Lucas paced around his study, the tension in his shoulders evident as he scrolled through his phone.
Amos had been swift in removing the viral images, but the damage had already been done.
News outlets and gossip sites had latched onto the story of him and Aurora like wolves, tearing apart every shred of the secret they had left.
He threw his phone onto the leather couch, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
As much as he wanted to blame the paparazzi for the leaks, a part of him knew it went deeper than that.
Someone was watching—someone with a vested interest in dragging their private life into the public eye.
The soft knock on the door barely registered in his mind until Amos stepped into the room, his expression grim but composed.
"It's done," Amos said, his voice low. "The photos are scrubbed from every platform. I made sure of it."
Lucas didn't respond immediately, his thoughts swirling with an undercurrent of unease. He stared at Amos, who shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny.
"Something else on your mind, sir?" Amos asked carefully.
Before Lucas could answer, a muffled shout echoed from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps approaching his study.
Moments later, two of the security personnel burst in, holding a small, black device in their hands.
"Sir, we found this," one of the guards said, holding out the object for Lucas to inspect. "It was hidden in the library, behind one of the bookshelves."
Lucas narrowed his eyes at the tiny device—a camera.
His jaw clenched as he took it from the guard, turning it over in his hand.
How long had this been in his home? Who could've placed it here?
"Amos," Lucas said, his voice sharp with urgency. "Find out who put this here and who it belongs to. I want answers, and I want them now."
Amos moved closer, his eyes scanning the camera with a frown. "It's a small surveillance device, pretty high-end too. Whoever put it there had to know what they were doing."
Lucas's grip tightened around the camera, his mind racing through the possibilities.
This wasn't just about leaking some photos—this was an invasion of his privacy.
Worse yet, it meant someone had been spying on him and Aurora for who knows how long.
"I don't care how high-end it is," Lucas growled. "I want the person responsible."
Amos nodded, already pulling out his phone to make calls. "I'll get on it right away. We'll run a trace on the manufacturer and see if we can track where this came from."
As Amos left the room to start his investigation, Lucas stood there, his mind clouded with anger. Someone was watching him—watching them. And he wasn't going to stop until he found out who.
He sat down at his desk, placing the camera in front of him, staring at it as if it held all the answers. The thought of someone spying on him and Aurora made his blood boil, but beneath the anger was a flicker of something else.
Concern.
If this camera had been planted in the library, there was no telling where else it could be. His gaze darted around the room, wondering if there were more hidden devices scattered throughout the mansion.
For all his wealth and power, Lucas suddenly felt vulnerable in his own home.
Aurora.
The thought of her being watched, every private moment captured without her knowing, sent a chill down his spine.
Was this why those photos had leaked?
Had they been taken from this camera?
His mind spiralled with questions, each more unsettling than the last.
He picked up his phone, dialling Amos's number.
"Amos," he said as soon as the line connected. "I want every room in this mansion swept. Every single one. I don't care how long it takes—find every camera, every bug, whatever the hell is in here."
Amos's voice was steady despite the weight of the situation. "Understood, sir. I'll send the team right away."
---
At the same time, in another part of Sumturm City, Sophia faced her own set of troubles.
Her voice cracked with frustration as she clung to the doorframe of her small apartment. "I told you I spoke to you about this, and you said I could stay this month!"
Her eyes darted from the thugs hauling her things onto the street to the landlord, whose smug expression infuriated her even more.
The landlord, a stout man with a balding head and a greasy smile, folded his arms across his chest. "Well, I changed my mind, didn't I? Good people are lining up for this place, people who can pay on time. Five months is long enough."
One of the thugs, a tall man with a tattooed arm, shoved a suitcase toward the door, nearly knocking her off balance.
Sophia stumbled but caught herself, her chest tightening with panic. "Please, just give me more time! I can—I'll get the money soon. I just need—"
"You had your time," the landlord cut in, waving dismissively. "I'm done waiting."
Sophia rushed to grab one of the boxes the thug was carrying, but the brute shoved her aside. "Don't make this harder on yourself, lady."
She staggered, feeling the sting of humiliation mix with anger.
"I have nowhere else to go!" Her voice wavered as she tried to push past them again, only to be met with more resistance.
The thug grunted in annoyance, roughly pushing her to the ground this time.
Sophia hit the pavement with a sharp gasp, her hands scraping against the rough surface.
Pain shot through her palms, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to cry. She lifted her head, watching as her belongings were unceremoniously thrown into the street.
The landlord smirked, enjoying the spectacle. "Should've paid your rent on time, sweetheart. This is the real world. No one's waiting for you to get your act together."
Sophia's heart pounded as she struggled to stand, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her.
She staggered toward the thug again, her desperation overcoming the fear. "Please, just stop—"
Before she could finish, the thug raised his hand, his face twisted in irritation. "Enough begging."
He swung his arm, aiming to strike her.
Just as the blow was about to land, the screech of tires filled the air.