CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE – FACING THE ENEMY WITHOUT FEAR

Samantha's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she reached over and squeezed Karina's hand tightly. "Don't say that. Don't you dare throw in the towel now, not after everything you've sacrificed to get this far." Karina looked at her best friend wearily. "But Brie's won, Sam. She's taken absolutely everything from me - my business, my reputation, my sense of self-worth. What's even left to fight for at this point?" "Your legacy," Samantha stated fiercely. "Your vision for an ethical, sustainable fashion brand that doesn't follow the sleazy herd. You wanted to revolutionize this whole rotten industry, remember?" She stood up abruptly, a fire seeming to reignite behind her eyes. "So what if Drastik has hammered you with every dirty trick in the book? That's just more proof you're doing something right by being the moral exception! It'll make your vindication tantalizingly sweet when we turn this all around." Karina felt a tiny flicker of hope amidst the ashes, stoked by her friend's