Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs-Chapter 55: The Last Stand & Double Cross: Loyalty Has a Price

"And now they’re going to get it because his daughter is too fucking stupid to stop them."

The worst part was the employees. She could feel their eyes on her every time she walked through the office. Hear the whispers about her limited-edition Birkin bags, her custom Louboutin heels, her collection of luxury cars.

"That’s company money she’s wearing."

"Every dress costs more than my annual salary."

"Daddy bought her everything except a brain."

And they were right. God, they were so fucking right it hurt. Every piece of jewelry felt like it was covered in her father’s blood and sweat. Every expensive outfit was a reminder that she was bleeding the company dry while contributing absolutely nothing except embarrassment and failure.

"I want to call mom. I want to call mom and cry and ask her to make this all go away. But mom doesn’t know anything about business either. She just knows how to spend money, just like me."

A knock on her office door made her jump like she’d been electrocuted. "Come in," she called, quickly wiping away tears and probably smearing her makeup all over her face in the process.

Jessica walked in with that smile that Charlotte was starting to recognize as fake. They’d been friends since Harvard—or what passed for friendship when you’d bought your way through college together.

’But now I can’t trust anyone. Not even Jess. Maybe especially not Jess.’

"Hey girl," Jessica said with that forced cheerfulness that sounded faker than a Kardashian apology video, "I need your signature on the new intern recruitment authorization."

Charlotte looked at the papers without really seeing them, her eyes still blurry from crying. More new hires meant more potential spies, more people working for whoever was trying to destroy her father’s company.

’But what choice do I have? If I don’t hire people, the company fails. If I do hire people, they might as well might be working for my enemies. I can’t win.’

She signed the authorization with hands that were still shaking, then looked up at Jessica with eyes that probably looked like a raccoon’s from all the smeared mascara.

"Jess, I need you to post something on that dark web channel. IT Gens. Post that we need help with... with our problem. You know what I’m talking about."

’Please don’t make me explain it. Please don’t make me admit out loud that I have no idea how to solve this.’

Jessica’s expression shifted slightly, and for just a second, Charlotte thought she saw something calculating in her friend’s eyes. ’She’s talking about the AI algorithm breakthrough. The one that could be worth billions if someone actually solves it.’

"Charlotte, honey, are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, like, putting our problems on the dark web seems kind of—"

"Just do it," Charlotte interrupted, her voice cracking with desperation. "Please, Jess. I’m begging you. Do exactly what I said."

’This is my last fucking hope. If this doesn’t work, I’m going to lose everything daddy built.’

Jessica nodded reluctantly, her face softening with what looked like pity. "Okay, okay. If you’re sure. What’s the budget?"

"Seven hundred thousand," Charlotte said without hesitation, even though the number made her stomach clench. That was more money than most people made in ten years, and she was about to throw it into the dark web like it was pocket change.

’Because we’re desperate. Because I’m desperate. Because I don’t know what else to do.’

*

Back at her desk, Jessica waited until she heard Charlotte’s office door close and lock. Then she pulled out a second phone—a burner that Charlotte didn’t know about.

She typed quickly, her fingers moving with practiced efficiency: "Charlotte wants to post our problem on IT Gens. $700k budget. She’s crying and desperate. Should I proceed?"

The response came within minutes: "Perfect. Go ahead. All the real talent is already on our payroll. Let her waste the money. Document everything for the final phase."

Jessica smiled, a cold expression that would have terrified Charlotte if she’d seen it. "If only they knew what this problem is really worth. Billions. And Charlotte’s about to hand it to whoever’s smart enough to solve it."

She opened her laptop and navigated to the IT Gens dark web forum, typing out a post that would seal Charlotte Thompson’s fate:

["URGENT: Major tech company needs immediate consultation on critical technical problem. Recent developments have created unique challenges requiring innovative solutions from fresh talent. Budget: $700,000. Serious inquiries only. Anyone with advanced AI knowledge encouraged to apply. Screening interviews: June 25th. Must be available for immediate on-site work."

Posted by: qUantumDesperation]

She hit submit and leaned back in her chair, wondering how long it would take for Charlotte to realize that everyone around her—including her best friend—had already been bought and paid for.

"Maybe I should feel bad about this. But seven figures in a Swiss bank account tends to make guilt disappear pretty painlessly quickly."

*

In her office, Charlotte sat curled up in her chair like a child, staring out at the city below through tears that wouldn’t stop coming.

’This is my last stand. My final fucking hope.’

If someone—anyone—could solve their problem, maybe she could stabilize the company. Maybe the stock price would recover. Maybe she could wash away the stains on her reputation and prove she wasn’t completely worthless.

’Maybe daddy would be proud of me, even if he’s not here to see it.’

But deep down, she knew the truth. She’d heard the rumors, seen the evidence. The best experts, the most innovative programmers, the breakthrough specialists—they were all mysteriously unavailable or already contracted to her competitors.

’Is there anyone out there who isn’t working for my enemies? Anyone who might actually want to help instead of destroy everything?’

The sun was setting over the city, casting long shadows across her office that made everything look cold and empty. Somewhere out there, in the vast digital underground, someone might see her desperate plea for help.

’Maybe someone young and hungry and brilliant enough to help me save everything daddy built with just enough price. Someone who doesn’t know they’re supposed to hate me. Someone who hasn’t been bought yet.’

But as Charlotte Thompson sat alone in her expensive office, surrounded by luxury she hadn’t earned and responsibilities that were crushing her like a weight, one thought kept echoing in her head:

’What if I’m already too late? What if there’s nobody left who wants to save this company instead of watching it burn?’

She thought about calling her mother, but mom was probably at another charity luncheon, spending money and pretending their world wasn’t falling apart. She thought about calling her therapist, but what could Dr. Patterson do about corporate sabotage and inherited incompetence?

’I’m completely lonely with no body and alone in this. The vultures are circling, my company’s bleeding money, and my last hope is a post on a dark web forum that might as well be a message in a bottle thrown into an ocean of people who want to destroy me.’

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, feeling smaller and more helpless than she had since she was a little girl afraid of the dark. frёewebnoѵēl.com

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