ᎻᎬᏒ ᏕᎻᎯᎠᎾᏯ 5

The next morning, Lena and Rachel woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. They went through their morning routine, freshening up and getting ready for the day.

As they finished up, Rachel headed to the kitchen to whip up a hearty breakfast for her "big, stubborn kid" - a nickname she affectionately used to refer to Lena. The aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, making Lena's stomach growl with anticipation.

Lena (fl)

Meanwhile, Lena settled onto the couch with her laptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she worked on... something. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, her eyes fixed intently on the screen.*

Rachel called out from the kitchen, "Hey, Len! What are you working on?"

Rachel

Len! What are you working on?"

Lena (fl)

Lena looked up from her laptop, a hint of a smile on her face. "Just checking some emails.

Rachel

Rachel's curiosity was piqued. She walked over to the couch, wiping her hands on a towel. "Anything important?" she asked, peeking over Lena's shoulder.

Lena (fl)

Lena's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Just the usual drama, Rach. Nothing that can't wait."

Lena (fl)

Lena's expression turned somber, her eyes clouding over. "I'm just seeing how my empire shattered in these two years," she said, her voice laced with a mix of sadness and determination.

Rachel

Rachel's face fell, concern etched on her features. "Len, don't be too hard on yourself. You've been through a lot. You can rebuild—"

Lena (fl)

Lena's gaze snapped back to her laptop screen, her jaw set. "I will rebuild, Rach. And I'll make it even bigger and better than before."

Lena (fl)

Lena smiled warmly. "Now I'm really all okay, Rachel. Can you please tell me now how much they destroyed my dream empire in my absence?"

Rachel

Rachel's eyes widened, a hint of trepidation on her face. "Len, I...I don't know if you're ready for this. It's worse than I thought."

Lena (fl)

Lena's smile never wavered. "Tell me, Rach. I need to know."

Rachel

Rachel took a deep breath, her voice measured. "Your company's stocks plummeted, Len. Your investors pulled out, and your top executives abandoned ship. Your factories were shut down, and your assets were frozen.

Lena (fl)

Lena's smile grew wider, a fierce glint in her eye. "Is that all?"

Rachel hesitated, unsure of how to reveal the next piece of news. She fidgeted with her hands, her eyes darting around the room before finally settling on Lena's face.

Rachel

"Len, there's something else," Rachel said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Something that might be harder to hear."

Lena (fl)

Lena's smile faltered, a hint of concern creeping onto her face. "What is it, Rach?"

Rachel

Rachel took another deep breath before speaking. "Your headquarters...it's been sold, Len. To a rival company."

Lena (fl)

Lena's face went white with shock and anger, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What?" she whispered, her voice trembling with rage.

Rachel

Rachel nodded, her expression somber. "I'm so sorry, Len. I know how much that headquarters meant to you."

Lena's gaze dropped to the floor, her mind reeling with the implications. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut, her breath knocked out of her.

Lena (fl)

Lena's voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "Who did this?" Her eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing as she looked at Rachel.

Rachel

Rachel swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was...Victor Vex."

Lena (fl)

Lena's face darkened, her jaw clenched in anger. fucker...*she hissed.

Lena's maniacal laughter echoed through the room, sending a shiver down Rachel's spine. The tears streaming down her face only added to the eerie intensity of the moment.

Lena (fl)

As Lena wiped away the tears, her eyes gleamed with a fierce determination. "People really forgot who owned that empire," she whispered, her voice dripping with menace.

With a slow, deliberate movement, Lena placed her hands on the desk, her fingers splayed like claws

Lena (fl)

"It's time to show them that a comeback can be more devastating than an actual existence. You try to mess with Len's things, and you'll find out that Apex is mine to devour, mine to claim."

The air in the room seemed to vibrate with Lena's intensity, and Rachel felt a thrill of excitement mixed with a hint of fear. She knew that when Lena set her mind on something, nothing could stop her.