Michael's fingers hovered over his phone, his face unreadable. He was cornered.
Lexy watched him, her confidence unwavering. James was nearby, watching like a predator ready to strike.
"Delete the footage," Lexy said coolly. "And walk away."
Michael let out a slow exhale, his jaw tightening. "And if I don't?"
Lexy's smirk was razor-sharp. "Then your little financial secrets find their way to the board. And let's be honest, Michael, your career won't survive that."
For the first time, Michael hesitated.
Lexy could see it in his eyes the moment he realized he had lost.
Slowly, he unlocked his phone. With a few taps, he deleted the video. Then, for good measure, he wiped his cloud storage.
Lexy watched every move, ensuring there was no backup. No second chance to use it against them.
When he was done, he set the phone down, his expression cold. "You're good," he admitted, voice low. "Better than I thought."
Lexy leaned back, crossing her legs. "You have no idea."
James approached then, his presence silent but heavy.
Michael looked between them and let out a humorless chuckle. "Guess this is where I say 'no hard feelings'?"
James tilted his head. "That depends. Are you planning to make this mistake again?"
Michael didn't answer.
Smart choice.
He stood, adjusting his jacket, his smirk returning but this time, it was forced. "This isn't over," he muttered.
Lexy arched a brow. "Oh, but it is."
Michael hesitated for a fraction of a second, then turned and walked away.
Lexy let out a slow breath, feeling the weight of the past few days finally settle.
James sat beside her, watching Michael disappear into the crowd.
"He's going to retaliate," James murmured.
Lexy nodded. "I know."
James reached for her hand under the table, his grip strong, grounding. "Then we'll be ready."
But just as Lexy thought they were in the clear, her phone buzzed with a new message.
Unknown Number: You handled Michael well. But you have bigger problems now.
Her blood ran cold.