Aria leaned back in her chair, staring at the screen. The plan she was crafting was bold, but it was also dangerous. If she succeeded, Damon's empire would crumble. If she failed, she'd lose everything—including her life.
Her eyes drifted to her phone. She hadn't heard from H again since their last cryptic message. As much as she wanted to ignore them, she couldn't shake the feeling that H wasn't just a threat—they were a puzzle piece she needed to solve.
Against her better judgment, she pulled up the message thread and typed a response:
"If you know so much, why not stop Damon yourself?"
The reply came faster than she expected:
"I already tried. Now it's your turn."
Aria frowned. That answer raised more questions than it answered. Who was H? What was their connection to Damon? And why were they so invested in her mission?
Before she could ask another question, a second message appeared:
"Check the files again. You missed something."
---
Aria's fingers flew over the keyboard as she reopened the Zenith files. She combed through them line by line, scrutinizing every detail. Finally, she found it—a series of encrypted memos buried deep within the project's financial records.
The encryption was advanced, but Aria was better. After hours of work, she cracked the code, revealing a string of messages between Damon and someone labeled only as "Partner Z."
The messages painted a damning picture. Partner Z wasn't just an investor—they were the mastermind behind Zenith. They provided the funding, the connections, and the political leverage Damon needed to make the project a reality.
One message in particular stood out:
"The summit is critical. If we succeed, no one will dare oppose us. Failure is not an option."
Partner Z was pulling the strings, and Damon was their puppet. But who was Partner Z? And how were they connected to H?
---
The next morning, Aria arrived at the office to find the atmosphere tense. Employees whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting nervously toward the executive wing.
"What's going on?" she asked a coworker.
"Haven't you heard?" they replied. "Damon's called for an internal investigation. Someone's been leaking information."
Aria's stomach sank. The noose was tightening, and she was running out of time.
---
Later that afternoon, Liam approached her desk, his expression unreadable.
"Damon wants to see you," he said.
Aria's pulse quickened. "What for?"
Liam shrugged. "He didn't say. But I wouldn't keep him waiting."
She forced a calm nod, gathering her things before following Liam to Damon's office.
---
The room was imposing, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. Damon sat behind a massive desk, his gaze as sharp as ever.
"Miss Reynolds," he said, gesturing for her to sit.
She obeyed, her expression carefully neutral.
"I've been reviewing your work," he began. "Impressive. But I can't help but wonder—why did Liam recommend you?"
The question caught her off guard. "He saw potential in me," she replied carefully.
"Potential," Damon echoed, leaning back in his chair. "Interesting choice of words. You see, I value loyalty above all else. And lately, I've been questioning the loyalty of those around me."
Aria met his gaze, her heart pounding. "I don't know what you mean."
Damon studied her for a long moment before his lips curled into a cold smile. "Of course you don't."
Before she could respond, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
"You can go now. But remember, Miss Reynolds—everyone is replaceable."
---
Aria left the office, her legs shaky. Damon's words were a warning, but she wasn't sure if he suspected her or if he was simply testing her. Either way, she knew she couldn't stay in the shadows much longer.
That night, she received another message from H:
"Damon isn't the real danger. Partner Z is. Find them, and you'll find your answers."
Aria's jaw tightened. Partner Z was the key to everything. But exposing them would require a level of risk she wasn't sure she was ready for.
Then again, she didn't have a choice.