CHAPTER8
1106 Words
Sarah’s pov
The soft hum of my laptop was my only companion as I sat in the library, the glow of the screen lighting up my tired face. Hours of work stared back at me, my presentation, perfectly structured, every slide polished to perfection. This competition was my ticket to proving myself, to breaking free from the whispers and accusations.
I leaned back, stretching my stiff shoulders, and decided to take a quick break. My eyes felt heavy, my fingers numb from the constant typing. When I returned, laptop in hand, I slid back into my seat, only to be met with a blank screen.
My heart dropped.
“No,” I whispered, frantically tapping keys. The presentation file was gone. Weeks of work vanished.
I scrolled through my folders, my hands trembling. Nothing. My stomach clenched, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.
Haylee appeared at my side, her eyes widening when she saw my panicked expression. “Sarah? What’s wrong?”
“It’s gone,” I said, my voice shaking. “The presentation… everything is gone.”
Haylee’s jaw tightened, and she grabbed my laptop. “This doesn’t just happen, not like this,” she muttered, her fingers flying across the keyboard. “Someone did this.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine. Someone? My mind immediately went to Mira, her smug face flashing before me. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.
“This can’t be a coincidence,” Haylee said, her voice low but firm. “We’ll figure it out, Sarah. We’ll get it back.”
I nodded, but the weight in my chest was unbearable.
Haylee and I huddled in my dorm room, the faint hum of the city outside barely noticeable over the frantic clicking of keys. The bed was covered in crumpled notes, half-empty coffee cups, and a hastily scribbled outline of what we could remember from the original presentation.
“Slide five was about market trends,” Haylee said, her voice strained as she flipped through a textbook. “Remember the stats you pulled from that research paper?”
I nodded, my hands shaking as I typed. “Yeah, I think the growth rate was 7.8% last year. I’ll double-check.”
The hours blurred together. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the missing presentation, the cursor blinking at me like a cruel reminder of my failure. But Haylee’s determination kept me grounded. She wasn’t just helping; she was fighting alongside me, refusing to let this setback define me.
“We’ll make this even better,” she said, her voice a mix of exhaustion and resolve. “Whoever tried to sabotage you? They’ll regret it.”
Her words lit a small flame in my chest. I wasn’t just rebuilding a presentation; I was reclaiming my dignity.
From my penthouse, the city sprawled beneath me, a sea of lights stretching out into the distance. But tonight, the view did little to calm the storm brewing inside me.
I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, the glass cool under my fingertips. My reflection stared back sharp grey eyes, a strong jawline that rarely softened, and a tension in my shoulders that refused to ease.
Zander entered without a sound, his presence as steady as ever. “You called?”
I nodded, turning to face him. “Something’s happening, Zander. Sarah’s being targeted.”
Zander crossed his arms, his expression grim. “Mira and her crew?”
“They’re the obvious choice, but I need confirmation.” I took a step closer, my voice low but firm. “I want you to keep an eye on her. Make sure she’s safe. And dig into Mira to find out what she’s planning.”
Zander gave a slight nod. “Consider it done.”
As he left, I sank into the leather armchair, my mind racing. The thought of Sarah in danger tightened something in my chest, an unfamiliar and unwelcome vulnerability.
I couldn’t let her face this alone.
By the time morning rolled around, the exhaustion was evident in every fibre of my being. Haylee had crashed on my couch, and I sat at my desk, staring at the revised presentation. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to keep me in the game.
I took a deep breath, trying to steel myself for the day ahead. But as I reached for my bag, a small envelope caught my eye. It had slipped under my door, the paper stark against the polished wood floor.
My stomach twisted as I picked it up, my fingers trembling slightly. Inside was a single sheet of paper, the words scrawled in bold, jagged handwriting:
You can rebuild your presentation, but you won’t rebuild your reputation.
My heart pounded, the weight of the threat pressing down on me. They weren’t just trying to sabotage my work, they were coming for me, for everything I’d worked so hard to build.
Haylee stirred on the couch, sitting up groggily. “What’s that?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.
I handed her the note, my hands still shaking. She read it, her expression darkening. “We need to show this to someone,” she said firmly. “This isn’t just a prank, Sarah. It’s serious.”
But who could I turn to?
Later that day, I found myself standing outside Xavier’s office once again, the note clutched tightly in my hand. The weight of it felt heavier now, the implications more dangerous.
When I stepped inside, he was waiting, his gaze piercing as always. “Sarah,” he said, his voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of concern. “What’s going on?”
I handed him the note without a word, watching as his expression darkened. He read it slowly, his jaw tightening with each word.
“This isn’t just about the competition anymore,” he said quietly, his eyes meeting mine. “They’re trying to break you.”
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. “What do we do?”
Xavier stood, his presence commanding as he crossed the room to stand in front of me. “We fight back,” he said simply. “You’re not alone in this, Sarah. I’ll make sure of it.”
His words sent a wave of relief through me, but they were quickly overshadowed by a new fear. If they were willing to go this far, what else were they capable of?
As I left his office, my mind raced with questions. But one thing was certain this wasn’t over. And the next move could change everything.
- Writer
