Chapter 15: THE TRAP

Chapter 15: The Trap

Stella barely slept. The weight of the upcoming presentation, the whispers in the office, and Patricia’s ever-present shadow loomed over her. She knew Patricia wouldn’t stop at a public reprimand—there was more to come.

As the morning sun cast a pale glow over the city, she walked into the office, her heart pounding. She had spent the entire night perfecting her report, ensuring that no loophole could be found. If she was going to be judged, she would at least stand with her dignity intact.

But the moment she stepped inside the boardroom, she knew something was wrong.

The air was thick with anticipation, eyes darting toward her like they were waiting for a spectacle. Patricia sat with an eerie calmness, her manicured nails tapping the table rhythmically. The projection screen was already on, and to Stella’s horror, it displayed her financial report—except that it was altered.

Numbers had been tampered with. Graphs skewed to make her look incompetent.

A pit formed in her stomach. Patricia had set her up.

“Stella, please begin,” Patricia said smoothly, her voice honeyed with deceit.

Stella inhaled sharply. She had no choice but to continue. “Good morning, everyone. As per your request, I have compiled a mitigation strategy to address the financial discrepancies. First, let’s go over the original numbers—”

Click.

The slide advanced—but instead of the corrected figures, a glaring error flashed across the screen. One that hadn’t been there before.

Gasps filled the room.

One executive turned to another, whispering. “How could she make such a basic mistake again?”

Patricia feigned concern, shaking her head. “Oh, Stella. Not again.”

Stella’s throat dried up. She knew this wasn’t her mistake. Patricia had altered the report to humiliate her. But saying so without proof would make her look even more desperate. And then, just as the walls were closing in—

Richard walked in.

The tension in the room shifted. He looked sharp as ever, his tailored suit crisp, his presence commanding. But his eyes—his eyes betrayed him. They softened the moment they landed on Stella.

For a second, hope flickered in her chest. He’s here. He’ll help me. But then she saw it—the invisible leash Patricia had on him. Richard’s movements were stiff, his jaw clenched. He couldn’t save her. If he did, Patricia would know the truth—that he still loved Stella.And Patricia was watching him closely. She smiled at him, her expression possessive. Daring him to intervene.Stella saw the war in Richard’s eyes, the silent plea. But he wouldn’t act. He couldn’t. He had already made his choice.

Just as Patricia was about to drive in the final dagger—

David spoke

“This is an interesting error,” David said casually, adjusting his glasses. His tone was calm, almost amused, but his words were razor-sharp. “But… it’s not Stella’s.”

Silence fell.

David leaned back, flipping through the report on his tablet. “You see, the version she submitted last night doesn’t match the one displayed here. I personally reviewed her work before the meeting, and her calculations were flawless.” He glanced up, his gaze piercing. “Someone must have tampered with the files.”

Patricia’s face darkened.

Another executive frowned. “Are you sure?”

David’s lips twitched. “Quite sure.” Then, in a tone so smooth yet lethal, he added, “And it’s a shame. It almost feels like… someone wanted Stella to fail.”

Murmurs rippled through the room.

Patricia’s fingers curled into fists, but she recovered quickly. “Well, mistakes happen. Stella, you’ll have to redo the report properly.”

David tilted his head. “No need. The real report is right here.”

He tapped his screen, and within seconds, the corrected version appeared on the main display.

A stunned silence filled the room. The executives now stared at Patricia, questions in their eyes.

Stella, still frozen, turned to David. His expression remained unreadable, but for the briefest moment, his fingers brushed against hers as he passed her a flash drive—the real report.

A silent message: I’ve got you.

Richard looked between them, his hands tightening into fists. He had been helpless to defend Stella. But David? David had done what he couldn’t.

And that realization cut deeper than he was willing to admit.

Patricia’s jaw tensed. She had lost this round. But the battle? Far from over.

As the meeting concluded, Stella exhaled for the first time in what felt like hours. She had survived. And for the first time, she wasn’t alone.

David had stood up for her. And everyone had noticed.

Even Richard. Even Patricia

And that changed everything.