Chapter 8 - Bloodlines and Betrayal
Avery managed to slip out the back exit, her pulse pounding in her ears. She met Elena at the designated pickup spot, but the mood was far from celebratory.
“You did it,” Elena said, though her face was etched with worry. “You just blew up their entire plan.”
“Why was she smiling, Elena?” Avery asked, her breath hitching. “Victoria. She looked like she wanted me to do exactly what I just did.”
Elena stopped the car, looking at Avery with genuine fear. “I just got a call from an inside source. The Sterling stock didn't drop when the news broke. In fact, it jumped.”
Avery felt a chill crawl down her spine. “What do you mean?”
“They were shorting their own stock,” Elena explained, her voice low. “They knew you would show up. They wanted the news of the rezoning scandal to break. It triggered a massive sell-off from smaller investors, allowing the Sterling conglomerate to buy back their own shares at a massive discount, consolidating total control. They used you, Avery. You didn’t just ruin their plan; you helped them execute a hostile takeover of their own company.”
Avery stared out the window, the weight of the realization crushing. She had been so focused on the fight that she hadn’t seen the trap laid out in front of her. She had been playing into their hands the entire time.
“They’re not just after the land,” Avery realized, her voice barely a whisper. “They’re trying to eliminate all external influence. They’re becoming a closed loop.”
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“And you,” Elena added, “are their perfect scapegoat. You just committed a high-profile disruption at a government hearing. Liam is already painting you as a mentally unstable, vengeful ex-wife. The media is already pivoting, Avery. They’re calling you a 'deranged stalker'.”
Avery closed her eyes, the cold reality settling in. She had tried to play by their rules of war, but the Sterlings played a game of shadow and mirrors. She was fighting a ghost, and the ghost was winning.
