The morning after my server room escapade, I arrived at the office earlier than usual. My nerves were raw, my mind racing with possibilities. Had Vincent reported me? Was security reviewing footage? How much time did I have before my cover was blown?
The executive floor was eerily quiet at 6:30 AM. I moved through the space like a ghost, settling at my desk outside Cassian's office. The files I'd stolen were safely encrypted on Lance's secure server, but the knowledge they contained weighed heavy on my conscience.
Thirteen women. Thirteen lives disrupted. Thirteen reasons to bring Wolfhart Dynamics to its knees.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear the elevator doors open until it was too late to compose myself.
"Trouble sleeping, Ms. Lancaster?"
Cassian's voice cut through the silence, startling me. He stood in the doorway, impeccable as always in a charcoal suit, holding two coffee cups. His eyes—sharp, calculating—took in my appearance with unsettling precision.
"Just eager to get a head start," I replied, smoothing down my blouse. "I didn't expect you in so early."
"I'm always early." He approached my desk, setting one of the coffees in front of me. "Black with one sugar. That's how you take it, isn't it?"
The fact that he'd noticed such a detail was both flattering and alarming. "Yes. Thank you."
"Consider it a peace offering." He leaned against the edge of my desk, too close for comfort. "After the excitement last night."
My heart stuttered. "Excitement?"
His eyes never left mine. "The security breach. I'm told you were caught in the middle of it."
I took a careful sip of coffee to hide my reaction. "Hardly the middle. I got lost looking for the restroom and then the alarms started. It was... disorienting."
"Vincent seemed to think you were quite far from anywhere you should have been."
There it was—the first card on the table. I needed to play this perfectly.
"Vincent seemed to think a lot of things," I said, letting a hint of indignation color my tone. "If I'd known I needed a map and security clearance to use the facilities, I would have stayed home."
To my surprise, Cassian laughed—a genuine sound that transformed his face for a brief moment.
"You don't back down easily, do you?"
"Should I?" I challenged, meeting his gaze. "I was hired to think independently, not to cower when questioned."
Something flickered in his eyes—approval, perhaps, or respect. It was hard to tell with Cassian; his emotions were always carefully guarded.
"No," he said finally. "You shouldn't." He straightened, adjusting his cuffs. "That's why I have something special for you today."
He gestured for me to follow him into his office. On his desk lay a thick file labeled "Project Phoenix."
"What's this?" I asked, careful not to seem too eager.
"Your first real test." He opened the file, revealing complex schematics and dense technical specifications. "Project Phoenix is our new AI security protocol. Revolutionary. Game-changing. And someone is trying to steal it."
I scanned the documents, recognizing the significance immediately. This wasn't just another corporate project; this was cutting-edge tech that would cement Wolfhart's dominance in the industry.
"You think there's a leak," I said, not a question but a statement.
He nodded. "Three people have access to the complete specs: myself, Vincent, and our Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Lin. But somehow, pieces of the code have appeared on the dark web."
"And you want me to find the leak."
"I want you to play double agent." His voice dropped lower. "I want you to approach each suspect, hint that you have connections who would pay handsomely for such information, and see who bites."
I looked up sharply. "You're asking me to entrap your own executives?"
"I'm asking you to protect what's mine." His eyes hardened. "Unless you're uncomfortable with the assignment?"
This was it—the test. Not just of my loyalty, but of my nerve. If I refused, I'd lose his trust and my access. If I accepted, I'd be walking an even more dangerous line.
"I'll do it," I said, holding his gaze. "But I'll need complete access to their communications, schedules, personal files—everything."
A slow smile spread across his face. "Already prepared for you." He slid a tablet across the desk. "Everything you need is on here. Encrypted, of course. The password is 'Prometheus'."
"The titan who stole fire from the gods," I murmured.
"And was punished eternally for it," Cassian finished, his voice carrying a warning. "Be careful who you burn, Reyna."
The way he said my false name sent a chill down my spine—like he was testing how it felt on his tongue, searching for any hint of deception.
"When do I start?" I asked.
"Now." He checked his watch. "Dr. Lin will be in her lab all morning. Vincent is handling acquisition meetings until noon. I suggest you begin there."
I nodded, gathering the tablet and file. As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me.
"One more thing, Reyna."
I looked back. He'd moved to the window, his profile sharp against the morning light.
"I've arranged for you to attend the Midas Gala this weekend as my plus one. It's an exclusive gathering of tech innovators and investors. Many of whom would kill for a glimpse of Project Phoenix."
My pulse quickened. "You're using me as bait."
His smile was wolf-like. "I prefer to think of it as... strategic placement. Wear something memorable. The car will pick you up at eight."
It wasn't a request.
"Of course," I replied, my mind already calculating the implications.
An exclusive gala meant new connections, new information paths. It also meant an evening on Cassian's arm, playing the role of trusted confidante, perhaps more. The thought made my stomach twist in a way I refused to examine too closely.
