Eve's phone buzzed with a message from Violet: **"Meet me on the rooftop. We need to talk."**
Eve clenched her jaw. If Violet was guilty, she wasn't going to make it easy. She grabbed her coat and made her way up the stairs, each step echoing like a drumbeat. The air on the rooftop was cold, biting, and the city lights below flickered like the lies that had wormed their way into her life.
Violet stood at the edge, her back to Eve, staring out at the city. The tension crackled between them like static electricity.
"I suppose this is where you explain everything," Eve said, her voice icy, trying to mask the hurt behind her anger.
Violet turned, her face a mix of exhaustion and something else—determination. "Eve, you have to believe me. Your uncle—he's been pulling the strings all along. I was originally sent here to take down this company, but I didn't expect to meet you. I never betrayed you. Not really. I was trying to protect you."
Eve let out a bitter laugh. "Protect me? By meeting with my rivals? By sending my business plans to industrial spies? That's one hell of a way to show you care."
Violet took a step closer, her eyes pleading. "I had to make him believe I was on his side. I was gathering information, trying to find a way to take him down from the inside. But things got out of control."
Eve's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing. Could this be true? Was Violet just another pawn in her uncle's deadly game? But the evidence… "You expect me to believe that you were some kind of double agent? That you've been risking your life to protect me?"
Violet nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I love you, Eve. I didn't care about the money or the power. All I wanted was you. But your uncle… he's ruthless. He would have destroyed us both if he knew the truth."
Eve's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she saw the vulnerability in Violet, the fear and desperation. But the scars of betrayal ran deep, and Eve wasn't ready to let go just yet.
"How can I trust you?" Eve asked, her voice cracking despite herself. "After everything I've seen, how can I believe anything you say?"
Violet reached into her pocket and pulled out a small flash drive. "This… this has everything. Proof of your uncle's crimes, the deals he's made, the lives he's ruined. It's all here. I was going to use it to bring him down, to end this once and for all. But I can't do it alone."
Eve stared at the flash drive, the weight of it almost tangible. This could be the key to everything. Or it could be another trap.
Suddenly, the rooftop door burst open, and a group of armed men stormed in, led by none other than William Blackwood, Violet's uncle. His eyes were cold as steel as they locked onto Eve.
"So this is where it ends," William said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You should have stayed out of this, my little Eve. But now, you leave me no choice."
Eve's heart raced as she instinctively stepped in front of Violet, shielding her. "You can't fool us, William. Not anymore."
William smirked, raising his hand to signal his men. "We'll see about that."
In a flash, Violet grabbed Eve's hand, yanking her towards the edge of the roof. "Run!" she screamed, her voice filled with a mix of fear and adrenaline.
They sprinted across the rooftop, bullets whizzing past them, the night exploding into chaos. Eve's mind was a blur, the fear of death mingling with the strange exhilaration of defiance.
As they reached the edge, Violet squeezed Eve's hand, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Ever wanted to fly?"
Before Eve could protest, Violet leaped off the rooftop, pulling Eve with her. For a heart-stopping moment, they were airborne, the wind howling in their ears, the ground rushing up to meet them.
But then, with a jarring thud, they landed on the adjacent rooftop, rolling across the gravel. Eve gasped for breath, her heart hammering in her chest. She glanced at Violet, who was grinning like a maniac.
"Are you out of your mind?" Eve wheezed, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry.
Violet chuckled, wiping the sweat from her brow. "What can I say? I like to live dangerously."
Eve shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "You're insane."
"And you love it," Violet shot back, pulling Eve to her feet.
Eve's smile faded as reality set back in. Richard wouldn't give up that easily. They had to act fast. "So what's the plan now, genius?"
Violet's expression sobered, and she handed the flash drive to Eve. "We take him down, together. And then… maybe we get the hell out of here and find somewhere to start over. Just you and me."
Eve stared at the flash drive, feeling the weight of the decision before her.
"Woosh! Bang! Bang!"
The gunshots followed unexpectedly.