Chapter 110: A Warning from the Shadows

The message arrived without warning.

Malia sat in her office late one evening, the soft hum of the city outside her window the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. The files in front of her were a blur of data—more contracts, more threats, more ways Evelyn seemed to be tightening her grip around Malia's business. It was always the same cycle: Evelyn struck, Malia fought back, and yet no matter how hard she tried, Evelyn always seemed to be one step ahead.

She had sent the last email with everything she had, pushing back against the legal attacks, but it was just a small victory in a battle that felt unending. Tonight, though, there was an unsettling feeling in the air. Something was off. Her instincts, honed by years of business, were ringing an alarm, but she couldn't pinpoint why. She stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the city lights, letting her mind drift.

The soft knock on her office door jolted her back to reality.