As I left his office, I could feel his eyes following me—measuring, assessing, testing the boundaries of whatever this was between us.
Dr. Lin's lab was a stark contrast to the polished corporate floors above—all functional white surfaces and gleaming equipment. The woman herself was equally no-nonsense: mid-fifties, steel-gray hair cut in a severe bob, eyes sharp behind rimless glasses.
"Ms. Lancaster," she said without looking up from her computer. "Cassian said you might stop by. Though he didn't mention why."
I leaned against her workstation, adopting a casual posture that belied the tension coiling inside me. "I'm conducting an internal review of several projects. Project Phoenix in particular."
That got her attention. She looked up, eyes narrowing. "Internal review? On whose authority?"
"Cassian's, of course." I met her gaze without flinching. "He's concerned about... vulnerabilities."
Dr. Lin's expression remained impassive, but a slight tightening around her mouth betrayed her discomfort. "Project Phoenix is secure. I personally oversee all access protocols."
"And yet," I said, letting the words hang between us. I pulled out my phone, scrolling to a screenshot Lance had prepared—code fragments that matched Project Phoenix's signature architecture. "These appeared on a certain forum three days ago."
The color drained from her face. "That's impossible."
"Clearly not." I slipped the phone back into my pocket. "The question is: how much is the rest worth?"
Her eyes widened. "Are you suggesting—"
"I'm not suggesting anything, Dr. Lin. I'm simply noting that innovation like Phoenix would fetch a high price in certain markets. Markets I happen to have connections in."
The trap was set. Now I just needed to see if she'd take the bait.
Dr. Lin stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "I think you should leave, Ms. Lancaster. And I think Cassian should know exactly what kind of person he's brought into his inner circle."
I smiled, all cold confidence. "By all means, tell him. I'm sure he'd be fascinated by your... indignation."
As I turned to leave, she called after me. "You're playing a dangerous game."
I paused at the door. "Isn't everyone in this building?"
My encounter with Vincent went similarly—tense, loaded with subtext, but ultimately inconclusive. He was too careful, too controlled to reveal anything of substance. But I caught something in his eyes when I mentioned Project Phoenix—not guilt exactly, but recognition. Like he knew more than he was saying.
By the end of the day, I'd completed my assigned task—planted the seeds, watched for reactions, and reported back to Cassian with careful neutrality. But I'd also used the access he'd granted me to dig deeper into Wolfhart Dynamics' protected servers, this time with legitimate credentials that wouldn't trigger alarms.
What I found confirmed my worst suspicions. Project Phoenix wasn't just a security protocol—it was a sophisticated surveillance system designed to monitor and predict human behavior patterns. The kind of technology that could be weaponized against whistleblowers like Maya.
Back in Cassian's office, I delivered my report on Dr. Lin and Vincent with professional detachment, revealing nothing of my own discoveries.
"Neither showed obvious signs of being our leak," I concluded. "But Vincent seemed... too prepared for my questions. Like he was expecting them."
Cassian leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin. "Vincent expects everything. It's why I keep him close."
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" I suggested.
His eyes flickered with something dark. "Who said anything about enemies?"
The question hung between us, charged with unspoken tension.
"Everyone has enemies, Cassian," I said softly. "Even you."
"Especially me." He rose, moving around the desk until he stood directly in front of me. Too close. Close enough for me to smell his cologne—something expensive and subtle that made my senses sharpen involuntarily.
"Which are you, Reyna?" he asked, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Friend or enemy?"
"Does it have to be one or the other?" I met his gaze steadily, though my heart raced beneath my calm exterior.
His hand reached up, fingers lightly brushing a strand of hair from my face. The touch was electric, unwelcome, and yet... I didn't pull away.
"With me?" His smile was dangerous, knowing. "Always."
Something shifted between us in that moment—a line blurred, a boundary tested. I should have stepped back, maintained professional distance. Instead, I held my ground, refusing to be intimidated.
"Then I guess you'll have to figure that out for yourself," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.
His laugh was soft, almost intimate. "I intend to." He stepped back, breaking the spell. "Starting with the Midas Gala. I expect you'll find it... illuminating."
I nodded, gathering my things with hands that only slightly trembled. "I'm sure I will."
As I left his office, the weight of what I was doing—the lies, the deception, the dangerous game I was playing—settled heavy on my shoulders. Maya's face flashed in my mind, pale and still in her hospital bed. For her, I reminded myself. All of this was for her.
But as I rode the elevator down to the lobby, another thought intruded, unwelcome and troubling: What if Cassian wasn't the monster I needed him to be? What if the truth was more complicated than my neat narrative of vengeance?
I pushed the thought away as soon as it formed. I couldn't afford doubt. Not now. Not when I was finally getting close to the truth.
The truth that would bring Cassian Wolfhart to his knees.
Even if it meant going down with him.