Chapter 8 Checkmate in Motion

The office lights were dim, casting long shadows across the sleek, obsidian desk where Nathan sat nursing a glass of whiskey. The city skyline blinked beyond the towering windows, a web of golden lights and ambition. He swirled the liquid, letting it catch the light, the ice cubes clinking softly against the glass his own private symphony of victory.

After the way the dinner had gone, he needed it. Loraine had managed to make him look incompetent in front of Damien. Though he had scolded her about not going through him, he could see that Damien was impressed. He was the one who was supposed to impress Damien not Loraine. If care was not taken, all his hard work would be for nothing. He couldn't allow that. Not when his plans were not yet set in stone.

The phone rang. Right on time.

He didn't hesitate. "Conrad?"

"It's done," came the smooth, calm voice on the other end. "Ben Nelson has been suspended indefinitely. They found enough on him to start a full scale probe. Police are already waiting. Those vultures."

A smile tugged at Nathan's lips. "That was fast."

"He practically hung himself with the chain of transactions he tried to bury," Conrad added, a hint of amusement in his voice. "All I did was polish it and put a bow on top."

Nathan leaned back in his chair, letting the news settle like a fine wine on his tongue. Ben Nelson the board's pit bull, the one who had stood in the way of half his plans, the man who sat on the compliance committee and prided himself on sniffing out corruption like a bloodhound was now headed for a public, humiliating downfall. It was ironic, almost poetic. And before the law enforcement can shift through the evidence to determine which of the allegations were true and which ones were false, he would have achieved all he needed to.

His phone began to buzz again notifications flooding in from news outlets, internal Thorne messages, the financial press. He didn't check them. He didn't need to. He could already see the fallout playing out in his mind. Shock. Outrage. Fear. And eventually... opportunity.

Phase two was in motion.

Thorne Corporation's value would take a dip. Confidence would shake. But Nathan didn't care about the temporary turbulence. He thrived in the chaos. And this was just phase two. If he played his cards right he could even sway Damien Thorne. That would be perfect.

Ben's fall cleared a critical space on the board. With one less voice of caution, he could slip through whatever he needed. Whisper the right things. Push the right moves. Reshape the power dynamics under everyone's noses.

He took another sip, let the fire of the whiskey slide down his throat.

Then, as if the universe itself wanted to amuse him further, the door to his office opened.

Loraine Thorne was in his office.

Nathan froze for a beat, just a breath, but it was enough to feel the shift in the atmosphere. She was flanked by four others, all senior team members, legal and operations. Her heels clicked against the polished floor like a metronome keeping the tempo of war.

She didn't acknowledge him. No, Not at first.

"Chloe," she said to the brunette behind her, "You'll take the lead with legal. I want full details on the charges being laid against Ben Nelson. If there's anyone else linked to his mess, I want them on a separate track before noon."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And let's figure out how this affects Thorne has a whole. Ben's whole image is linked to Thorne empire. This would surely backlash at us."

"Will get right on it."

"Gerald," she addressed an older man with a narrow jaw and wary eyes. "Start drafting a statement for the press. I want to control the narrative before it spins out of our hands."

"Already on it."

Loraine turned to the boardroom screen and gestured. "Pull up the internal audit trail. If there's a funding gap, I want to know how deep. Now."

Nathan watched her in silence, eyes narrowing slightly. She was like a general on the battlefield poised, commanding, not missing a single beat. There was no flailing. No panic. Just precision.

God, she was good.

Too good.

At this rate, she'd have the fire doused before he could strike the next match. She had been right, Loraine Thorne shouldn't be underestimated. But the best part of chess wasn't when your opponent moved well it was when you let them believe they had a chance.

He stood up, smoothing his suit as he moved toward the window. His phone was still in his hand. He dialed Conrad again.

"Phase three," he said, his voice low. "Let's get ahead of this."

"Already preparing the documents," Conrad replied.

"Good, Make it easy for Loraine to solve this Phase."

"Are you sure you want that" Conrad asked, skeptical.

Nathan's gaze flicked back to Loraine, now in full control of the room, directing lawyers and strategists with the kind of authority that made people listen.

"Yes," he murmured. "Let her fix it. But we provide the solution for phase 3."

"You want to play the hero."

"I will be the hero," Nathan said, watching her.

"And when this storm passes, she should know who to trust."

He ended the call and turned to face the room just as Loraine finished delegating and dismissed the team. She barely glanced at him throughout.

"Nathan," she said finally.

He offered her a slow smile. "Quite the morning, isn't it?"

She looked at him properly now sharp, calculating. "We're not letting this shake us. "

"I would expect nothing less from you."

There was something unreadable in her expression. She didn't say thank you. Didn't praise or question. Just held his gaze a second longer before turning and leaving without a word.

Nathan watched her go, the faint scent of her perfume lingering behind like the echo of something dangerous.

He raised his glass again, voice a whisper.

"Checkmate," he said.