I scrolled through the comnts on the latest articles about Joselle, my coffee growing cold on the table.
The online feeding frenzy was relentless, and honestly, it was hard not to feel a little smug.
Joselle’s career is toast. About ti soone knocked her down a peg.
Did you see her face on that runway? Priceless.
This is karma at its finest. Wonder who had the guts to expose her?
I wondered if this was just jealous people of her success or basically people who she had hurt.
A bully should know what it ans like to be bullied and and Jason, oh we are going to deal with her big ti.
A small smile tugged at my lips. The takedown was perfect. Too perfect, almost. Joselle’s ltdown had been orchestrated with precision.
I comnd Jason. He took my information, did so research and created the perfect break down.
Sa thing I would definitely want to do to Jessica and Gabriel.
Mrs Greene death.
The money laundering. They would soon start coming out.
Once they get married, they would believe it’s nothing but a curse.
Still, I knew Joselle would be plotting sothing.
People like her didn’t just curl up and disappear.
They clawed their way back—angrier, ssier, and more dangerous.
"Kiara?" Jason’s voice startled .
I looked up to see him leaning casually against the doorway, arms crossed.
He had got changed and ca into my ho.
As always, without my permission.
His navy-blue shirt clung just right, making it annoyingly hard not to notice the sharp cut of his jaw or how his sleeves were rolled up enough to show his forearms.
"What?" I asked, trying to sound more irritated than distracted.
He nodded toward my phone. "Keeping tabs on the fallout?"
I shrugged. "You’d think after all this, Joselle might lay low, but she won’t. She’ll regroup and lash out. We both know that."
Jason stepped into the room, his gaze flicking to the screen before returning to . "What’s your next move, then?"
I hesitated, biting my lip. "I’ve been thinking about that. Joselle isn’t our only problem. Jessica and Gabriel are still in play, and they’re not exactly harmless. If I’m going to stop them, I need evidence. Real evidence. Sothing I can use to put them down for good."
Jason tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "So, what? You’re going to waltz into their office and ask nicely for a confession?"
"Close," I said, setting my phone down and standing. "I’m going to plant a spy cam."
His brow lifted. "Bold. Also highly illegal."
"Only if I get caught," I countered, folding my arms.
Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that."
"It’s not about guts. It’s about surviving."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping slightly. "You don’t have to do this alone, you know."
I held his gaze for a mont before turning away. His concern was almost... endearing. But I couldn’t afford to get distracted. Not now.
"I’m not asking for permission," I said, grabbing my bag. "I’ve already made up my mind."
Jason sighed but didn’t argue. Instead, he reached into his pocket and handed a small device.
"What’s this?" I asked, turning it over in my hand.
"A jamr," he said. "It’ll temporarily disable their security caras. Use it wisely."
I stared at him, surprised. "You’re helping ?"
"Let’s just say I have a vested interest in keeping you alive," he replied, his tone teasing but his expression serious.
"Thanks," I said softly, slipping the jamr into my bag.
"Don’t ntion it," he said, stepping back. "But if you get caught, I had nothing to do with this."
I smirked. "Of course. Plausible deniability and all that."
He grinned, but there was sothing in his eyes—sothing protective, almost possessive—that made my pulse quicken.
---
Later That Night
The office was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made you hyper-aware of every sound—every creak, every whisper of air conditioning. My heart raced as I slipped into Jessica’s workspace, the tiny spy cam clutched in my hand.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. I had less than five minutes before the night guard made his rounds.
The jamr Jason had given worked like a charm, scrambling the feed from the security caras as I crouched near Jessica’s desk.
Focus, Kiara.
I carefully affixed the cara under her desk, angling it toward the cluster of docunts and sticky notes that littered the surface. Jessica wasn’t exactly neat, but that worked in my favor. If she slipped up and left sothing incriminating out, I’d see it.
Just as I finished, I heard footsteps approaching. My breath hitched, and I ducked behind the desk, heart pounding.
The footsteps stopped just outside the door.
"Jessica?" a deep voice called.
I froze. Gabriel.
Why was he here this late?
"Jessica?" he repeated, this ti more impatient.
When there was no response, he muttered sothing under his breath and moved on.
I waited until his footsteps faded before slipping out of the office and heading for the stairwell.
---
The Next Morning
I watched the live feed from the cara on my laptop, sipping my coffee as Jessica and Gabriel entered the office.
"Did you talk to her?" Jessica asked, tossing her bag onto her chair.
"Who?" Gabriel replied, already rifling through a stack of papers.
"Kiara" Jessica snapped. "She’s not going down without a fight. We need to be ready."
Gabriel smirked. "Relax. Kiara’s a sinking ship. Let her flail. It just makes it easier for us to take over."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "You’re underestimating her. She’s resourceful."
"So are we," Gabriel said, leaning back in his chair. "Besides, we’ve got leverage."
My stomach turned as I watched their smug faces.
"Leverage?" Jessica asked, intrigued.
Gabriel tapped the side of his head, grinning. "Let’s just say I’ve got sothing that’ll keep her in check."
"Care to share with the class?"
"Not yet," Gabriel replied. "Timing is everything."
Jessica scowled but didn’t push further. Instead, she turned her attention to her computer, typing furiously.
I leaned back in my chair, frowning. Whatever "leverage" Gabriel had, it couldn’t be good.
---
Later That Day
Jason found in the break room, staring blankly at my coffee.
"You look like you’ve seen a ghost," he said, sliding into the seat across from .
"Jessica and Gabriel are up to sothing," I said, lowering my voice. "Sothing big."
"Care to elaborate?"
I filled him in on the conversation I’d overheard, watching his expression darken as I spoke.
"They’re planning sothing against you?" he asked.
"Seems like it," I replied. "But that’s not the part that worries . Gabriel ntioned having ’leverage.’ I don’t know what it is, but it sounded serious."
Jason frowned. He got that whole ’I will hurt them’ look written alover his face.
I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "Jason, if they’re planning sothing, I need to know what it is before it’s too late."
Jason reached across the table, his fingers brushing mine. "Then let help."
His touch sent a jolt through , but I quickly pulled my hand away. "I can handle this."
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You’re stubborn, you know that?"
"Look who’s talking," I shot back, trying to ignore the warmth in his gaze.
Jason smirked, but his eyes remained serious. "Just promise one thing—don’t take unnecessary risks. If you need backup, call ."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Fine."
But deep down, I knew I wouldn’t call him. This was my fight, and I had to see it through.
---
Nightfall
I sat in my car outside the office building, watching as Gabriel and Jessica left for the night.
Once the coast was clear, I slipped inside, heading for Gabriel’s office this ti.
The spy cam in Jessica’s workspace had already yielded valuable intel, but I needed more.
As I rummaged through Gabriel’s desk, my fingers brushed against sothing odd. A file labeled Confidential.
I opened it, my breath catching as I scanned the contents.
Bank statents. Wire transfers. Nas. Dates.
It was all there—proof of Gabriel’s embezzlent and Jessica’s involvent.
But before I could fully process it, the sound of approaching footsteps sent a wave of panic through .
I quickly stashed the file in my bag and slipped out of the office, my heart racing.
As I reached the stairwell, my phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
Hello again Kiara.
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