Aria sat at her desk, her mind buzzing with possibilities. Partner Z was the mastermind, the shadow behind Damon's schemes, and she had to find them.
Her fingers tapped against the keyboard as she sifted through the files again, focusing on the encrypted messages. Damon's communications with Partner Z were brief and coded, but one recurring phrase caught her attention: "The Zenith Agreement – Archive A4."
Archive A4 wasn't in the files she had stolen. If it existed, it was likely stored in Damon's private database—one she didn't have access to.
Yet.
---
The next day, Aria noticed a pattern. Damon had been working late into the evening, leaving the building hours after most employees had gone home. It was the perfect opportunity to strike.
That night, after ensuring Damon's office light was still on, she slipped out of her cubicle and made her way to the server room.
The hallway was silent, the air thick with tension as she approached the secured door. Swiping the access card she'd lifted from Liam earlier, she stepped inside.
Rows of blinking servers stretched before her, the hum of machinery the only sound. Aria's pulse quickened as she inserted a second USB drive into one of the terminals, initiating a bypass to access Damon's private database.
She typed furiously, her eyes darting between the screen and the door. Minutes felt like hours as she searched for Archive A4.
When she finally found it, her breath caught.
The Zenith Agreement was more than a business deal—it was a pact. A list of conditions and guarantees between Damon and Partner Z. The terms were chilling:
Complete control over the Zenith project, including financial and operational authority.
Elimination of any obstacles, regardless of legality or ethics.
A 10% stake in all future ventures under Partner Z's jurisdiction.
And at the bottom of the document, a name leaped off the screen: Victor Hale.
Aria's stomach churned. Victor Hale wasn't just a powerful figure—he was a global icon, a philanthropist known for funding humanitarian projects. If the world knew he was Partner Z, it would shatter his carefully curated image.
But there was more. A second file titled "Contingency Plan Omega" was linked to the Zenith Agreement. Opening it, Aria's blood ran cold.
The plan outlined strategies for silencing dissenters—journalists, activists, and even government officials. Each name was accompanied by notes: bribes, blackmail, or worse.
At the top of the list was a name she recognized immediately: Aria Reynolds.
---
Her hands shook as she pulled the USB drive from the terminal, pocketing it as she turned to leave.
But just as she reached the door, it swung open.
Liam stood there, his expression unreadable.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low but dangerous.
Aria's mind raced. "Damon asked me to retrieve some documents for tomorrow's presentation," she lied, holding up a folder she had grabbed earlier as a decoy.
Liam's eyes narrowed. "At this hour?"
"He said it was urgent."
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Liam stepped aside, gesturing for her to leave.
"I'll confirm with Damon," he said, his tone cold.
Aria nodded, forcing herself to walk calmly past him. But inside, her panic was mounting. Liam had seen her. If he alerted Damon, her cover would be blown.
---
Back in her apartment, Aria secured the USB drive in a hidden compartment beneath her desk. She barely had time to process what she'd found before her phone buzzed again.
It was H.
"You've found him. Now what?"
Her jaw clenched. She didn't know what "now" looked like, but she couldn't let Victor Hale or Damon win.
"I'm going to expose them," she typed back.
H's reply was immediate: "Bold. But dangerous. Are you ready to pay the price?"
Aria didn't respond.
---
The next morning, Damon summoned the entire staff for an announcement. The room was tense as he stood before them, his commanding presence silencing any whispers.
"We've had a breach," he said, his voice sharp. "Classified information has been accessed without authorization. I will find the culprit, and when I do, they will regret it."
His eyes swept the room, lingering on Aria for a fraction of a second before moving on.
Her heart pounded, but she maintained a neutral expression. Damon's warning was clear, but so was her mission.
She would take him down—along with Victor Hale.