Cracks in the Alliance

[Scene: Rowena’s penthouse. The room is in disarray—papers scattered, a broken vase on the floor. Rowena is on a call with Alex, her voice cold and sharp.]

Rowena: [furiously] “Do you take me for a fool, Alex? How long have you been plotting against me?”

Alex: [snapping] “I’m not plotting against you, Rowena! This is a setup, and you’re too blind to see it.”

Rowena: [laughing bitterly] “Oh, so the photos, the contracts—those are all a coincidence? You think I don’t recognize betrayal when it’s staring me in the face?”

Alex: [gritting his teeth] “You’re letting paranoia cloud your judgment. We have bigger enemies to deal with!”

Rowena: [smirking] “Funny, coming from someone who’s clearly working with Ian behind my back. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little meetings.”

Alex: [pausing, his tone hardening] “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rowena: [mockingly] “Don’t I? Keep your secrets, Alex. But don’t think for a second I won’t strike first.”

She ends the call abruptly, leaving Alex seething.

[Scene shifts: Liana’s base. She’s with Serena and Noah, watching the exchange through a tapped feed.]

Serena: [grinning as she leans back in her chair] “They’re at each other’s throats. I almost feel sorry for them.”

Noah: [smirking] “Almost.”

Liana: [calmly sipping her coffee] “This is just the beginning. They’ll implode soon enough. We just have to keep nudging them in the right direction.”

Serena: [curious] “What about Ian? He’s starting to connect the dots.”

Liana: [smiling faintly] “Let him. The more he investigates, the closer he’ll come to realizing how outmatched he is.”

[Scene shifts: Damian’s office. Ethan and Adrian are discussing security upgrades with Damian when Liana walks in, her presence commanding.]

Liana: [placing a folder on Damian’s desk] “The latest reports. Rowena’s planning to isolate Alex by cutting off his resources.”

Ethan: [raising an eyebrow] “She’s going for the jugular.”

Liana: [smirking] “Desperation makes people bold. But it also makes them sloppy. She’s leaving a trail we can use.”

Damian: [flipping through the folder] “Good. We’ll let her tighten the noose around Alex. Once he’s cornered, he’ll make a mistake.”

Adrian: [chuckling] “Remind me never to get on your bad side, Liana.”

Liana: [smiling slightly] “Smart man.”

[Scene shifts: Alex’s office. He’s pouring over financial reports when Ian walks in unannounced.]

Ian: [smirking as he takes a seat] “You look stressed, Alex.”

Alex: [coldly] “What do you want, Ian?”

Ian: [leaning forward] “To help. You and Rowena are tearing each other apart while someone else is pulling the strings.”

Alex: [narrowing his eyes] “And you know who it is?”

Ian: [shrugging] “Not yet. But I have my suspicions. Liana Everhart’s name keeps popping up.”

Alex: [frowning] “Liana? She’s a nobody.”

Ian: [chuckling] “A nobody with access to a lot of power. Don’t underestimate her.”

Alex: [gritting his teeth] “If she’s behind this, I’ll deal with her personally.”

Ian: [smirking] “Good luck with that.”

[Scene shifts: A secluded warehouse. Liana and Damian meet with a trusted ally, a hacker named Cipher, who has new information about Ian’s activities.]

Cipher: [excitedly] “Ian’s been busy. He’s hired a private investigator to dig into your past, Liana.”

Liana: [calmly] “Let him look. He’ll find exactly what I want him to find.”

Cipher: [grinning] “You really are ten steps ahead.”

Damian: [seriously] “What about his finances? Any vulnerabilities?”

Cipher: [nodding] “Plenty. He’s been moving money through shell companies, but I’ve tracked the accounts. We can hit him where it hurts.”

Liana: [smiling faintly] “Do it. Let’s see how he handles losing his safety net.”

[Scene shifts: Rowena’s penthouse. She’s on a video call with Ian, her expression tense.]

Rowena: [coldly] “Alex is becoming a liability. If he steps out of line again, I’ll handle him myself.”

Ian: [amused] “And here I thought you cared about him.”

Rowena: [laughing bitterly] “Caring gets you killed. You should know that better than anyone.”

Ian: [smiling faintly] “Fair enough. Just don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.”

Rowena: [smirking] “Don’t worry. I’m always in control.”