Chapter 101: An Unseen Enemy

The news hit Malia like a slap to the face.

Her phone buzzed incessantly on the desk as a flurry of emails flooded her inbox, each one more urgent than the last. A major contract, one that had taken months to negotiate, had been pulled at the last minute. It was a deal that would have secured their position in the industry for years to come—now gone, just like that.

She stared at the screen, her eyes narrowing as the words jumped out at her.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are suspending all further dealings with Nixus Enterprises. Our decision is final. Regards, the Board."

The cold, impersonal language was a slap in the face, but what stung more was the feeling that she had been blindsided. The rug had been ripped out from under her, and she had no idea how or why it had happened. Malia's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the sudden withdrawal.