Chapter 5 What will Amaya do about it

Amaya's apartment felt like it was closing in on her as she walked back and forth. Her mind was racing with a mix of sadness and anger. The conversation with Malcolm Sebastian kept replaying in her head, each word fueling her determination to fight harder.

"I won't let them win," she said quietly, clenching her fists. "I can't."

She grabbed her laptop and quickly began typing, searching for all the information she could find on Victoria Watson. As she read about Victoria's accomplishments - good grades, volunteer work, and charity events - Amaya frowned.

"She seems perfect," Amaya muttered, her tone laced with frustration.

But Amaya's detective instincts kicked in. She knew everyone had secrets, and she didn't believe Victoria could be an exception. There had to be something beneath the surface, some flaw or weakness she could exploit.

As she delved deeper into her research, Amaya's phone rang. It was Louis.

"Amaya, please talk to me. What happened? I don't understand," Louis said, his voice filled with confusion and hurt.

Amaya felt a pang of guilt. She had pushed Louis away with cruel words, as Malcolm had demanded. But she couldn't risk everything by telling Louis the truth.

"I'm sorry, Louis," Amaya whispered, even though she hadn't answered the call. "But I'll fix this. I promise."

Turning back to her research, Amaya noticed a name in Victoria's social media history: Barry Joe. He was tagged in photos from a few years ago, always close to Victoria.

"Ex-boyfriend?" Amaya wondered aloud.

As she looked through the photos, it became clear there had been something serious between Victoria and Barry. The wheels in Amaya's mind started turning. If she could bring Barry back into the picture, it might create some chaos in Victoria's life.

Amaya hesitated for a moment. Was she really considering using an innocent person to sabotage a relationship? The moral implications of her plan weighed heavily on her conscience.

"They are not innocent," she told herself firmly, pushing away the doubts. Malcolm 's threats were still echoing in her ears. "They are trying to take everything from me."

With renewed determination, Amaya decided to investigate further. She would find this Barry Joe and learn everything about him. Then, she would use that information to her advantage.

As the night progressed, Amaya's apartment transformed into a makeshift war room. Sticky notes covered the walls, connecting pieces of Victoria's life like a spider web. In the center, a photo of Victoria seemed to mock her.

Amaya glared at the image. "Enjoy your perfect life while you can, Victoria," she muttered. "Because I'm coming for you. And I won't stop until I've destroyed it all."

Her phone buzzed again. Another message from Louis, asking for an explanation. Amaya's resolve wavered for a moment. Was she going too far?

But then she remembered Malcolm 's cold eyes, the threat to her parents, and the future with Louis that was being taken away from her. No, she decided. She wasn't going far enough.

With renewed determination, Amaya turned back to her laptop. She had a long night ahead of her, and a plan to set in motion.

Hours passed as Amaya dug deeper into Victoria's past. She scoured social media profiles, public records, and any other sources she could find. Each piece of information was another weapon in her arsenal, another potential weakness to exploit.

As the first rays of dawn began to creep through her windows, Amaya sat back, exhausted but triumphant. She had found what she was looking for.

"I've got you now, Victoria," she said, a grim smile playing on her lips.

Amaya had uncovered a series of old tweets and forum posts that painted a less-than-flattering picture of Victoria. Comments that could be interpreted as insensitive, jokes that wouldn't fly in today's social climate. Nothing damning, but enough to potentially tarnish Victoria's squeaky-clean image.

But the real prize was Barry Joe. Amaya had managed to track down his current contact information and, more importantly, his current relationship status: single.

"Let's see how Victoria's perfect life holds up when her ex comes knocking," Amaya mused.

She reached for her burner phone, hesitating for just a moment before dialing Barry's number. As the phone rang, Amaya took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to do.

"Hello?" a groggy male voice answered.

"Is this Barry Joe?" Amaya asked, injecting a note of urgency into her voice.

"Yes, who's this?"

"Someone who thinks you should know the truth about Victoria Watson," Amaya replied, her heart racing.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Victoria? What about her?"

Amaya smiled. She had him hooked. "I have some information that I think you'll find very interesting. Can we meet?"

As she set up a meeting with Barry, Amaya felt a mix of excitement and guilt. She was crossing a line, she knew that. But in her mind, she had no choice. It was either this or lose everything she held dear.

"I'm sorry, Louis," she whispered again, glancing at her silent phone. "I hope you'll understand someday."

With the call ended, Amaya began to prepare for her meeting with Barry. She gathered the information she had collected, carefully selecting what to reveal and what to hold back. Every piece of data was a potential weapon, and she intended to use them all.

As she worked, Amaya's resolve hardened. She was in too deep now to turn back. Whatever the consequences, whatever the cost, she would see this through to the end.

"Game on, Victoria," Amaya said, her voice barely above a whisper. "May the best woman win."

The sun had fully risen now, casting a golden glow over Amaya's war room. A new day had dawned, and with it, the next phase of Amaya's plan was set to begin. She was playing to win, no matter the cost. The game was on, and Amaya was determined to be the one left standing when the dust settled.