The Final Checkmate

Lucius Vale entered the boardroom like a man on his victory lap.

His suit? Impeccable.

His steps? Slow and deliberate.

His face? Wearing that bored, cold confidence that had made entire market sectors bend to his will.

Today was supposed to be easy.

Vale Industries was weeks away from swallowing Debonair subsidiaries whole.

Their stock had been teetering.

Their public image? A mess after that banquet scandal.

Their influence? Spread too thin.

And Krishna Debonair?

A nuisance.

A loud, reckless, attention-seeking Beta… soon to be publicly humiliated by the financial blow Lucius spent weeks orchestrating.

He sat at the head of the table, flipping through his notes with barely disguised amusement.

"Let's begin," he said coolly.

But then… the door opened.

And in walked Lucian Debonair.

The entire board fell into an awkward silence. Several of Lucius's own executives exchanged glances.

Lucius blinked. Slowly.

"…Debonair?" His tone stayed flat, but something flickered behind his eyes. "Did you lose your way to your family's sinking ship?"

Lucian didn't answer immediately.

He strode across the room without hesitation, sitting at the vacant chair reserved for… outside majority stakeholders.

Lucius's gaze narrowed.

"…That seat's not for you."

Lucian, adjusting his cuffs, finally lifted his gaze. Cold. Unblinking.

"I'm here on behalf of the new controlling shareholder."

Lucius paused.

"…Excuse me?"

Before anyone could move, the projector screen powered on.

A digital shareholder ledger flashed up on display.

Top line:

> New Majority Stakeholder: Debonair Holdings Group.

Lucius's heart skipped.

"What—?" His voice cracked halfway through the word.

The next slide rolled over.

Charts. Timelines. Acquisition logs.

For the past four months… Debonair Holdings had been quietly buying Vale stock from private sellers, offshore brokers, and silent investors.

Layer by layer.

Bit by bit.

The final consolidation?

Finalized this morning.

Lucius shot to his feet.

"This is illegal! Your family didn't have the capital for this!"

Lucian stayed seated, voice like stone.

"We liquidated secondary assets. Shifted dormant funds. And… offloaded two non-performing divisions."

Lucius's face twisted. "That's corporate suicide!"

"It worked," Lucian replied bluntly.

Silence.

Then—

Another voice.

Light. Mocking.

Almost… cheerful.

"Gooooood morning, gentlemen."

The door opened again.

Krishna.

Casual blouse. Slacks. Hair up in a lazy bun like she'd just woken up twenty minutes ago.

She strolled into the boardroom like she owned it. Because… technically… her family now did.

Lucius's mouth opened, ready to spit something venomous, but Krishna breezed right past him and perched herself at the window ledge.

"Don't mind me. Just here for the drama," she said with a bright smile.

Lucius's blood ran cold.

Lucian didn't even flinch at her presence.

Lucius turned to the board, scrambling for composure. "This is a hostile acquisition. I'll fight this in court."

Lucian stood.

Leaning forward just enough for every person in the room to hear him.

"You already lost, Vale."

Another slide clicked up.

Debonair Holdings now owned 51.3% of Vale Industries.

Krishna whistled low under her breath like she was at a sports game.

Lucius's hands trembled at his sides.

Krishna, ever helpful, gave him one last sugar-sweet comment:

"Funny how you spent weeks trying to break our family's name… just to end up one of our… assets."

Lucius glared at her like he wanted to murder something.

Lucian?

Already turning to leave.

Because for him…

This wasn't personal.

Just business.

---

Lucius Vale stood in the now-empty boardroom, gripping the edge of the conference table like he could strangle victory back into his hands.

His empire…

Gone.

Swallowed whole.

And worse?

By the Debonairs.

By them.

By her.

He barely registered the sound of soft footsteps until a familiar, irritating voice cut through the room like sugar-coated poison.

"Oh, look at you."

Krishna's voice.

Lucius froze.

Turning slowly, he found her standing in the doorway, shoulders relaxed, smile lazy, wearing that same smug, untouchable expression that had haunted him since that damned banquet.

She didn't wait for an invite.

Just strolled right in like she owned not only the room… but him too.

"Enjoying your little private meltdown?" she asked, circling toward him like a cat eyeing a cornered mouse. "Gotta say… you wear public humiliation well."

Lucius's jaw clenched.

"You've had your fun. Now leave."

Krishna laughed, short, sharp, delighted.

"Oh, Lucius… baby… we're way past fun."

She paused near the window, propping one hip against the sill, looking him up and down like she was mentally sizing him for something far more dangerous than a suit.

"You know…" she mused, tapping her bottom lip thoughtfully, "You're a smart one. I'll give you that. Got me sweating for a bit back there. Your little corporate sabotage attempt? The market plays? Mmm… impressive."

Lucius said nothing.

His pride wouldn't let him.

Krishna's smile widened.

"That's why…" She stepped closer, lowering her voice like she was offering something scandalous. "I've decided to make you an offer."

Lucius blinked.

"…What?"

She tilted her head, expression mock-innocent.

"Be mine."

Silence.

Krishna's grin turned predatory.

"Not like Aaron. I don't need another errand dog. One's enough. No, no… you…" She leaned in, voice low and velvet-smooth. "…I want you for your brain."

Lucius stiffened.

"I'm lazy, you see," she continued with a sigh. "All these numbers and market projections and quarterly earnings? Ugh. Boring. Tedious. Emotionally draining." She wrinkled her nose. "But you…? You're already wired for that stuff."

She let the words hang for a beat longer before delivering the killing blow:

"So here's the deal: You become my brain. My strategist. My little corporate knife in the dark."

She winked.

"And in return… you get to stay relevant."

Lucius's face twisted with something between rage and disbelief.

"You want me to work for you?"

Krishna's laughter filled the room like confetti exploding from a cannon.

"Oh sweetheart… I don't want you to 'work for me'…" She stepped back, giving him one final once-over.

"I want to own you."

She moved toward the door, pausing just before stepping out.

"Think it over, Lucius. Pride's cute and all… but unemployment?" She mock-shivered. "So tragic."

With one last, lazy wave of her fingers, she left him standing there…

Seething.

Cornered.

And, most insultingly…

Considering it.