Mark sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, his mind racing. The events of the past few days played over and over again in his head, each moment a glaring reminder of his own failure. He had let emotions cloud his judgment, had trusted too easily when he should have questioned everything. He clenched his fists, frustration and regret boiling beneath the surface.Something had been off from the beginning. Sophie was making moves faster than expected, Alex was hesitant, and Liam… Liam had been acting strangely. Mark had seen the signs, but he had ignored them, choosing instead to believe in his friendships, in his instincts.Liam had always been his go-to, his confidant in the war against Dark Solution. But now, something in his gut told him he'd been too trusting. If Liam was compromised, then Mark had only one play left: Alex.Alex was still uncertain, still on the edge. Mark needed to know if he could be trusted before it was too late. But he couldn't just ask him outright. He needed a test—one Alex wouldn't even realize he was taking.---The next evening, Mark met Alex at their usual café. The place was quiet, a few patrons scattered about, lost in their own worlds. Mark took a sip of his coffee before speaking."Alex, I need your help with something. Something big."Alex tensed. "What is it?"Mark leaned in, keeping his voice low. "Dark Solution is planning something, and I need to know what. I have a lead—an inside source who might be willing to talk. But I need you to make contact. Sophie won't suspect you the way she would me."Alex hesitated. "That sounds risky.""Only if you make it risky," Mark countered. "It's simple. Meet this guy, get the info, and come straight back to me. Can you do that?"Alex looked down at his hands, then back up at Mark. "Yeah. I think I can."Mark nodded, but inside, he knew this was only the beginning. If Alex was loyal, this would be the first step in proving it. If he wasn't… then Mark would know soon enough.---As soon as Alex left, Mark pulled out his phone and dialed a number."Yeah?" the voice on the other end answered."Follow him," Mark said. "I need to know who he talks to.""Understood."Mark ended the call, exhaling slowly. He tapped his fingers against the table, the doubt creeping in again. He should have seen this sooner. He should have known Liam was a problem. But he had been so caught up in wanting to believe he had people he could trust that he had ignored the obvious.---Unable to shake his unease, Mark dialed another number—Liam's.Liam picked up after a few rings. "Mark. What's up?"Mark kept his tone casual. "Just checking in. Something feels off. You still on our side?"There was a pause before Liam laughed. "Of course. You're getting paranoid, man. Relax."Mark forced a chuckle. "Yeah, maybe. Just had to be sure.""You trust me, don't you?" Liam asked, his voice smooth.Mark hesitated, then answered, "Yeah. I do."But as he hung up, he realized the truth—he didn't. Not anymore.---Alex arrived at the meeting spot, a deserted warehouse on the edge of the city. He had barely stepped inside when a shadow emerged from the darkness."You're late," Liam's voice cut through the silence.Alex stiffened. "Liam? You're the contact?"Liam smirked. "Let's just say I'm interested in where your loyalties lie."Alex swallowed hard. "I thought you were on Mark's side."Liam chuckled. "Mark's side? There are no sides, Alex. Just winners and losers. And right now, you need to decide which one you want to be."Alex hesitated. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him. If Liam was working for Sophie, that meant Mark was in the dark about more than just Alex. And if he walked away now, he would be walking away from power, from opportunity."What do you want from me?" Alex asked.Liam's smile widened. "Just information. Tell Sophie what Mark is planning, and she'll make sure you're taken care of."Alex clenched his fists. "And if I don't?"Liam's expression turned cold. "Then you better hope Mark can protect you. But we both know how that story ends."Alex exhaled shakily. He had a choice to make. And deep down, he knew which one he would take.---The next day, Mark sat at the café, waiting. He had expected Alex to come back with the information. Instead, he got silence.Then, Alex walked in, a strange determination in his eyes. He slid a paper across the table. Mark's stomach dropped as he saw the signature—Alex's signature—on a contract for Dark Solution."You signed it?" Mark's voice was low, betrayed.Alex nodded. "I had to, Mark. You don't understand."Mark sat back, the realization hitting him hard. He had been a fool. He had trusted too easily, let his emotions dictate his choices instead of using his brain. He had thought Alex was different, that Alex could resist the pull of power, but he had been wrong.The worst part? He had seen it coming and had ignored it.His fingers tightened around the edge of the table. Alex had failed the test. But worse than that, Liam had played him too. He had trusted the wrong people, and now, he was more alone than ever.Sophie had won this round. But Mark wasn't done yet.
