Gabriel’s POV

I sat back in my chair, my heart pounding faster, filled with renewed desire, anger, and the sound of her name burned deep into me.

I had spent years and money looking for her, not knowing she had been so close to me all this time.

"I need to do something, now," I muttered, leaning forward, resting my elbow on the table.

"Yes, you do, she's closer to us than ever—any delay now could prove to be very costly."

"I have been waiting for this moment for years, ever since she did it."

"What do you advise we do, sir?" Linda asked with a pointed look.

"First of all, I need you to keep watch on her."

"Already on that, sir, I am connected to every information online concerning her; whatever happens, I'll be the first to know," she remarked.

I nodded, pleased with her speed, one of the reasons I kept Linda as my secretary when I assumed the position of CEO from my father was cause of moments like this—she always seems to be a step ahead, and for as long as it's in my favour, then it's a win.

Linda crossed her arms over her chest, “This is our shot, so we have to make it count, the fall has to be poetic, it's been long overdue.”

“No,” I said, my voice coming out low.

She raised a brow, “No?”

“I don’t just want to take everything from her, I want to break her." The words came out softly from my lips.

"Break her?"

"Yes, I want to take away everything she has ever valued—her money, her assets, her strength, her happiness—even her life," I said coldly.

I stood up, walking over to the large window, staring down at the beauty of the city.

I turned around sharply, "Find out every asset in her name, from the largest to the smallest, I need to know everything and anything she owns so we can plot our scheme to take everything."

"Alright, sir, already on it, sir," Linda replied, her fingers moved quickly on her tablet.

I waited for a response, standing behind my chair, leaning my weight on it, "Any progress?"

"Something is wrong," she said, her eyes peering deep into the screen.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I just ran a check on her portfolio and found no assets registered in her name, even those I had seen just ten minutes ago—I don't understand what's going on here," she threw her arms in the air, her head hung low.

"How do you mean? There must be some link to where it was sent to, check the transaction details or track the transaction," I said, stepping forward and resting on the edge of my table.

Linda sparked up again, punching on her tablet as she sought the answer.

"Yes! I've got it," she exclaimed.

"Good, I knew you would."

She looked up at me, tugging a loose strand of hair behind her ear as a shy smile crept up on her lips.

The air between us tensed up. "So what is it?"

"Oh yeah," she said, looking down quickly but not quickly enough as I noticed the blush on her face, “all her previous assets,” she started, tapping the screen lightly, “were legally transferred to Liam's portfolio in the last five minutes.”

I froze.

"Let me see," I finally said, gesturing towards the tablet.

I read through the writings on the screen, the names, the firms, the properties—all gone.

“She has lost everything,” I muttered under my breath..

“Yes, everything,” Linda responded coldly.

A part of me felt bad for her, losing everything you have worked for in minutes.

"You think this is Liam's doing?" I asked, handing the tablet back to her.

"Has his name written all over it," she said while going through her tab quickly.

"Why would he do this to her?" I asked genuinely.

"Sir, I may actually have the answer to that," she said, looking up at me with a smirk.

"And that is?" I asked, terrified at what she might say.

"Liam just updated his profile on all of his social media accounts, announcing that he is single now. That can only mean one thing," she explained.

I looked at her with widened eyes, covering my mouth with my hand as I spoke, "he divorced her?"

"Exactly, their breakup will be official in a few hours, this is perfect."

I shoved away the part of me that felt pity for Ava, This is exactly what we need, "Exactly, this is perfect, means she's off her job too."

"Yes, she has lost everything," Linda reaffirmed.

"This is the perfect time to strike," I said enthusiastically, turning over and sitting on my chair with force.

"Or I think I might have a better plan," Linda said.

"Which is?"

“Well, as you already know, she’s smart—she built something reasonable out of Liam’s little efforts, which could also mean that she’s dangerous,” she said, “or valuable.”

Stressing the last word.

"Valuable?" I asked, leaning closer to her.

Linda was quiet for a moment, then she walked towards my table before speaking, “She could help you.”

I turned, “Help me?”

“Yes, if you make the right moves, that is,” she said, “she’s just been cut off, humiliated and discarded—right now, she must be angry, sad or simply worried.

"Okay, so?"

"She’s vulnerable, you can use that to your advantage, give her a hand—not too generous, just enough.”

“And then?”

“Then she becomes yours.”

I stared at a distance, replaying Julia's words in my head.

"And what makes you think I need her?"

"You don't—"

"Exactly, I have you," I cut in.

She smiled but quickly covered it. "Yes, but I know for sure that one of the best ways to break someone is to build them up your way and send them crashing to the floor in all directions," she replied coldly.

I rubbed my chin, giving it a thought, "Sounds like a smart idea."

"And besides, do you know what it would do to the market if you announce the onboarding of your biggest rival's ex-wife, that will ripple things in our favour."

"Yeah, that is true too, okay, let's say I actually agree to do this, what are the odds that she will accept my proposal?" I challenged.

“She won't have a choice,” Linda said, “you won't give her a choice, offer her a proposal that she won't be able to ignore, make her feel like she’s exactly what you need.”

I stared down at the picture and name in the folder again, "Ava Morales," I muttered under my breath, excited by the prospect of standing over her fallen body, watching her weep in pain.

She will see what happens to anyone who dares to play in my world and thinks they can win.

“She has lost everything,” I whispered.

Linda heard, “which makes the plan even better.”

I looked up at her.

“Like she's just a pawn,” I said with a smirk.

“No," she said with a smirk of her own.

I stared her in the eye.

“She’s not going to be a pawn,” she started, “she’s going to be the queen—the fallen queen... no body messes with the Sanchez family and goes scot—free.”