Chapter 6: Torn Between Pride and Panic

Rhea Sloane’s fingers hovered over her keyboard as the notification pinged. The email sat there, ominously waiting. She hadn’t even opened it yet, but she already knew what it was. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. No. Not now. Not like this.

She’d spent years building her reputation—climbing ValeCorp from a mere shadow of an idea into an empire. Every decision, every negotiation, every late night had been worth it. She’d done it all on her own. She didn’t need anyone else, especially not now, when the stakes were higher than ever. But this… this was different. This wasn’t just a business setback. This was a scandal, a betrayal.

Rhea clicked the email open, her gaze scanning the first few lines. CONFIDENTIAL LEAK—RHEA SLOANE NAMED IN DATA BREACH.

Her breath caught in her throat.

She could feel the world around her tilting, warping into a nightmare. The files had been leaked—files containing information on ValeCorp’s merger with a foreign conglomerate. Information that she was responsible for, information she had worked tirelessly to keep secure. Her name was all over it, her involvement, her signature. Everything she had spent months securing, someone had torn apart in one swift move.

The cold sweat began to trickle down her back. Her mind raced, running through a thousand scenarios, each one darker than the last. She wasn’t just a name in a headline. She was the target. The person behind this leak knew exactly how to destroy her—how to undo everything she had worked for.

A knock on her office door broke through the panic swirling in her chest.

“Rhea?” The voice of her assistant, Kelly, was soft but laced with concern. “Are you okay? You’ve been silent for over an hour.”

Rhea blinked rapidly, trying to steady herself, to hold onto the semblance of control she’d always prided herself on. But it was slipping, fast.

“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a smile. “Just a little tired. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Kelly hesitated, lingering at the door, clearly not convinced. But Rhea didn’t give her a chance to protest. “I said, I’m fine. Go ahead and finish the briefing for the meeting. I’ll join you shortly.”

With a final uncertain glance, Kelly left, and Rhea was alone again with her thoughts—and the terror creeping through her veins.

She ran a hand through her dark, slick hair, frustration bubbling under the surface. How had this happened? Who could have leaked the files? And why was her name attached to it?

The thought of admitting this—admitting that she couldn’t handle this herself—was almost unbearable. Rhea was not someone who asked for help. Ever. She had worked her whole life to prove that she could stand alone, that she didn’t need anyone’s assistance. And now, here she was, facing a crisis that demanded she do the one thing she had always feared: ask for help.

Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the email again. The leak was massive, and it was everywhere. Social media was already buzzing with speculation, and the press was going to have a field day. The damage was done. She couldn’t hide from this.

Her breath came in short, shallow bursts as panic began to set in. If this got out of control, she could lose everything. ValeCorp’s reputation, her own, the merger—it could all come crashing down in a matter of hours.

The screen in front of her blurred as her mind whirled with options. She could do damage control. She could call a press conference, spin the situation, try to bury the leak before it became too widespread. But the thought of going public with this? It made her stomach churn.

There was only one person who could help her now, and even that thought twisted her insides. She had avoided him for years, always priding herself on never needing him, never being vulnerable enough to ask. But now, with everything on the line, there was no other choice.

Rhea stood, her legs weak beneath her. She grabbed her phone, the screen lighting up as her fingers hovered over the number she had avoided for so long.

Damian Vale.

Her former colleague, the one person who knew the ins and outs of the company better than she did. Damian had always had a reputation for being ruthless, calculating, and far more connected than anyone realized. He had a knack for cleaning up messes—messes she had no desire to get involved with. But now, he was the only person with the resources, the connections, the influence to fix this.

She pressed his name on the screen, the phone ringing in her ear, each second feeling like an eternity. The call picked up, and Rhea swallowed her pride.

“Damian,” she said, her voice tight with frustration. “I need your help.”

There was a long pause on the other end. A slow exhale. Then, his voice, calm and dangerously composed. “I knew you’d come to me eventually. What’s the crisis this time?”

Her hands clenched into fists as she fought to maintain her composure. “Confidential files were leaked. They’ve got my name on them. It’s bad, Damian. I need you to find out who did this, and I need you to stop it before it gets worse.”

Damian’s laughter was low, almost cruel. “You’ve got the nerve to ask me for help now? After all these years of doing everything yourself?”

Rhea’s chest tightened. She hated how he was right. She had always handled things alone, never asking for anyone’s assistance. She had built her career from scratch, and she wasn’t about to let this one incident define her. But now… now there was no other choice.

“I don’t have time for your games, Damian. I need this fixed. If this leaks further, if the press gets a hold of it… ValeCorp will be destroyed.”

There was another pause, but this time, Damian’s tone shifted, turning serious. “Alright, I’ll help you. But understand this, Rhea—this is going to cost you. I don’t do favors anymore.”

Rhea’s stomach sank, but she nodded anyway, the weight of her desperation suffocating her pride.

“I don’t care what it costs,” she said, her voice tight. “Just make it go away.”

“Done.” Damian’s voice was final. “I’ll handle it. But you owe me now.”

Rhea hung up, her heart still pounding in her chest. She had done it. She had asked for help. And now, there was no turning back.

The world outside her office window blurred as she stared at the city skyline. The next move would be critical. But for the first time in her life, Rhea Sloane was forced to admit that she couldn’t do everything on her own.

And that realization—more than anything—terrified her.

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