Chapter 53 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT
The next morning, Vivienne stood outside the studio door, her hand frozen on the handle. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard Alexander's voice:
"No, I don't think she suspects anything. Yes, everything is going according to plan."
The words had played in her mind all night, chasing sleep away until the early hours when she finally gave in. When she woke up, they followed her through breakfast with Noah, through the drive to the studio, and even now as she gathered her courage to enter.
What plan was he talking about? Victoria Hunt shouldn't care about her involvement in Tyranny. She was Vivienne Cross, not Elara. Elara was long dead, and Victoria had made sure of it ten years ago.
She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Everyone was already here.
She immediately spotted Alexander near the main monitor, reviewing footage with Eliza, his face serious as he pointed to something on the screen.
He looked up when she entered, offering a small smile.
"Ms. Cross. Ready for today?"
Vivienne nodded, putting her bag down. "Always."
She studied him carefully as she warmed up, stretching muscles that were still sore from the previous session. Nothing about him seemed different. Same confident posture, same focused attention, same measured voice as he carried the team along with the sequence adjustments.
Yet everything felt different to her now.
"Everything is going according to plan," she replayed again.
During a complex motion sequence, Alexander stepped onto the green screen to adjust her stance. He moved behind her, hands near her shoulders.
"If you drop your right shoulder slightly and pivot here..." he began.
Vivienne shifted away before his hands could make contact, a small movement that shouldn't be noticeable, but it was. "Like this?"
She corrected her own position, meeting his eyes with a straight face.
Alexander's hands fell back to his sides. He was taken aback. "Yes, that's better." He paused, lowering his voice. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied simply.
He stared hard at her face before nodding and stepping back.
"Let's run it again from the top," he called out to the crew.
By midday, they were almost done with the day's schedule. She rolled her neck during their lunch break, standing apart from the group clustered around the food table. Isabella had positioned herself next to Alexander, laughing loudly at something he said while her hand rested on his arm.
Vivienne didn't care. Or at least, that's what she told herself.
After lunch, Alexander gathered everyone in the center of the studio, clapping his hands to get their attention.
"I have an announcement," he began, his eyes sweeping across the room before landing briefly on Vivienne. "Next Friday, Hunt Enterprises will be hosting a gala to officially introduce Tyranny to our investors and board members."
The team nodded along, murmuring to each other. No one looked surprised.
"This will also be the first public introduction of Ms. Cross as our Athena," Alexander continued. "We'll showcase some of our preliminary footage and discuss the project's scope."
Vivienne stood quietly, noting that she was the only one who hadn't known about this, well, before last night. Everyone else seemed perfectly informed, perfectly prepared.
"Any questions?" Alexander asked, looking around the room.
Vivienne raised her hand before she could stop herself. "Do all crew members have to attend?"
The room went quiet. Alexander turned to her, his expression careful.
"It's our official launch night. A chance to build excitement among investors and showcase what we've accomplished so far. So, Ms. Cross, not all, but important crew members must attend."
"Is it just media coverage you're after?" She kept her voice light but couldn't stop the suspicion churning inside her.
"It's important for the company," he replied. "These kinds of events help maintain our position in the industry."
"Is there more to it than that?"
Alexander paused before answering. "It's standard procedure for a project of this scale."
That was the last question she threw at him before it was a wrap and he ordered everyone to go back to work.
During the afternoon break, Vivienne headed to the water cooler. Victor and Eliza happened to be talking in a corner in hushed tones. She slowed her steps, not meaning to eavesdrop but unable to stop herself.
"After this gala, the board will finally decide," Victor was saying. "It's been hanging over everyone's head for months."
Vivienne froze, cup halfway to the water dispenser.
"I know," Eliza replied. "It's a lot of pressure on him."
"This is Alexander's chance to keep his father's company," Victor continued. "If Tyranny impresses them, his uncle won't have enough support to challenge him anymore."
Vivienne didn't move, barely breathing as their conversation changed to other topics. She filled her cup and walked away. But her mind was racing.
Last night, after Noah was asleep, she'd searched for information about Hunt Enterprises online. She'd read articles about corporate leadership transitions, about how major project launches could affect stock prices and investor confidence. She hadn't connected the dots until now.
Alexander and his mother were trying to save his father's company from the hands of his greedy uncle, who happened to be a powerful stakeholder in the company.
But what did it have to do with her? What was her role in this power play?
When the day's session ended, Vivienne stayed behind as the others packed up. She waited until Alexander was alone before approaching him.
"If the gala doesn't go well," she asked without preamble, "what happens next?"
Alexander looked up, surprise flashing across his face before settling into resignation. He set down his tablet.
"The board could question my leadership," he admitted after a moment. "But that wouldn't affect your contract or your position on the project."
"You should have mentioned this," Vivienne said. "It wasn't in the contract."
"You're right. I should have told you." He met her gaze directly. "I didn't want to add that pressure to what you were already dealing with."
She searched his face for any hint of deception, but his words seemed sincere. Still, they didn't explain what she'd overheard. What plan he was following. And what Victoria knew that Vivienne didn't.
She picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.
"I don't know how I feel about this gala exactly," she said quietly. "But I don't like the idea."
Alexander didn't try to stop her when she walked away. He just watched her leave.
As she strolled out of the building, Vivienne realized her concerns went beyond Victoria Hunt. Now she wondered if she could trust Alexander at all.