The next morning, Alya stood outside the observation room, waiting for Damien's next orders. The previous evening felt like an endless nightmare. The private dinner with Damien wasn't just nerve-wracking—it had solidified her realization that the man was becoming increasingly suspicious of her. Yet, what unnerved her more was Damien's growing, peculiar interest in her.
As Alya waited, Sofia's voice crackled in through the communication device hidden in her earpiece.
**"Alya, what did you discover in the observation room?"** Sofia's tone was sharp and urgent.
**"I saw their lab,"** Alya whispered, her voice tense. **"They're really conducting experiments on humans, mostly pregnant women. Damien said it's part of their program to create a 'perfect generation.'"** She paused, steadying her breath. **"But this is bigger than we imagined."**
Sofia remained silent for a moment before replying. **"We need more evidence. You'll have to stay close to Damien."**
**"I know,"** Alya responded. **"But the closer I get to him, the harder it is to hide my identity. He's too smart."**
**"You have to hold on, Alya,"** Sofia urged. **"You're our only operative inside that mansion. If you leave now, we'll lose everything."**
Alya exhaled deeply, trying to calm the growing doubt in her mind. Sofia was right, but the pressure was becoming unbearable.
---
**A New Task from Damien**
Later that morning, Damien summoned Alya to his office as he did every day. This time, he seemed more relaxed, dressed in an unbuttoned white shirt, a faint smirk on his face as he sipped a cup of coffee.
**"Alya,"** he began, motioning for her to approach. **"Today, I need you to assist me outside the mansion."**
Alya frowned slightly but bowed her head to conceal her curiosity. **"What should I do, sir?"**
**"There are important documents that need to be delivered to one of our business partners. I want you to handle it,"** Damien replied. **"I usually entrust Eliza with this task, but today, I want to see how well you perform outside your comfort zone."**
Alya tried to read Damien's expression but found it impossible to gauge his thoughts. **"Of course, sir. I'll take care of it."**
**"Good,"** Damien said, handing her a brown folder. **"Remember, this is highly confidential. Do not open these documents anywhere."**
Alya nodded. **"Understood, sir."**
Before she left, Damien stepped closer, the distance between them unnervingly small. Alya could feel his breath as he whispered, **"And Alya, never even think about betraying my trust."**
The words sounded like a subtle threat, razor-sharp despite their softness. Alya simply bowed and left, carrying the folder carefully.
---
**A Dangerous Mission**
During the journey to the location Damien had specified, Alya couldn't stop thinking about the contents of the folder. Yet, she knew that if she tried to open it and Damien found out, her cover would be blown. But her curiosity gnawed at her.
Stopping at a quiet intersection, Alya made a risky decision. She opened the folder just enough to peek inside. The documents detailed a list of test subjects, complete with their ages, health statuses, and identification numbers.
What shocked Alya the most was seeing a name she knew too well: **Alya Rinaldi.**
Her hands trembled as she read the information. According to the documents, she had already been listed as a potential subject for the perfect generation program. Every detail about her, including medical results she had never provided, was recorded.
**"How did they get all of this?"** she whispered, fear gripping her.
She quickly closed the folder and continued on her way. Now, she understood: Damien wasn't just suspicious of her—he had been targeting her from the very beginning.
---
**Confrontation with Damien**
When Alya returned to the mansion after completing her task, Damien was waiting for her in the reading room. He sat quietly, but his eyes betrayed that he knew something.
**"Did you succeed?"** he asked without preamble.
**"Yes, sir. The documents were delivered as instructed,"** Alya replied.
Damien nodded slowly, but his smile faded. **"Good. But I have one question… you didn't open the documents, did you?"**
Alya's body tensed. **"No, sir. I made sure they remained secure."**
Damien stood and approached her, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. **"You know, Alya, I highly value honesty. But I also know when someone is lying to me."**
Alya fought to keep her face calm. **"I would never think of disobeying your orders, sir,"** she said as steadily as possible.