The café was quiet, the hum of distant conversations blending with the soft clink of porcelain cups. Mark sat at a corner table, his fingers drumming lightly on the polished wood surface. His mind was racing, though his expression betrayed nothing. Across from him, Sophie slid into the seat with the grace of a predator settling in for the kill. Her smirk was razor-sharp, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and triumph.
"Oh, Mark," she drawled, her voice dripping with mockery. "You always think you're smarter than you are. It's adorable, really. But this?" She tapped the contract on the table with a perfectly manicured finger. "This is just tragic."
Mark's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure. He had expected this meeting, though not quite so soon. Sophie was always one step ahead, and he hated how much he admired that about her. "You gave Alex worse terms than before," he said, his tone neutral.
Sophie laughed, a rich, melodic sound that carried an edge of cruelty. "Of course I did. Why would I reward hesitation? He made me wait. He made me doubt. That comes with a cost. And yet—" she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper— "he still signed. What does that tell you?"
Mark exhaled slowly, his eyes flicking down to the document. The numbers were lower, the conditions harsher—longer hours, stricter control, and an absurdly high penalty for leaving Dark Solution. But what caught his attention was the final clause, buried in dense legalese at the bottom of the page. His fingers smoothed over the paper as he read it.
*In the event of termination or breach of contract, all intellectual and proprietary assets contributed by the signee will become the sole property of Dark Solution, with no legal recourse or financial compensation.*
A slow smirk tugged at Mark's lips. Alex hadn't just signed a bad deal—he had signed away everything. Every idea, every project he worked on under Dark Solution would belong to Sophie, permanently. And Alex didn't even know.
Sophie watched him, waiting for a reaction. Expecting anger. Frustration. Maybe even a desperate attempt to fix things. Instead, Mark chuckled.
Her smirk faltered for the briefest second. "Something funny?"
Mark leaned back in his chair, exuding an easy confidence. "Not at all. I just love seeing people get exactly what they deserve."
Sophie blinked, then grinned, truly entertained now. "Oh, Mark. You really are full of surprises."
"You too," he said smoothly. "You just did me a favor."
That made her pause. "Did I?"
Mark nodded, tapping the contract. "Alex was going to betray me."
Sophie's brow arched, but she didn't interrupt.
"He planned to wait until the game launched," Mark continued, his voice calm and measured. "Then he'd leave, taking my best developers with him. He had an entire exit strategy lined up, backed by one of our competitors. If he had succeeded, he would've gutted my company from the inside." He gestured to the contract. "But now? Thanks to you, he's stuck. He can't leave, he can't steal anything, and if he tries, Dark Solution owns every idea in his head."
Sophie tilted her head, studying him with a mix of curiosity and admiration. "You're telling me… I just saved you from a disaster?"
"That's exactly what you did," Mark said, his smirk widening. "So, really—I should be thanking you."
Sophie leaned back, crossing her arms. Her expression was thoughtful, but her eyes still sparkled with mischief. "Huh. And here I was hoping to see you panic."
"Sorry to disappoint."
She tapped a finger on the table, her nails clicking softly against the wood. "You know, Mark… I can't tell if you're playing the long game or if you really are this unshakable."
"Why not both?"
Sophie let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "One of these days, I'll figure you out."
"Good luck with that."
She stood, smoothing down her blazer with practiced elegance. "I'd love to stay and bask in this delightful turn of events, but I have a company to run. You, on the other hand…" She paused, her gaze lingering on him. "Should probably start thinking about your next move. Because this?" She gestured to the contract. "This is just the beginning."
With one last amused glance, she turned and strolled out of the café, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. Mark watched her go, his mind already shifting to the next steps. He had known Sophie for years, and he knew better than to underestimate her. She was ruthless, brilliant, and always two moves ahead. But so was he.
As the door swung shut behind her, Mark exhaled slowly, the weight of the moment settling over him. Alex had sealed his fate before he even had the chance to make his move. And Mark? He had never felt more at peace with it.