The tipping point

Allegra stood in CrossTech's executive boardroom, staring at the city skyline stretching far beyond the tinted glass windows. Below, the city moved as if nothing had changed, oblivious to the fact that a war was brewing in the corridors of power.

Behind her, Adrian Cross sat at the head of the long glass table, his fingers steepled, his expression unreadable. The air between them was charged with unspoken strategy and inevitable betrayal.

She had spent years preparing to destroy him. Now, she was standing at his side, preparing to save him instead.

Adrian exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. "Navarro won't wait. Now that he knows I'm aware, he'll make his move."

Allegra nodded. "Which means Diana will too."

A flicker of something dark crossed Adrian's face at the mention of his sister. "She's already made hers."

Allegra frowned. "What do you mean?"

Adrian slid a manila folder across the table. She picked it up and flipped it open. Inside were legal documents—a formal motion from CrossTech's board to remove Adrian as CEO.

Her pulse spiked. "She's forcing a takeover?"

Adrian's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "She's trying. But she doesn't have enough votes."

Allegra scanned the documents, calculating. "Yet."

Adrian nodded. "Which is why we hit first."

She closed the folder. "How?"

Adrian leaned back, his gaze sharp. "We cut off Navarro's influence before he solidifies his hold. That means financial lockdowns, internal audits, and pressuring the board before Diana can turn them against me."

Allegra crossed her arms. "That sounds like a defensive move. You don't play defense."

Adrian smirked slightly. "No, I don't." He exhaled, his gaze flickering to the city outside. "Which is why I need to know if I can trust you."

Allegra stiffened. "I've given you no reason not to."

Adrian's eyes snapped back to her. "That's not an answer."

Silence stretched between them. This was the moment. The defining line between her past and present.

She inhaled slowly. "If I wanted to betray you, I already would have."

Adrian studied her, then gave a slow nod. "Good." He stood, straightening his sleeves. "Then let's remind Navarro why CrossTech doesn't fall."

Allegra followed him out of the boardroom, her heart pounding.

Lines were being drawn. And she had just chosen a side.

Allegra moved through CrossTech's executive wing, her mind a storm of calculations. The board was shifting beneath Adrian's feet, Navarro was tightening his grip, and Diana was playing a game with no clear rules.

She had aligned herself with Adrian—for now—but trust was still a fragile illusion.

Her phone buzzed. Jace.

She answered as she stepped into her office, closing the door behind her. "Tell me you have something."

Jace's voice was low, urgent. "Diana just made her move. She's meeting with Navarro tonight."

Allegra's grip tightened. "Where?"

"Private club downtown. The kind where deals don't get documented."

Allegra exhaled. "This is it, isn't it? She's locking in the takeover."

Jace hesitated. "It's worse than that."

Allegra frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I dug deeper into Navarro's offshore accounts," Jace said. "Diana isn't just helping him take CrossTech. She's selling him Zenith."

Allegra's stomach twisted. "She wouldn't."

"She would," Jace said. "And if Navarro gets Zenith's proprietary tech, Adrian is finished—whether the board votes him out or not."

Allegra didn't hesitate. "I need a copy of everything you found. Now."

Jace exhaled. "Already sending it."

A sharp knock at her door made her stiffen.

She turned just as Adrian stepped inside.

She ended the call, sliding her phone into her pocket. "What is it?"

Adrian's expression was unreadable. "I need you to get ahead of Diana."

Allegra kept her face neutral. "And how do you suggest I do that?"

"You're going to her meeting with Navarro," Adrian said.

Allegra blinked. "Excuse me?"

Adrian walked closer, voice even. "Diana trusts Navarro, but Navarro still doesn't trust her. He'll want confirmation that she can actually deliver. That's where you come in."

Allegra crossed her arms. "You want me to pretend to be on their side?"

Adrian smirked. "You already got an invitation from Navarro, didn't you?"

Her pulse spiked. He knew.

She kept her voice even. "How long have you known?"

Adrian leaned against her desk. "Long enough."

She swallowed hard. "Then why didn't you stop me?"

"Because I wanted to see what you'd do," Adrian said. "And now I know."

Allegra let out a slow breath. "And what exactly do you think you know?"

Adrian's gaze didn't waver. "That you haven't picked a side yet."

The words cut through the air like a blade.

Allegra met his stare. "If that were true, I wouldn't be telling you this now."

A tense silence stretched between them. Then Adrian nodded. "Fair point."

Allegra sighed, rubbing her temples. "So what's the play? If I go to this meeting, what do you want me to do?"

Adrian's voice was smooth, controlled. "I want you to stall them. Make Diana think you're considering her offer. Make Navarro second-guess whether she's the right investment."

Allegra frowned. "And what will you be doing?"

Adrian smirked. "Making sure when the deal falls apart, I'm the one left standing."

She studied him carefully. "And if Navarro realizes I'm playing him?"

Adrian's smirk faded. "Then I suggest you be very, very convincing."

Allegra exhaled slowly. She was walking into a trap.

The only question was whose it was.

The private club was a world away from the neon-lit chaos of the city—a sanctuary where billionaires made power plays behind closed doors. Allegra stepped past the velvet rope with ease, her black dress tailored to perfection, her every movement controlled. She wasn't just walking into a meeting.

She was walking into a battlefield.

A discreet server led her to a secluded VIP lounge. Inside, Victor Navarro lounged in a leather chair, looking effortlessly in control, while Diana Cross stood by the bar, swirling a glass of red wine with idle amusement.

