our little secret [gemfot]

07

Gemini strode briskly into his office, the energy buzzing around him like static electricity. Every corner of the space was alive with activity, each team absorbed in their roles.

The PR department was swamped, phones ringing incessantly as team members took calls back-to-back, their hurried tones and clipped responses betraying the tension in the air.

Nearby, the social media division huddled over screens, fingers tapping rapidly as they scrambled to counter a growing tide of online comments and speculation, desperately working to contain the situation.

The legal team, a few desks away, sifted through stacks of documents, visibly tense, preparing statements and scouring contracts for possible breaches.

Across the room, the branding department poured over design files, double-checking for any possible replication of designs—an action that felt both necessary and absurd, given the looming plagiarism accusation. It was a scene of organized chaos, and Gemini could feel the weight of it all pressing on him.

"Gemini," his secretary called out as he arrived, quickly approaching him with a serious expression.

"Do we know who's behind this? Which company? Any idea?" Gemini asked, his voice sharp with urgency. She shook her head, her expression apologetic yet firm.

"We're still investigating. Our contract with them has been terminated for now," she reported. Gemini slumped into his chair with a sigh, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk as he racked his brain for solutions.

"Can we find out who's behind this quickly?" he asked, looking for any hope of a fast resolution.

"Probably not," she replied cautiously. "They won't use the designs outright—that would make it easy for us to track. And with so much competition and plenty of...well, enemies, it's not straightforward."

Gemini sighed, frustrated. His father's longstanding rivalries had built up an arsenal of competitors waiting for a misstep. And now they had one.

"Find out who's behind the article first," he instructed. "Once we know, we'll decide on the next steps."

She nodded, leaving to relay his orders. But before Gemini could dive further into strategy, his phone buzzed with a message from Perth: "Read this." A link accompanied the message.

"Shit," Gemini muttered as he clicked on it. Today just kept unraveling. Not only was there the plagiarism issue, but now rumors about his relationship with Fourth were surfacing in the press. Perfect. He barely had a second to react before his secretary burst back in.

"Gemini, have you—"

"I know. Just have everyone focus on their work. And Phi," he added, "I want you to head this one. I'll call in Prom too."

She nodded, scribbling notes as she hurried out.

Gemini opened his messaging app and quickly reached out to Prom, Prom work as a go-to freelance informant, who specialized in gathering intel, legal or otherwise. Prom could track down the source of the pictures, identify who was leaking information—anything Gemini needed to gain control. After firing off a message to Prom, he shot a quick text to Fourth: Are you okay?