The Return Of The Hidden Dragon

6: The Bait Is Taken

The morning sun rose behind a curtain of thin clouds, casting a pale light over London’s skyline.

Inside her penthouse, Victoria Morgan stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection.

Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her pearl earrings. She looked perfect, her hair smooth, her lips bright red, but her eyes told another story. They were tired, restless, almost afraid.

Behind her, the television played the morning news. Every channel showed the same name: Alexander Sterling.

He was everywhere, his image, his power, his silence, and that silence scared her most.

Victoria turned off the TV. Her assistant, Ella, walked in quietly with a tablet and a worried look.“Ma’am, the press conference is ready. Reporters are already waiting.”

Victoria nodded, forcing a confident smile. “Good. Today, we end Alexander’s story.”

But her voice lacked the sharpness it once had. It sounded like someone trying to convince herself that everything was under control.

Ella hesitated. “Are you sure this is the right move? It’s risky, ”

“Enough,” Victoria cut her off. “He took everything from me. Today, I take it back.”

She grabbed her purse and walked out, her heels clicking hard against the marble floor.

…

At Sterling Tower, high above the city, in his glass office, Alexander Sterling stood by the window.

He was calm, almost too calm. His black suit fit him perfectly, and his eyes were cold and focused.

Beside him, Lady Ivy checked her tablet. “Sir, the event is about to start. Harold and Victoria are going public with their fake merger.”

Alexander’s lips curved slightly. “Good. Let them play their little game.”

Ivy frowned. “Shouldn’t we stop it before it goes too far?”

“No,” he said simply. He turned from the window, his expression unreadable. “A snake only shows its weakness when it thinks it’s safe. Let’s see how they crawl when the trap closes.”

The main hall glittered with gold lights and flashing cameras. Dozens of reporters filled the room. The sound of chatter echoed off the marble walls.

Victoria sat beside Harold Sterling at a long table covered in white linen. She looked radiant, but her smile was tight. Harold, in his gray suit, looked smug, confident that their plan would ruin Alexander.

He leaned toward her and whispered, “Once we announce this deal, the headlines will explode. Sterling’s image will collapse. He’ll be finished.”

Victoria took a deep breath. “And when it’s over, he’ll finally know what it feels like to lose everything.”

A staff member counted down quietly. “Three, two, one…”

Victoria stood, clutching the microphone. Her voice echoed clearly through the room. “Good morning, everyone. Today, I’m proud to announce that Morgan Luxe has entered a powerful partnership with Blue Horizon Global, a new era for fashion, business, and innovation!”

Applause broke out. Cameras flashed, but the noise didn’t last. Slowly, murmurs began to spread among the crowd. 

People looked at their phones, whispering to one another. Confusion filled the air like smoke.

Victoria frowned. “What’s happening?” she whispered to Harold.

A reporter stood up suddenly. “Miss Morgan! Can you confirm that Blue Horizon Global is real? Reports say it doesn’t exist.”

Victoria blinked. “Excuse me?”

Another voice shouted, “The company’s registration is fake! It’s a shell company under Harold Sterling’s name!”

The room erupted. Gasps, questions, flashing cameras. Victoria’s smile froze on her face.

Harold shot to his feet, his face pale. “That’s impossible! Who told you that?!”

Someone at the back yelled, “The proof was sent to every major news outlet five minutes ago!”

Then, the giant screen behind them flickered. The Morgan Luxe logo vanished. The crowd went silent.

On the screen, a video began to play. It showed Harold and Victoria in the private restaurant where they had met weeks ago. The camera was clear. The sound was perfect.

Harold’s voice filled the room: “We set a trap. A fake business deal. When Alexander tries to investigate, we’ll leak it to the press.”

Then Victoria’s voice followed: “And if it doesn’t work?”

 “Then you’ll lose everything anyway,” Harold replied.

Every person in the room stared at them. The cameras kept flashing, but no one was smiling anymore.

Victoria’s legs felt weak. Her mouth went dry. “Turn it off!” she shouted. “Who did this?!”