Damien studied her for a long moment before his lips curled into a faint smirk. **"Good. I want you to remember that trust is the most valuable currency here. If I sense you can't be trusted, I won't hesitate to act."**
Alya bowed her head. **"I understand, sir."**
---
**Damien's Shadow Looms Larger**
That night, as Alya sat on the edge of her bed, the weight of the day pressed down on her. Damien's face and the confidential documents haunted her thoughts. The fact that her name and personal information were in those files wasn't a coincidence. Damien had been watching her long before she entered the mansion.
Pulling out her hidden communication device, Alya contacted Sofia.
**"Alya, are you there?"** Sofia's voice was faint but clear.
**"I found something,"** Alya whispered. **"My name and information are in the documents Damien had me deliver today. They've been targeting me for a long time, Sofia."**
Sofia was silent for a moment before replying, **"That means they know more than we thought. This is more dangerous than we imagined."**
**"He's suspicious of me, Sofia. I think I've gotten too close to his web,"** Alya admitted, exhaling a shaky breath. **"But I can't stop now."**
**"You need to be more careful,"** Sofia warned. **"We can't afford any mistakes."**
After ending the communication, Alya hid the device once more. She knew Sofia was right, but the pressure was becoming unbearable. Damien wasn't just intelligent—he was dangerously manipulative. If she continued to play along, Alya feared she might lose herself in his game.
---
**The Mission Deepens**
The next morning, Damien summoned Alya again. This time, he instructed her to shadow him for the day. As Alya entered Damien's office, she found him standing before his desk, sifting through a stack of important-looking documents. When he saw her, his signature smirk reappeared.
**"Alya,"** he said, motioning her closer. **"Today, you'll be my shadow."**
**"I'll do my best, sir,"** Alya replied, bowing.
Damien approached her, his sharp gaze locking onto hers. **"Tell me, Alya, do you believe in honesty?"**
The question caught Alya off guard, but she kept her composure. **"Honesty is important, sir. Without it, trust is impossible to build."**
Damien smirked, tilting his head slightly. **"Good. But honesty can also be dangerous, can't it? The truth can be a weapon."**
**"I suppose it depends on how the truth is used, sir,"** Alya answered carefully.
Damien chuckled softly, then turned back to his desk. **"You're fascinating, Alya. I'm becoming more curious about you by the day."**
That day, Damien led Alya into the mansion's west wing, an area she hadn't been allowed to enter before. The corridors were darker and devoid of the grandeur seen elsewhere in the mansion. Instead, the walls were stark, the air colder.
**"We're going to the observation room,"** Damien said as he walked ahead. **"I want to see how you react to certain things."**
Alya's stomach churned. She knew the observation room was where the Byron family conducted their experiments. Although she had heard about the horrors that took place there, this would be her first time seeing them up close.
When they entered, Damien unlocked the heavy metal door with his access card. Inside, the room was filled with monitors displaying live feeds from various parts of the lab below. On-screen, Alya saw rows of large glass tubes filled with glowing green liquid, each containing human figures.
**"What do you see, Alya?"** Damien asked, standing beside her.
**"I see… progress, sir,"** Alya replied, though a wave of nausea churned in her stomach.
Damien turned to her with a faint smile. **"Progress, indeed. This is the future, Alya. The perfect generation program. We're building something extraordinary here."**
Alya forced herself to keep her expression neutral. **"It's remarkable, sir."**
Damien studied her intently. **"Remarkable, yes. But not everyone understands it. Many call it cruel, even inhumane. Do you agree?"**
Alya's mind raced. She knew this was a trap. One wrong word, and Damien's suspicion would solidify. **"I think, if it's for a greater good, then what you
're doing might be necessary, sir."**
Damien's lips curled into a smile as he nodded. **"A wise answer. But to achieve greatness, sacrifices are always required."**
---
That night, Alya sat in her room, her thoughts racing. Damien's words and the horrors she had witnessed in the observation room weighed heavily on her mind. She realized that staying under Damien's shadow wasn't just about surviving—it was about playing a game where the stakes were her life..