Felix nodded. "Got it. You need betrayal, humiliation, and just enough truth to make it stick." He tapped his fingers on the table. "I'll need a sample of her voice to get the tone perfect."
Jillian pulled out a USB drive. "I recorded her once when she thought no one was listening."
Felix's grin widened. "Smart girl. Give me a few hours."
As he left, Dante turned to Jillian. "If this works, Victor won't stop until he gets the truth out of Camilla himself."
Jillian's jaw tightened. "That's the point. She's spent years ruining lives. Now it's her turn to suffer."
Leo smirked. "Well, let's just hope Victor is as paranoid as we think."
Because once the words were planted, there would be no stopping the storm that followed.
Hours passed like a slow-burning fuse. Jillian, Dante, and Leo waited in the dimly lit warehouse, the tension thick between them. Finally, Felix arrived, carrying a small recorder and a satisfied smirk.
"All done," he announced, tossing the recorder onto the table. "It's perfect. If I didn't know better, I'd believe Camilla herself said it."
Jillian snatched it up and pressed play.
A chillingly accurate version of Camilla's voice filled the room:
"Victor thinks he's untouchable, but he's just a pawn. Once he's out of the picture, I'll take everything he built and make it mine. He's too blind to see it coming."
Jillian felt a chill run down her spine. The arrogance, the malice—it all sounded so real.
Leo whistled. "Damn, that's cold. Victor's going to lose his mind when he hears this."
Dante smirked. "Good. Now we just need to make sure he does."
They devised a plan. Felix would pose as one of Victor's informants and send the recording to him anonymously. The message would be clear: Camilla has been scheming against you. She's about to betray you. Act now or lose everything.
Felix chuckled. "Victor's got a short fuse. He won't even stop to think. He'll go straight to Camilla, demanding answers."
Jillian's expression was unreadable. "And when he does, Camilla will realize she's lost control."
Leo grinned. "And that's when the real fun begins."
The plan was in motion. The next move belonged to Victor. And once the seed of doubt was planted, Camilla Robinson's empire would start to crumble.
The message was delivered. Now, all they had to do was wait.
Victor Holloway was not a patient man. The moment he received the recording, he played it over and over again, his grip tightening on his phone with each repetition. His paranoia flared. Was Camilla really planning to betray him? Had she been using him all along?
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Victor was already on the move. He stormed into one of his private hideouts, where Camilla Robinson was comfortably sipping on a glass of wine, enjoying the illusion of control she had carefully built around the Smith family and beyond.
Victor wasted no time. He slammed the recorder on the table. "Explain this."
Camilla arched a brow, feigning confusion. "What is this supposed to be?"
Victor hit play. The moment her own voice echoed through the room, her fingers twitched around the glass. She kept her composure, but Victor wasn't fooled.
"That's not me," she said smoothly, setting down her drink. "Someone's trying to turn you against me."
Victor wasn't convinced. "You've been making moves behind my back, haven't you?" He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Tell me the truth, Camilla, before I find it out myself."
Camilla knew she had to think fast. Whoever did this wanted her and Victor at odds. If she couldn't turn this around, she was as good as dead.
"Victor," she said, carefully choosing her words, "who benefits from us fighting?"
Victor narrowed his eyes. "You, apparently."
Camilla shook her head. "No. Think bigger. Someone is trying to destroy everything we've built. This? This is a setup."
Victor hesitated. The logic made sense, but doubt still gnawed at him.
Camilla seized the moment. "Let me find out who's behind this. Give me a few days. If I'm lying, you can do whatever you want with me."
Victor wasn't fully convinced, but he nodded. "Fine. But if I find out you're playing me, Camilla, I won't hesitate."
As soon as he left, Camilla's mask slipped. She was furious. Someone was working against her, and she had a feeling she knew exactly who.
Jillian Smith.
If Jillian wanted a war, she was going to get one.
And this time, Camilla would make sure she didn't survive it.
As soon as Victor left, Camilla Robinson stormed across the room, her heels clicking against the polished floor with a rhythm of pure fury. Her mind raced. She had spent years carefully constructing her influence, weaving herself into the Smith family's wealth and Victor's empire like an untouchable shadow. Yet now, someone had the nerve to try and break it all apart.
She wasn't stupid. There were only a handful of people who would dare challenge her, and at the top of that list was Jillian Smith. That girl was nothing but a persistent thorn in her side, refusing to fade away no matter how much she had tried to bury her. Camilla had underestimated her before, but now she knew—Jillian wasn't just a nuisance. She was a genuine threat.
And threats had to be eliminated.
She picked up her phone and dialed a secure number. The call connected, and a deep, rough voice answered.
"Miss Robinson."
"I have a job for you," she said, her voice cold and controlled. "I need something handled. Permanently."
There was a pause, then a chuckle. "Who's the target?"
Camilla's grip tightened on the phone. "Jillian Smith."
The voice on the other end was silent for a moment, then responded, "Consider it done."
*****
Jillian paced back and forth inside the abandoned warehouse, her hands clenched into fists. The tension in the room was thick, but she couldn't sit still. Not when she knew Camilla was now backed into a corner.
Dante watched her carefully from where he leaned against the wall. "You really think Victor took the bait?"
"He had to," Jillian replied. "He's too paranoid not to."
Leo, who had been flipping a knife between his fingers, looked up. "Even if he did, that doesn't mean we're safe. Camilla's dangerous when she's desperate."
Felix, their newest ally, smirked. "That's why we're here, isn't it? To make sure she loses."
Jillian exhaled slowly. She knew they had struck a nerve, but that only meant Camilla would come back harder. The woman wasn't the type to simply accept defeat. She would fight, and she would fight dirty.
Dante pushed off the wall. "What's our next move?"
Before Jillian could answer, Leo's phone buzzed. He frowned, checking the screen, then his expression darkened.
"We have a problem," he said.
Jillian stopped pacing. "What kind of problem?"
Leo looked up, his face grim. "One of my sources just told me there's a hit out on you."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Dante's jaw tightened. "Camilla."
Jillian swallowed, but she wasn't surprised. If anything, she had expected it. "How much time do we have?"
Leo shook his head. "Not much. They'll come fast and without warning."
Felix chuckled darkly. "Good. Then let's give them something they don't expect."
Jillian met his gaze and nodded. If Camilla wanted a war, she was going to get one.
But this time, Jillian wasn't just going to fight back.
She was going to win.