Love Denied Ch 12

Chapter 12
The War Escalates
Elena sat alone in her office, the file on Ryan Lancaster
spread out in front of her like a map of war. The documents
Daniel had provided were damning. Ryan’s involvement in
her mother’s health issues, the falsified reports, the
underhanded financial dealings—it was all there.
She had never felt such a cold fury in her life.
She leaned back in her chair, staring at the evidence,
calculating her next move. Ryan had crossed a line, and
Elena was done being his pawn. It was time to take control.
The phone on her desk rang, jolting her from her thoughts.
She picked it up, expecting to hear Daniel’s voice, but the
number on the screen was unfamiliar.
“Elena Carter,” she answered, her tone steely.
“Ms. Carter,” came a voice on the other end, a voice that
sounded smooth and calculating. “I trust you are well aware
of the situation at hand.”
Elena’s heart skipped a beat. It was Ryan’s lawyer, Gregory
Blackwell.
“I’ve been expecting your call,” Elena said, her voice
unwavering. “What is it you want?”
“Straight to the point, I see,” Blackwell replied, a small laugh
in his voice. “I’m calling on behalf of my client, Ryan
Lancaster. He has made it clear that he is not interested in
further conflict. He is willing to offer you a generous
settlement to drop the accusations against him and walk
away.”
Elena felt a bitter laugh bubble up in her throat. “Generous?
How generous are we talking?”
“Let’s just say it’s enough to make all of this disappear,”
Blackwell replied smoothly.
Elena’s grip tightened on the phone. “I don’t negotiate with
criminals, Mr. Blackwell. And I don’t take bribes.”
There was a pause, and Elena could almost hear Blackwell’s
smile on the other end. “Very well, Ms. Carter. But don’t say
I didn’t warn you. Ryan has powerful connections. You
won’t be able to fight this forever.”
“I don’t need your warning,” Elena snapped. “But if Ryan
wants to play hardball, he’s welcome to try. Because I’m not
backing down.”
She hung up the phone, her mind already calculating her next
move.
Ryan’s Plan Unfolds
Ryan sat in his private office, watching the news coverage
of Elena’s latest press conference. She was fiery, defiant,
and—unpredictably—relentless. He had expected her to
buckle under pressure, but she was only growing stronger.
Nathan entered the room, carrying a folder. “Blackwell made
the call. Elena refused the settlement offer.”
Ryan leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “I
expected that. She thinks she’s untouchable.”
Nathan stood silent for a moment, then spoke. “What’s the
next move? We need to hit her where it hurts—publicly,
financially, personally.”
Ryan’s eyes glinted with cold amusement. “Let’s make sure
Elena has no allies left.”
He turned to Nathan. “I want everything. Dig up her personal
finances, her company dealings, every skeleton in her closet.
If we can’t break her spirit, we’ll break her reputation.”
Nathan nodded. “Understood.”
The First Blow
The next day, Elena received a call from her accountant.
“Elena,” the voice on the other end sounded frantic. “We’ve
been hacked.”
“What do you mean, hacked?” Elena asked, her stomach
sinking.
“The financial records,” the accountant continued.
“Someone gained access to the company’s accounts, and
they’ve been moving money around—large sums. It looks
like a complete takeover.”
Elena’s mind raced. This was no ordinary hack. Ryan was
trying to destroy her from the inside out.
“Can you stop it?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
“We’re working on it, but the damage might already be done.
It’s going to take some time to trace it back to the source.”
“Trace it back,” Elena demanded. “And make sure you don’t
leave any stone unturned. Ryan Lancaster is behind this, and
I will make him pay.”
A Visit to the Past
While Elena fought to stabilize her company, the pressure
began to mount. Every call she received, every message—
no matter how small—seemed like another blow from
Ryan’s army. He was not playing fair, and neither would she.
But Elena had a few tricks of her own. She had learned the
art of war long ago. When things got personal, it was time to
fight dirty.
The day after the hacking incident, she found herself
standing in front of her childhood home, a place she had not
visited in years. The house was small, nestled on the
outskirts of the city, a far cry from the high-rise offices and
expensive hotels she was used to.
But Elena was not here to reminisce. She was here to find
something—a file, a ledger, a clue that could turn the tide in
her favor.
She pushed open the old door, the familiar creak making her
stomach churn with old memories. Her mother had always
kept a meticulous record of everything, and Elena knew that
somewhere in this house, there was something that could
give her the edge.
After hours of searching, Elena found the file she was
looking for. It was buried under years of dust, hidden in the
attic. Inside, there were documents, old letters—nothing
particularly special at first glance. But then she found it: a
contract, signed by her mother and none other than Ryan
Lancaster.
The deal was for something that her mother had never
spoken about—an agreement between their families that had
been buried long ago. The details were murky, but there was
one line that stood out to Elena.
“In case of breach, the Carter family will relinquish all
control over assets to Lancaster Enterprises.”
Her blood ran cold.
Ryan had been playing this game long before Elena even
realized it. But now, she had the ammunition she needed.
With a determined look in her eyes, Elena closed the file. It
was time to turn the tables.