Eve's blood ran cold. Someone knew. Someone had figured out what she was doing, and they were still one step ahead. She felt the walls closing in, the pressure mounting, but she couldn't afford to show weakness—not now.
She was about to shut down her computer when another email came through, this time from an unknown gmail, with an attachment. The subject line read: "Proof."
Heart pounding, Eve opened the attachment, and what she saw made her blood run cold. It was a recording, taken from a hidden camera in her office. The video clearly showed Hannah speaking with someone off-screen, discussing the very information Eve had planted with her.
But as the conversation continued, a shadowy figure stepped into view, and Eve's heart nearly stopped. It wasn't William or one of his lackeys. It was Violet.
In the video, Violet's expression was calm, her demeanor composed as she spoke to Hannah. But the words she uttered were unmistakable—a direct confirmation of the false deal Eve had fed to Hannah. Violet had betrayed her.
Unbelievable!
Eve sat back in her chair, the weight of the realization crashing down on her. Violet had been the one all along. The one she had trusted most, the one she had fought to protect, had been working against her from the start.
But as the shock began to subside, something didn't add up. The Violet in the video was too calm, too collected. And then it hit her—deepfake. It wasn't real. The entire thing was a setup, designed to tear them apart from the inside.
Eve's hands shook as she replayed the video, looking for any telltale signs of manipulation. Sure enough, there were subtle discrepancies—the lighting on Violet's face didn't quite match the room, the audio slightly out of sync with her lips.
Fury boiled within her. Someone hadn't just tried to destroy her reputation—he'd tried to destroy the one thing she held most dear. But in doing so, he had made a critical mistake.
Eve's gaze hardened as she deleted the video. She knew what she had to do now. Someone underestimated her for another time.
Someone must be caught.
Eve paced back and forth in her office, her mind racing. A mysterious figure's proposition echoed in her thoughts, an offer she couldn't easily refuse. She needed to root out the traitor, and if this person had the information she required, then perhaps the risk was worth it. She picked up the phone and dialed the private number they had given her.
"Eve Blackwood," she said tersely when the line clicked. "I'm in. Let's meet."
---
Later that night, Eve arrived at a secluded café on the outskirts of the city, far from prying eyes. She spotted a figure sitting at a corner table, their face obscured by the dim lighting and a wide-brimmed hat. As she approached, the figure raised their head slightly, revealing a face she hadn't expected to see.
"Lena Hartman?" Eve's voice was a mix of shock and suspicion. Lena had been a formidable competitor in the company years ago, known for her cutthroat tactics and brilliant strategies, before she was forced out under suspicious circumstances. Many believed William had orchestrated her downfall to eliminate a threat to his power.
"I prefer to keep a low profile these days, Eve," Lena replied smoothly, gesturing for her to sit. "I hear you have a bit of a problem. And I think I can help you solve it."
Eve hesitated but then took a seat. "Why would you help me? You have no reason to. Last I heard, you were still bitter about what happened."
Lena chuckled, a sound both bitter and amused. "Bitter? Maybe. But I'm more interested in seeing William pay for what he did to me. And you… you've been wronged too. We have a common enemy, Eve."
Eve leaned back, studying Lena's face for any sign of deceit. She found none, only a hardened determination. "And what do you get out of this?" Eve asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Closure," Lena replied simply, but there was a glint in her eye that suggested there was more to it. "And maybe a little redemption."
Eve nodded slowly, buying into the idea. "Fine. But if you're double-crossing me, I'll make sure you regret it."
Lena's smile widened. "Deal."
Is lena really worth trusting?