Diana's gaze flickered to Allegra as she entered, a slow smile curving her lips. "Look who finally decided to stop pretending."

Allegra tilted her head. "Pretending?"

Diana chuckled. "Let's not insult each other, Allegra. You've been dancing between sides for weeks. It's time to pick one."

Allegra turned to Navarro, who studied her with quiet amusement. "And what exactly are my options?"

Navarro gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit. Let's talk."

She moved carefully, lowering herself into the chair, every instinct on high alert.

Navarro leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "Adrian sent you here, didn't he?"

Allegra met his gaze, not betraying a flicker of emotion. "If I say yes, does that change your offer?"

Navarro smirked. "Not at all. In fact, it makes it more interesting."

Diana perched on the arm of his chair, her eyes gleaming. "You know Adrian will lose, right? It's only a matter of time."

Allegra crossed her legs. "Funny. He said the same about you."

Diana let out a sharp laugh. "Adrian always thinks he's untouchable. That's his weakness."

Navarro watched her closely. "And what do you think, Ms. Blake?"

Allegra exhaled slowly, letting the moment stretch. "I think Adrian isn't the only one with blind spots."

Navarro's expression flickered—just for a second. She had his attention.

Diana's smile thinned. "Careful, Allegra. You're in the deep end now."

Allegra leaned forward. "I've been in the deep end my whole life."

Navarro chuckled. "Now that is an answer I respect." He reached for his drink, swirling the amber liquid. "Tell me, what does Adrian really think is happening tonight?"

Allegra let out a soft laugh. "He thinks I'm here to stall you. To make you doubt Diana's loyalty."

Diana scoffed. "Predictable."

Allegra's voice didn't waver. "And what he doesn't know is that I'm done playing messenger."

That got Navarro's full attention. He set his drink down, his gaze sharpening. "Meaning?"

Allegra let the silence build before delivering her next words.

"Meaning I want in."

Diana's expression flickered with something between curiosity and suspicion. "You want in?"

Allegra nodded. "I've been inside CrossTech long enough to see the cracks. Adrian's smart, but he's not invincible. He's reacting, not leading. If I stay tied to him, I go down with him."

Navarro studied her carefully. "And what exactly are you offering?"

Allegra's pulse pounded, but she kept her voice even. "Adrian trusts me. That means I have access. I can give you what Ethan never could."

Diana raised a brow. "And what's stopping you from running back to Adrian the second you leave this meeting?"

Allegra smirked. "Give me a reason not to."

Navarro exchanged a look with Diana before turning back to her. "Alright, Ms. Blake. Let's see if you're as valuable as you claim to be."

Allegra lifted her glass in a mock toast, hiding the unease twisting in her gut.

She had just stepped onto the tightrope.

And one wrong move would send her crashing down.

Navarro leaned back in his chair, watching Allegra with something between amusement and calculation. "You want in?" he repeated, rolling the words over his tongue like he was tasting them. "That's a bold statement."

Allegra didn't flinch. "You don't need bold. You need someone inside. Someone Adrian trusts."

Diana smirked, swirling the wine in her glass. "And you're suddenly that someone?"

Allegra met her gaze head-on. "Not suddenly. Strategically."

Navarro chuckled. "I like you, Allegra. You know how to sell yourself." He tapped a finger against his glass. "But I don't buy easily."

Allegra exhaled, leaning in just slightly. "Then let's talk specifics. What do you need?"

Navarro tilted his head. "You already know the answer. Zenith."

Allegra feigned mild surprise. "And here I thought this was about taking Adrian's throne."

Diana smirked. "Navarro is patient. CrossTech will fall into his hands eventually. But Zenith? That's a different game."

Navarro nodded. "Ethan tried to secure the tech for us before his… unfortunate departure."

Allegra arched a brow. "Unfortunate?"

Navarro's expression didn't change. "Ethan made mistakes. You won't."

The words sent a chill down her spine. That was a warning, not a compliment.

Diana leaned forward. "So, let's get down to it. You want in? Prove it."

Allegra tilted her head slightly. "How?"

Navarro smirked. "By showing us you're not just feeding us the same lines you feed Adrian."

Allegra's pulse quickened, but she kept her expression cool. "What do you have in mind?"

Diana placed her glass down with a sharp clink. "There's a security protocol update rolling out at CrossTech tomorrow. It locks down access to Zenith's data files."

Allegra's stomach tightened. She knew about the update—because she had helped Adrian implement it.

Diana continued, her voice smooth as silk. "If we don't have access before the lockdown, it complicates things. That's where you come in."

Allegra didn't blink. "You want me to hand you the keys."

Navarro smiled. "You're catching on fast."

Silence hung between them. This was it. The moment they decided whether she was an asset or a liability.

Allegra let out a slow breath. "And if I do this?"

Navarro leaned in, voice low. "Then you'll be more than just a pawn in someone else's game. You'll be on the winning side."

Diana smirked. "And if you don't?"

Navarro's smile didn't falter. "Then you'll be as replaceable as Ethan."

Allegra met his gaze, letting the weight of the moment settle.

Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll handle it."

Navarro grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

Diana raised her glass. "Welcome to the real game, Allegra."

Allegra lifted her own glass in return, though her mind was already racing.

She had just promised to betray Adrian.

The only problem?

She had no intention of keeping that promise.