Aiden sat in his office, the skyline of the city gleaming beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. His mind was a storm of anger and suspicion, but he had learned long ago that chaos could be a weapon if wielded correctly. He needed to flush out the traitor, and he knew just how to do it.
He pressed a button on his desk phone, summoning Emily, his assistant. Within moments, she entered, her usual composed demeanor intact.
"You called, Mr. Donovan?"
Aiden turned to her, his piercing gaze narrowing. "Schedule a meeting with Layla Carter for tomorrow morning. I want to discuss the leaks and her role in our current crisis."
Emily hesitated, her professional mask slipping just enough to reveal surprise. "Layla, sir? Do you believe she's involved?"
"That's irrelevant for now," Aiden said, his voice cold. "She's been too close to key projects, and her patterns don't add up. Whether she's the mole or just a pawn, I need answers."
Emily nodded. "I'll arrange it."
After she left, Aiden's lips curled into a faint smirk. Layla wouldn't know what hit her.
---
Layla's Preparation
Layla received the meeting notification later that evening. She stared at her phone, dread pooling in her stomach. Aiden rarely called one-on-one meetings, and after the recent leaks, she knew this couldn't be a coincidence.
Her first instinct was to call Ethan.
"They know," she said the moment he answered.
"Calm down," Ethan replied, his voice steady. "What happened?"
"Aiden scheduled a meeting with me for tomorrow," she explained. "He knows I'm involved, Ethan. I don't know how, but he knows."
Ethan was silent for a moment. "This is bad," he admitted. "But it's not over yet. You need to play it cool—act like you have no idea what's going on."
Layla scoffed. "Play it cool? Aiden is the most dangerous man I've ever met, and you want me to sit across from him and lie to his face?"
"Yes," Ethan said firmly. "And while you're doing that, I'll work on something to shift the heat off you. Trust me, Layla. We've come too far to let him win now."
---
The Meeting
The next morning, Layla entered Aiden's office with her heart pounding. He stood by the window, his silhouette imposing against the sunlight.
"Ms. Carter," he said without turning. "Take a seat."
She obeyed, trying to steady her breathing.
Aiden turned, his expression unreadable. "You've been with Donovan Enterprises for how long now?"
"Three years," Layla replied cautiously.
"And in that time, you've proven yourself to be resourceful, intelligent, and—above all—loyal."
Layla nodded, unsure where this was going.
"Which is why I find these recent leaks... troubling," Aiden continued, his tone deceptively calm. "Someone in my company is working against me, and their actions threaten everything I've built."
Layla swallowed hard. "I understand, sir. And I want to help however I can."
Aiden studied her for a long moment, his gaze piercing. "Do you?"
"Yes," Layla said, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "I'm just as invested in Donovan Enterprises' success as you are."
Aiden's lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. Because I'm counting on you to prove your loyalty."
Layla's stomach churned, but she managed a nod.
---
The Twist
What Layla didn't know was that Aiden had planted a trap. After their meeting, he instructed his IT team to monitor her every move. If she was the mole, she wouldn't be able to resist trying to cover her tracks.
That evening, as Layla and Ethan worked on their next move, the trap was already in motion.
"We need to escalate," Ethan said, his tone urgent. "The authorities are dragging their feet, and Aiden's getting too close."
Layla nodded. "But how? He's already tightening security. Every move we make feels like a risk."
Ethan pulled out a flash drive. "This contains a list of Aiden's blackmail targets. Politicians, CEOs, even law enforcement. If we leak this, it'll cause an uproar. He won't be able to silence everyone."
Layla hesitated. "Won't that put us in even more danger?"
"We're already in danger," Ethan replied. "This is the only way to take control of the narrative."
Reluctantly, Layla agreed.
---
The Betrayal
As Layla inserted the flash drive into her laptop, she had no idea that Aiden's IT team was watching. Every keystroke, every file transfer—it was all being recorded.
Within hours, Aiden had the proof he needed.
"So," he murmured, leaning back in his chair. "It is her."
He picked up his phone and made a call.
"Bring her to me," he ordered.
Chapter 15 ends here.