CHAPTER 68

Helena sat in her villa, the golden light of sunset streaming through the large windows. A glass of wine sat untouched on the table in front of her as she stared at the screen of her tablet, rage flickering across her face.

The news was everywhere. Zane Moretti had released a damning report, complete with financial records and internal memos, exposing her connections to the DeLucas and the smuggling operation. It was a masterpiece of strategy—precise, detailed, and impossible to dismiss.

“Helena Moretti Exposed: Smuggling and Corporate Espionage Tied to the DeLuca Family.”

“Zane Moretti’s Counterattack: A Crushing Blow to the Former Matriarch.”

Helena’s phone buzzed, and she snatched it up, answering without looking at the caller ID.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Alessandro DeLuca’s voice was cold, his fury barely contained. “This report ties my family to your incompetence. Do you realize what this means for us?”

“Calm down,” Helena said, though her voice trembled slightly. “We can spin this. The media moves quickly—something else will grab their attention soon.”

“You’ve become a liability,” Alessandro spat. “If you don’t fix this, we will.”

The line went dead, and Helena gripped the phone tightly, her mind racing. The walls were closing in, but she wasn’t done yet.

Celebration at the Hotel

At the hotel, the mood was triumphant. The team gathered in the suite, their phones buzzing with notifications as the media continued to cover the fallout from the report.

Reese grinned as she scrolled through her feed. “She’s done. Every outlet is running with the story, and public opinion is turning against her. Even the Moretti board is distancing themselves.”

Maya leaned against the counter, relief washing over her. “For the first time, it feels like we’re winning.”

Zane poured two glasses of champagne and handed one to Maya. “We are winning,” he said, his silver eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Helena’s empire is crumbling, and she knows it.”

Maya took the glass, her smile soft. “To us, then. To fighting back.”

“To us,” Zane echoed, clinking his glass against hers.

Luca’s Warning

That evening, as the team celebrated, Zane’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. The name on the screen made his jaw tighten.

“Luca,” he muttered, stepping onto the balcony to answer.

“Congratulations, brother,” Luca said, his tone laced with mockery. “You’ve certainly made a mess of things.”

“What do you want, Luca?” Zane asked, his voice cold.

“I’m calling to warn you,” Luca said, his smirk audible. “Helena may be down, but she’s not out. She’s desperate, and desperate people are dangerous.”

“Is that a threat?” Zane asked, his silver eyes narrowing.

“It’s a fact,” Luca replied. “And one you’d do well to remember. You may think you’ve won, but Helena still has one card left to play. You’ll see soon enough.”

The line went dead, and Zane stared out at the city, his grip tightening on the phone. Luca’s words lingered in his mind, a chilling reminder that the fight was far from over.

A Sudden Shift

The next morning, the team awoke to unexpected news. Alex’s phone buzzed with an alert, and he quickly scanned the message before swearing under his breath.

“What is it?” Zane asked, stepping into the living room.

“Helena’s not going quietly,” Alex said, handing Zane the phone.

The headline made Zane’s blood run cold:

“New Allegations Surface Against Zane Moretti: Financial Misconduct and Extortion Claims Emerge.”

“She’s accusing me of blackmail,” Zane said, his voice low with fury.

“She’s using the video she leaked,” Alex explained. “The one where it looks like you’re threatening her ally. She’s claiming it’s proof that you’ve been coercing people behind the scenes.”

“This is insane,” Maya said, her heart pounding. “Anyone who knows you will see right through this.”

“She’s not targeting the people who know me,” Zane said. “She’s targeting the board, the investors—anyone who has a stake in Moretti Corps. She’s trying to destabilize my position.”

Rising Tensions

As the day wore on, the fallout from Helena’s latest move intensified. Media outlets began running the story, and speculation swirled about the potential impact on Moretti Corps.

In the suite, the tension was palpable as the team scrambled to respond.

“She’s trying to turn the board against you,” Alex said. “If she convinces enough of them, she could force a vote to remove you as CEO.”

“She won’t,” Zane said firmly. “We have the truth on our side.”

“But the truth doesn’t always win,” Maya said softly. “Not when someone like Helena is pulling the strings.”

Zane turned to her, his silver eyes steady. “Then we pull harder. Helena wants a war, and we’ll give her one.”

Helena’s Last Card

At her villa, Helena stood before a fireplace, her expression icy as she reviewed her next move. A manila envelope sat on the table beside her, its contents carefully curated for maximum impact.

She picked up the envelope and handed it to a courier. “Deliver this to the Moretti board,” she said. “Make sure it gets there before their next meeting.”

The courier nodded and left, and Helena turned back to the fire, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“You may have won the battle, Zane,” she murmured. “But the war isn’t over yet.”

A Quiet Determination

That evening, as the city lights flickered outside, Zane and Maya sat together on the couch, their hands intertwined. The day’s events had taken their toll, but they were both too stubborn to back down.

“She’s not going to stop,” Maya said softly, her green eyes meeting Zane’s.

“I don’t expect her to,” Zane replied, his voice steady. “But neither are we.”

Maya leaned her head against his shoulder, drawing strength from his unwavering resolve. “We’ll get through this,” she said.

Zane pressed a kiss to her hair, his voice low. “We will. Together.”

As the night deepened, they prepared for the next phase of the battle—a fight that would test their strength, their love, and their determination like never before.