Security rushed forward, but the video kept playing. It ended with Harold’s words: “Welcome to war, my dear.”

Then, the screen turned black. For one brief second, silence filled the room, then, chaos erupted.

Reporters shouted. Cameras flashed nonstop. Victoria’s ears rang. Harold looked around in panic, sweat dripping down his face. “He knew,” Harold whispered. “He knew everything.”

Victoria clenched her fists. “No, he couldn’t have.”

But before she could finish, her phone buzzed. One message. From an unknown number. “The bait was taken. Enjoy your downfall., A.S.”

Her breath caught. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Alexander watched the entire scene live on his screen. He stood with one hand in his pocket, his expression calm, almost cold. “It’s over, sir. They’re finished.” Ivy said.

“No, Ivy. This is just the beginning.”

Alexander turned toward her. “Call the press. Issue a statement. Tell them the Sterling Group values honesty, and does not tolerate betrayal.”

“Yes, sir.” Ivy responded.

Alexander’s tone softened slightly. “And Ivy…” he added, staring out at the skyline, “make sure Victoria receives the full video later. I want her to see exactly who ruined her.”

Victoria rushed outside, surrounded by flashing lights and yelling reporters. She tried to push through them, but they followed, shouting questions. “Miss Morgan! Did you fake the deal?”

“Were you trying to frame Alexander Sterling?”

“Are you and Harold lovers?”

Her bodyguard pulled her toward the car, shielding her from cameras. Inside, she slammed the door shut and covered her face with her hands.

Harold jumped in beside her, breathing heavily. “You said this would work!” she snapped. “You were the one who created those documents!”

“Don’t blame me!” he barked back. “You wanted revenge, not me!”

Victoria glared at him. Her voice shook with anger. “You’re a fool, Harold. You’ve ruined us both!”

Harold turned away, his jaw tight, then his phone buzzed. He looked down, one message. “See you soon., A.S.”

He swallowed hard. “He wants to see us.”

Victoria looked up sharply. “What do you mean?”

Before he could answer, black cars appeared from the corner, stopping in front of them. Men in suits stepped out, tall, silent, professional. One of them opened the car door.

“Miss Morgan. Mr. Sterling,” the man said calmly. “The Chairman would like to meet you.”

Harold froze. “Chairman?”

The man smiled faintly. “Alexander Sterling.”

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding. Victoria and Harold stepped out, walking into a wide hallway of glass and marble. 

At the end stood Alexander, his hands behind his back, his presence heavy and commanding. He didn’t look angry. He looked… disappointed.

“You set us up,” Victoria said, her voice trembling.

Alexander tilted his head slightly. “No. You set yourselves up. I just gave you the stage.”

Harold stepped forward, trying to sound bold. “You think this makes you a hero? You’ll regret humiliating me, boy.”

Alexander’s eyes didn’t even blink. “No,” he said softly. “I think I’ll enjoy it.”

He walked closer until he stood right in front of Harold. “You betrayed my family. You mocked me. You called me weak. Tell me, do I look weak now?”

Harold tried to speak but no words came out. Alexander turned to Victoria. Her eyes were glossy with tears. “Alex,” she whispered. “Please… I was wrong. I was stupid. I didn’t know.”

“Stop,” Alexander said firmly. “You knew exactly what you were doing. And now, you get to feel what I felt.”

He nodded to Ivy, who handed Victoria a folder. Inside were documents, proof of every lie, every transaction, every betrayal.

“Consider this the first payment of your debt,” Alexander said. He turned away, his voice quiet but sharp. “You wanted war. Now, you’ll live through it.”

He walked past them without another glance. The elevator doors closed behind him, leaving silence in his wake.

Victoria sat alone in her penthouse. The city lights glowed below, cold and distant. Her phone lay on the table, still open to Alexander’s last message.

She whispered to herself, her voice breaking. “He’s not the man I left.”

Outside, thunder rolled softly. Somewhere far away, Alexander stood on his balcony, watching the same sky. 

He looked calm, but his eyes burned with quiet fire. “This is just the beginning,” he murmured.