Chapter 2 Two Can Play
Kairo’s eyes stayed locked on Zephyra’s, the kind of boldness in her gaze both irritating and… intriguing. He didn’t break the stare, not for a second, as he closed the distance between them.
A part of him wondered what she thought she’d seen. Why she was so invested in a matter that had nothing to do with her. Was destroying people’s reputations a hobby for her?
Up close, she was different from the woman he’d only observed from afar at events. He’d read about her while reviewing prospects for Dravencorp’s new project. She was pretty. Too pretty to be a troublemaker.
He stopped in front of her, bending himself to her height. The hair that had fallen forward framed her face like a curtain, hiding part of her expression. The urge to see her face fully was too strong to resist. He reached out, brushing the strands gently behind her ear. She smelled sweet and light, almost distracting. He inhaled once before speaking.
“You know the law, but you don’t know me,” he murmured, low enough for only her to hear. “Big mistake. Be prepared for the consequences of your actions… Miss Zephyra Lione.”
Her jaw tightened, but he didn’t wait for a reply. Standing straight, he turned and walked away.
The reporters came after him immediately.
“Mr. Draven, what did she mean by that?”
“Mr. Draven, is there something you’re hiding?”
“What are your intentions for this charity event?”
He ignored them all, keeping his pace steady, without looking back. His guards moved in, forcing the reporters to slow down.
Outside, his car was already packed. He slid into the back seat, and Percy; his secretary, closed the door behind him before taking his seat in the front. The driver pulled away smoothly.
Percy turned slightly. “You okay, Boss? What exactly happened back there?”
Kairo didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he asked, “What kind of person is Zephyra Lione?”
Percy hesitated, then said, “She’s won Rookie Designer of the Year twice. She’s good at her job. Sharp-tongued, though. She says whatever she thinks, doesn’t hide her feelings, and she’s not afraid to make enemies. If she hates someone, you’ll know. She’s kind of famous for putting people in their places. I’d call her fearless, in one word.”
A faint smirk tugged at Kairo’s lips. “That will change from now on. I’ll give her something to fear.”
Percy glanced at him in the mirror. “What did she say though?”
“She made me her target tonight.”
Percy didn’t push. “I’ll handle the media.”
“Do that. And send me everything you have on her, if her brand is in our department stores, the sales figures, her business details. Everything.”
“Got it.”
\---
The next morning, Kairo was in his office early. His focus was on the files spread across his desk. He’d read most of them overnight; her company’s growth, her market influence, her media appearances.
Calls and messages kept coming in. Every journalist wanted a statement. Every competitor wanted to know if the charity drama was real. It was the biggest scandal in the fashion industry.
Percy walked in with a tablet in hand. “The press has run wild with it. Speculation everywhere. Do you want to put out a statement?”
“No.” Kairo didn’t look up. “I don’t need to explain anything to anyone.”
Percy waited, then asked, “So what now?”
Kairo sighed once, making up his mind. “As of now, send a notice to every one of our major department stores. Zephyra Lione’s branches have twenty-four hours to vacate. And take her off the collaboration list for the new project.”
“That’s fast,” Percy said carefully. “The board already approved her brand. They’re just waiting for your final signature.”
“They won’t get it. My word is final.”
Percy shifted, clearly debating whether to speak as a friend at that moment. “Kairo… you’ve never mixed personal issues with company business. This could get serious. The board will strongly oppose this decision ”
“I’m aware,” Kairo said. “Do it anyway.”
He nodded reluctantly.
“Oh, and Percy…” Kairo leaned back in his chair. “Let the media find out exactly what Dravencorp is doing to her. Make sure they know it’s public.”
He could already imagine the look on her face when she saw the news. And he wanted front-row seats.
\---
Zephyra walked into her office lazily, still tired from the restless night. Her manager and best friend, Elara, had called non-stop until she’d nearly thrown her phone across the room.
“Zeph!” came Elara’s sharp voice from outside.
“Speak of the devil,” Zephyra muttered as she fell into the couch in her office, lazily.
Elara barged in, looking exhausted. She clearly hadn’t slept much either.
“Good morning, Elara. What’s the fuss about?” Zephyra asked, feigning ignorance.
Elara groaned. “Can you not go to one event without causing trouble? There’s always an issue when you attend events. I thought this one was going to be different since it was a charity event, but I guess you can’t just stay away from trouble.”
Zephyra frowned. “You don’t know the full story, so stop blaming me. What’s done is done. At least I’m not the one suffering backlash.”
Elara dropped her phone on the desk and gave out a ridiculous laugh. “I wish we were. The business is about to go down. You messed with Dravencorp’s CEO. Mr. Draven isn’t an easy man. He’s determined to get back at you. There’s been an order from the department stores for us to close our branches there and leave.”
Zephyra’s eyes widened. “What?” She snatched up the phone, reading the official notice.
Elara moved closer, lowering her voice. “Zee, can’t you just apologize for whatever you said to him? These department stores are a huge part of how we make profit, leaving will cause a huge loss for us. We really can’t afford that.”
Zephyra took a long pause, then sighed. “Ellie, you know me too well than to ask me to apologize.”
“Zeph,” Elara pressed, “he didn’t only take us out of the department stores. Your target for the Designer of the Year award… he might have taken that opportunity away.”
Zephyra stilled. “Why would he take that away from me? Who is he to do that?”
“You were going to showcase your best designs this year in collaboration with a high-fashion company,” Elara explained gently. “The company we’ve been in talks with is Dravencorp, and Kairo Draven is in charge. We’ve been removed from the collaboration list. You weren’t really involved in admin work because you were focused on the designs, that’s why you don’t know about Dravencorp.”
Zephyra’s lips curled into a sharp smile. “Is this how he wants to play it? Using his company and power as revenge? Two can play this game. He’ll regret kicking me out. It’s common business sense, he won’t be able to handle the loss he’ll face by kicking me out.”
Elara’s shoulders sagged. She knew talking to Zephyra was hopeless. Zephyra wasn’t one to publicly apologize. It would be a stain on her pride and a drastic change in her character. And Zephyra had no intention of backing down.
Power wasn’t everything. And she’d prove it.