Chapter 16 – Elena’s Opening Move
Chapter 16 – Elena’s Opening Move
Chapter 16 – Elena’s Opening Move
The next morning, the office felt heavier than usual, though no one could pinpoint why. The air was too still, the silence between keyboard clicks too sharp. Nadira noticed it the moment she stepped out of the elevator—an almost imperceptible shift, like everyone was waiting for something to happen.
She pushed the thought aside and made her way to Reyhan’s office. As always, she carried his coffee—a perfect balance of strength and warmth, no sugar, exactly as he liked it. But when she stepped inside, he wasn’t looking at the stack of documents on his desk. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his phone, the screen glowing with a news article.
“You should see this,” he said, his voice low but edged.
Nadira set the coffee down and glanced at the screen.
"Azhari Group Secretary: Hidden Heiress?"
Her stomach dropped. The article featured a blurred photo of her, taken just outside the building. The headline was followed by speculative paragraphs about her alleged ties to Dr. Wiratma Gunawan, complete with conjecture about why the young CEO might be keeping her close.
“This is—” Her voice caught. “This is ridiculous.”
Reyhan’s jaw tightened. “It’s not just gossip. The language is too calculated, the timing too precise. This is meant to raise suspicion about you—and by extension, about me.”
“Who would—” She stopped, realizing she already knew the answer.
“Elena,” Reyhan confirmed without hesitation. “She’s working with Gunawan now.”
\---
By mid-morning, the article had spread. Whispers followed Nadira through the hallways. Colleagues who had once greeted her warmly now offered guarded smiles or avoided her gaze entirely.
Reyhan called an emergency meeting with the public relations team. He made it clear that no official statement would be released, not yet—he wanted the story traced to its source before making any move. Nadira sat silently at the edge of the room, her hands clenched in her lap.
When the meeting ended, Reyhan caught her arm gently before she could leave. “Stay in my office today. No unnecessary exposure.”
“Reyhan, hiding will only make me look guilty,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“And walking around will make you a bigger target,” he countered. “Trust me on this.”
Reluctantly, she agreed.
\---
By late afternoon, Reyhan’s investigator sent a file to his private email. Inside were details confirming Elena’s meeting with Gunawan two days prior. Attached was a transcript—partial, but damning.
She’s protective of him, Elena had told Gunawan. If we want to destabilize him, we use her. She’ll break before he does.
Reyhan’s grip on the mouse tightened until his knuckles turned white.
\---
That evening, as most employees left for the day, Reyhan asked Nadira to stay behind. He poured two glasses of water and set one in front of her.
“They’re not going to stop,” he said. “Gunawan sees you as leverage. Elena sees you as my weakness. Together, they’ll keep coming until one of us breaks.”
“I can handle rumors,” Nadira said quietly. “I’ve dealt with worse.”
“This isn’t about rumors anymore. This is the start of a campaign. First, they’ll erode your credibility. Then they’ll go after mine.”
Nadira studied him for a moment. “Then maybe I should leave the company.”
The words hit him harder than he expected. “No,” he said firmly. “That’s exactly what they want. If you leave, they win.”
Her voice softened. “But if I stay, they’ll keep targeting you.”
“I’ll take the hit,” he replied without hesitation. “I’ve taken worse.”
Something unspoken passed between them then—a silent acknowledgment of the risk they were both willing to take.
\---
Two days later, Elena made her next move.
Nadira was on her way to a supplier negotiation when she found herself intercepted in the building’s lobby. A reporter—camera already rolling—stepped directly into her path.
“Miss Salma,” he said quickly, “do you have any comment on your relationship with Dr. Wiratma Gunawan? Or on rumors that you’re using your position to influence company decisions?”
Nadira froze. In an instant, two security guards stepped forward, but the camera was already catching her startled expression. She recovered quickly, offering a polite but firm, “No comment,” before walking away.
By the time she reached the conference room, she knew the footage would be online within hours.
\---
That evening, Reyhan stormed into his penthouse, his tie loose and his patience gone. Nadira was already there—he’d told her earlier that she’d be safer spending the night in his private residence.
“I’ve had enough of this,” he said, tossing his jacket onto the couch. “If they want a fight, they’ll get one.”
“How?” she asked, watching him pace.
“By taking control of the narrative,” he replied. “We don’t wait for them to smear you again. We make a statement—together.”
Her breath caught. “Together?”
“Yes. Publicly. No hiding, no avoiding questions. If they want to speculate about us, then we’ll give them the truth on our terms.”
Nadira hesitated. “And what truth is that?”
Reyhan stopped pacing and looked directly at her. “That you are not their pawn. That you’re here because you’ve earned it. And if they want to connect us personally—” He paused, his voice softening. “—then they won’t be entirely wrong.”
The air between them shifted. She felt her heartbeat quicken, unsure if it was because of the threat outside or the confession inside.
“Think about it,” he said finally. “But not too long. Every day we wait, they gain ground.”
\---
Later that night, long after Reyhan had retreated to his study, Nadira stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city lights blur through her reflection. The truth was, she was scared—not of the rumors, but of how much she cared about the man willing to risk his empire for her.
And somewhere in the darkness beyond the glass, she knew Elena and Gunawan were watching too, waiting for their next chance to strike.
What they didn’t know was that she was no longer just a target.
She was beginning to prepare her own counterattack.