think I could use you." She took a step closer, her voice low, almost trembling with restrained rage. "I never want to see you again. Not in this office, not in my life. Do you understand me?"

Alexa stared at her, tears brimming. "Clarisse, I..."

"Get out," Clarisse said quietly. "Before I call security."

For a long second, Alexa just stood there, frozen, small, humiliated. Then, without another word, she picked up her bag, her phone, and walked out. 

As she stepped out of Clarisse's glass-walled office, the corridor's cool air hit her like a slap. Her fingers curled into a fist around her bag strap; for a heartbeat, she stood frozen, the city lights smeared into a blur beyond the building.

Humiliation burned hot in her chest, but beneath it something harder took shape, a promise carved from stubbornness and spite.

She let out a slow, controlled breath, lifted her chin, and whispered to herself like a benediction and a threat: "I will deal with Chloe. I will make her pay for this humiliation. I am Alexa. I've always gotten what I want, and I've never failed. I will not start now."

Then, with that vow echoing in her bones, she walked into the night.