White Pharma Inc. – Katherine's Office, Morning
Katherine Samuel stood before the mirror in her private executive suite, applying her lipstick with delicate precision. Not a smudge, not a slip. Everything about her was calculated—from the soft wave of her hair to the pristine white blouse tucked into her obsidian skirt. Corporate elegance, laced with quiet control.
She smirked.
That girl—Kiefer—had walked into Davis's office like she belonged. How quaint.
Last night's scene replayed in her mind: Davis watching Kiefer with that flicker in his eyes. That hesitation. That curiosity.
Katherine had seen it before.
It always began with interest. Admiration. Then some misplaced sense of saviorhood.
But it always ended the same.
She turned, heels clicking against marble as she walked to her desk and pressed a button on her interface.
"Call Lionel. Now."
Within minutes, the head of board communications entered, clipboard in hand.
"You called, Ms. Samuel?"
"I want a quiet review of the internship slots. Especially around Davis's 'PA initiative.' I want names of the review board, their affiliations, any anonymous vote tallies."
He hesitated. "Are we assuming manipulation?"
Katherine smiled coldly. "Let's just say… I want to know who believed in fairy tales this year."
He nodded and exited.
She tapped another control. A side-screen flickered to life showing internal comms from the night before. Board chatter. Davis's late-night search logs—discreetly pinged through her access rights as co-heir.
He was digging. Not aimlessly. Into her.
Interesting.
She opened a secure line to her assistant. "Schedule a lunch with Dr. Myra De Silva. I want to talk about the herbal research wing. Tell her I'm personally interested in renewing the project Kiefer submitted."
"Under your name, Ms. Samuel?"
"Of course."
Let Kiefer try to make noise about being 'first.' By the time she does, the department heads will already be quoting Katherine's vision. Her connections. Her funding.
Corporate chess was never about facts—it was about timing and control.
---
White Pharma Cafeteria – Afternoon
Katherine entered with purpose, her heels announcing her presence before her words did. She spotted Dr. Myra at a corner table and glided over with grace.
They exchanged pleasantries. Tea was poured. Small talk warmed the air.
Then, Katherine leaned in.
"I've been thinking about underutilized verticals. The abandoned herbal medicine line, for example."
Dr. Myra raised a brow. "You mean the one Davis pushed aside years ago?"
"Exactly," Katherine said smoothly. "But if positioned correctly, it can hit our rural targets and our humanitarian quotas. Of course, we'd need to brand it under someone reputable."
Dr. Myra nodded slowly, catching the implication. "I take it you'd be the face."
"Not just the face. The architect."
With Davis tangled in questions and Kiefer too fresh to know the politics, this would be hers before anyone could mount a defense.
---
Boardroom – The Next Day
The boardroom was colder today. Intentional. The AC ran just slightly too high. Davis sat at the head, flanked by two senior members. Kiefer entered, her eyes sweeping the room, calm but uncertain. She had her tablet clutched in hand, dress simple yet elegant.
Katherine watched her from across the room, crossing her legs with a slow, deliberate motion. "Ms. Samuel," she greeted in front of the room, voice smooth. "Would you like to present your initiative before Davis starts today's agenda?"
Kiefer blinked. "I… wasn't told I would present today."
Katherine smiled like a cat. "Really? I thought it best to show initiative."
Davis narrowed his eyes but didn't interfere.
Kiefer stepped forward, voice quiet at first. She began explaining her idea again, with charts and numbers, trying to hold the attention of an already distracted board.
Halfway through, Dr. Myra spoke up. "This sounds a lot like the renewed proposal Katherine submitted yesterday."
The words hit like a slap.
Kiefer froze.
"What?" she asked quietly.
"Yes," Myra continued. "Ms. Samuel's herbal framework had very similar compounds and execution points. We were just praising her for reviving such an overlooked space."
Kiefer's eyes darted to Davis, who looked… unreadable.
Katherine smiled sweetly. "It's such a coincidence, Kiefer. Great minds think alike, I suppose."
---
Later That Evening – Library, Again
Davis stood in the corner of the library, glass in hand, watching the firelight flicker.
He didn't trust it.
The timelines were too perfect.
Kiefer entered slowly, face guarded.
"You looked pale in the boardroom," he said softly.
"I should be used to theft by now," she whispered.
He said nothing for a long time. Then: "Your project… it was real. I saw it before she submitted anything."
Kiefer looked up, eyes blazing. "Then why didn't you say something?"
"Because I needed to see what you'd do next."
She turned to leave.
"You're not like her," he added, almost to himself. "But you could be."
"I'd rather burn the gameboard," she replied, "than play like that."
And she left, leaving Davis with the crackling fire—and his thoughts.