The moment Layla and Ethan exited the Donovan Tower, she felt like she could breathe again. The cold night air hit her face, and for a fleeting moment, she thought they had won this round. But the way Ethan's hand lingered on her arm as he guided her to the car told her otherwise.
"What now?" she asked as they slid into the vehicle. Her voice was tight, and she couldn't shake the image of Aiden's piercing stare from her mind.
Ethan didn't answer right away. He sat back, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his jaw clenched. "We bought time, but that's it. He's not going to let this go."
Layla's heart sank. "You think he's going to come after me again?"
"I know he will," Ethan replied. "And the next time, he'll be ready. Aiden doesn't make the same mistake twice."
Layla bit her lip, anxiety clawing at her insides. "What do we do, Ethan? He has proof—at least, he thinks he does. If he connects me to the leaks…"
Ethan finally turned to face her, his expression serious. "We need to get ahead of him. That flash drive you uploaded—does he know what was on it?"
Layla shook her head. "Not yet. He caught me before I could finish. But his IT team might have flagged the activity."
Ethan frowned. "Then we need to move fast. We can't just sit around and wait for him to strike again."
---
Aiden's Next Move
Back at Donovan Tower, Aiden sat in his office, his expression unreadable as he reviewed the IT report. The evidence against Layla was clear, but something about the situation didn't sit right with him. She wasn't working alone—of that, he was certain.
He leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. Who was this Ethan Cross, and why was he so invested in Layla's defense? Aiden picked up his phone and dialed his head of security.
"I want a full background check on Ethan Cross," he ordered. "I want to know who he is, where he came from, and why he's suddenly in my way."
"Yes, Mr. Donovan," the voice on the other end replied.
Aiden hung up, his lips curling into a faint smirk. If Layla thought she could outmaneuver him, she was sorely mistaken.
---
Ethan's Plan
Ethan drove Layla to a secluded safe house on the outskirts of the city. The small cabin was nondescript, surrounded by trees and shrouded in darkness.
"This is where we'll regroup," Ethan said as they stepped inside. "It's off the grid, and Aiden won't find us here."
Layla glanced around, taking in the sparse furnishings and the faint smell of
Layla glanced around, taking in the sparse furnishings and the faint smell of pine that lingered in the air. The cabin was small but functional, its walls adorned with nothing but a few simple paintings and a couple of worn-out chairs. It felt like the last place anyone would come looking for her. Yet, a shiver ran down her spine at the thought of being cut off from the world, isolated in this small cabin in the middle of nowhere.
"Do you think this will be enough to keep us hidden?" Layla asked, her voice small in the vast quiet of the place. She set her bag down on the small wooden table, trying to steady her racing thoughts.
Ethan was already pacing near the window, checking the locks on the door and inspecting the perimeter. He turned to her with a wry smile. "It's not much, but it will do. For now, it's safer than staying in the city where Aiden can reach you at any moment."
Layla nodded but couldn't shake the anxiety that twisted her insides. She felt like a fugitive. If Aiden truly suspected her of being the leak, things could escalate quickly.
"What's the next step?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, clearly deep in thought. "We need to figure out who's been feeding Aiden this information. If we can cut the source off at the head, we might stand a chance. But we also need to cover our tracks before he can find any more evidence linking you to the leaks."
Layla shifted uneasily, the weight of their situation bearing down on her. "Do you think Aiden has anyone else working with him who might be trying to make me the fall guy?"
"I'm almost certain," Ethan replied, his voice low. "Aiden doesn't play fair. He's not going to make a move without covering his tracks. It's possible that he's trying to frame you, or he's being manipulated by someone who wants to get rid of both of you."
Layla felt a cold shiver run through her, but she refused to let her fear show. "I never thought it would come to this. I thought I was just doing my job."
"I know," Ethan said quietly. "But now, you need to understand that you're not just a pawn in Aiden's game. He's a dangerous man, and you need to be prepared for the possibility that he'll do whatever it takes to bring you down." He paused, locking eyes with her. "We'll figure this out together."
She nodded, feeling a flicker of hope in his words, despite the uncertainty looming over them. But she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the worst was yet to come.
---
The Phone Call
Just as the tension in the cabin began to settle, Layla's phone buzzed on the table, breaking the silence. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name on the screen: Aiden Donovan. She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Layla," Aiden's voice came through the phone, smooth and cold. "I know you're hiding, but I won't let you run from this. You'll pay for the betrayal."
Layla's throat went dry as she clenched the phone tighter. "I haven't betrayed you, Aiden. I'm not the one leaking information."
"Don't lie to me," Aiden snapped. "You've been playing both sides, and I'm not going to let you ruin everything I've built. If you think running away is going to save you, you're mistaken."
Layla's mind raced, and for a moment, she felt completely helpless. Ethan was right—Aiden wasn't going to let this go. His grip on her life was tighter than ever.
"I won't stop until I find the truth," Aiden continued. "You'll regret crossing me, Layla. There's no escaping the consequences."
Before she could respond, the line went dead. Layla stared at the phone in her hand, her breath shallow. It was clear that Aiden wasn't going to back down.
Ethan, who had been watching her closely, stepped forward. "What did he say?"
Layla looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "He knows. He's going to come after me harder now. And he won't stop until he has what he wants."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "We need to act fast. Aiden's not the kind of man to make idle threats."
---
The Plan
As the night wore on, Ethan and Layla sat down at the small table to strategize. The weight of their situation pressed on them both, and there was no sugarcoating the reality of their predicament.
"We need to figure out how much Aiden knows about the leaks," Ethan said, leaning over the table with his hands clasped together. "If he's already got evidence pointing to you, we might not have much time."
"I still don't know who could have framed me," Layla murmured, staring at the table. "If it wasn't me, then who would have wanted to set me up like this?"
Ethan thought for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "There's only one person who stands to benefit from this mess, and that's someone close to Aiden. Someone who could manipulate him and make you the scapegoat."
Layla's mind raced. "You mean someone within Donovan Enterprises?"
"Exactly." Ethan stood up, walking over to the window. He looked out into the darkness, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "Someone with enough power to cover their tracks and make sure Aiden focuses on you. Someone who knows how to play the game."
"You think Aiden's been manipulated?" Layla asked, almost to herself.
"I think it's very likely. But finding out who's behind this is going to take time, and we don't have that luxury." Ethan turned to her. "We need to get ahead of Aiden. We can't wait for him to make the next move."
Layla nodded, absorbing the gravity of his words. "So what's the plan?"
Ethan's expression hardened. "We're going to find out who's been working against us, and we're going to expose them before Aiden can do anything to you. But we need to move quickly. The longer we wait, the more dangerous this gets."
---
A Risky Move
The following days were a whirlwind of activity as Layla and Ethan worked in tandem to uncover the mole within Donovan Enterprises. They went through records, contacted former employees, and pieced together a trail of clues. Slowly but surely, they began to get closer to the truth.
But as they dug deeper, the walls began to close in. Aiden's grip on the situation was tightening, and Layla knew that soon, they would no longer be able to hide.
One afternoon, Layla received a call that made her heart drop into her stomach. It was from a number she didn't recognize.
"Layla," the voice on the other end said, sending a chill down her spine. "You don't know me, but I know who you are. You need to listen carefully. You're in danger. Aiden's not the only one after you."
Layla's blood ran cold as the mysterious voice continued. "There's more going on here than you realize. And if you don't move fast, everything you've worked for will be destroyed."
Before Layla could ask any questions, the line went dead. She stared at the phone, her heart pounding.
"Ethan, I think we've just uncovered something bigger than we realized."