James leaned back in his chair, staring at the glowing laptop screen. Hours of research had led him and Lily to the same conclusion: Eric was the key to unraveling Amanda's schemes. His name appeared in legal documents tied to suspicious settlements, many of which involved NDAs that kept Amanda's alleged victims silent.
"What's our next move?" Lily asked, pacing the room. She'd been restless ever since their meeting with Vanessa, her mind clearly racing with possibilities.
"We need proof," James said firmly. "Something that connects Eric directly to Amanda's actions. Emails, financial transactions—anything we can use to expose them both."
Lily stopped pacing and turned to him. "And how exactly do we get that? Eric's a lawyer. He knows how to cover his tracks."
James sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know yet, but Vanessa might. She was close enough to Amanda to see how she operates. Maybe she knows where Eric keeps his skeletons."
Lily hesitated, then nodded. "I'll call her."
---
Vanessa's Revelation
The following day, Vanessa met them at a small park away from prying eyes. She seemed more relaxed than during their first meeting, but there was still a guarded edge to her demeanor.
"I did some digging after we talked," Vanessa began, sitting on a bench and crossing her legs. "Eric's smart, but he's not invincible. I remembered something Amanda mentioned years ago—she said Eric keeps records of everything. Emails, contracts, even recordings of phone calls. He calls it his insurance policy."
James frowned. "Why would he keep evidence that could incriminate him?"
"Because he doesn't trust anyone," Vanessa said. "Not even Amanda. If she ever tried to turn on him, he'd use those records to destroy her."
Lily leaned forward. "Do you know where he keeps them?"
Vanessa hesitated, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening. "He has a private office in the city, separate from his law firm. It's where he handles all his... extracurricular activities. I don't know the exact address, but I can point you in the right direction."
James exchanged a look with Lily, his determination growing. "That's a start. Thank you."
Vanessa gave him a tight smile. "Be careful, James. If Eric catches wind of what you're doing, he won't hesitate to retaliate."
---
The Hunt Begins
Over the next few days, James and Lily worked tirelessly to locate Eric's private office. It wasn't listed under his name, but after combing through property records and following leads from Vanessa, they narrowed it down to a sleek building in the financial district.
The office was on the 12th floor, tucked away behind frosted glass doors with no signage. It was discreet, almost untraceable—a perfect hideaway for someone with secrets to keep.
"This has to be it," James said as they stood across the street, watching people come and go from the building.
"How do we get in?" Lily asked, her brow furrowed.
James thought for a moment, his mind racing. "We'll need to get creative. Maybe Sarah can help—she's good at finding loopholes."
Lily nodded, but her expression was tense. "This is dangerous, James. If Eric finds out what we're doing..."
"I know," James said softly. "But we don't have a choice. If we don't stop Amanda and Eric now, they'll keep doing this to other people."
---
Sarah's Plan
That evening, they met with Sarah at her apartment. She listened carefully as James and Lily explained what they'd discovered about Eric's private office.
"I've hacked into secure systems before, but breaking into a lawyer's files? That's a whole different level of risk," Sarah said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"We're not asking you to break in," James said quickly. "We just need help figuring out how to get access."
Sarah smirked. "You're lucky I like a challenge."
Over the next few hours, Sarah devised a plan. She found a loophole in the building's security system—an outdated backup server that connected to Eric's office. If they could gain physical access to the building, she could remotely bypass the locks and access his files.
"There's one catch," Sarah said, her expression serious. "You'll need to plug this into his computer." She held up a small USB drive. "It's a custom program I wrote. Once it's in, it'll give me full access to his system."
James took the drive, his heart pounding. "And you're sure this will work?"
Sarah shrugged. "As sure as I can be. But you'll have to move fast. If Eric's system detects the breach, it'll shut down, and we'll lose everything."
---
The Break-In
Two nights later, James and Lily found themselves standing in the lobby of the building. They'd dressed inconspicuously, hoping to blend in with the late-night crowd of office workers and janitors.
Sarah was on a video call with them, guiding them through the process. "The security cameras in the lobby are on a ten-second delay," she said. "Once you're in the elevator, you'll be out of their range."
James and Lily stepped into the elevator, their nerves taut. As the doors closed, Lily whispered, "Are we really doing this?"
"We don't have a choice," James said, his voice steady despite the fear churning inside him.
When they reached the 12th floor, Sarah guided them to Eric's office. The hallway was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint hum of fluorescent lights.
"Okay, you're at the door," Sarah said. "There's a keypad lock, but I've already bypassed it. Just push it open."
James pushed the door, and it swung open with a quiet click. The office was sleek and minimal, with dark wood furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city.
"Go to the desk," Sarah instructed. "The computer should be there."
James and Lily moved quickly, their footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. The computer was exactly where Sarah had said it would be. James inserted the USB drive and watched as the screen flickered to life.
"Got it," Sarah said. "Give me a few minutes to download everything."
James glanced at Lily, his heart pounding. "Now we wait."
---
A Close Call
The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity. Just as Sarah announced she'd finished downloading the files, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.
"Someone's coming," Lily whispered, her eyes wide with panic.
"Hide," Sarah said urgently.
James and Lily ducked behind the desk, holding their breath as the footsteps grew louder. The door creaked open, and a man stepped inside. James peeked out just enough to see him—it was Eric.
Eric walked to the desk, his movements calm and deliberate. James could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat a deafening drum.
After what felt like an eternity, Eric turned and left the office, closing the door behind him. James and Lily waited a full minute before emerging from their hiding spot.
"Get out of there," Sarah said. "Now."
...