Chapter 4 A Deal with the Devil

Aria stared at the shards of herself reflected in the dark screen of her laptop. The files were gone. The flash drive was fried. And someone out there had sent a clear message: Back off.

But fear didn't stop her. If anything, it sharpened her focus.

She dressed in a black blazer, jeans, and boots-professional, but ready to run if she had to. She slipped her recorder and a second, hidden flash drive into her bag. By the time the sun rose over Manhattan, Aria was on her way back to Cole Tower.

This time, she didn't wait for an invitation.

She marched past the lobby with a confidence she barely felt, swiped her press badge, and stepped into the private elevator that led straight to the top.

When the doors opened, Damian Cole was already waiting.

"Miss Blake," he said, hands folded behind his back, voice cool.

"Mr. Cole," she replied, stepping out slowly. "We need to talk."

"I assumed you'd be back," he said, motioning toward his office. "You always circle back to unfinished business."

They entered the room in silence. His office was immaculate-leather, steel, and glass. Everything looked expensive, including the man himself. Damian stood like a king who knew his kingdom could fall at any moment-and was already planning how to survive it.

Aria pulled out her recorder and hit the button.

"This isn't an interview," he said flatly.

"It is now."

Damian walked over to his bar and poured two glasses of bourbon, placing one in front of her. She didn't touch it.

"I received an anonymous flash drive this morning," she said. "It had encrypted financial documents. Zurich. Shell companies. A signature from Lucien Ward."

His face didn't flinch. But his eyes-they darkened.

She leaned in. "Someone wiped the files. Then they hacked my laptop. Then they sent me a message: You've seen too much."

Damian didn't respond at first. He stared at her like he was weighing what she was worth-not in money, but in risk.

"Lucien Ward is a name that gets people killed," he said finally. "And Zurich is a city where truth doesn't survive without scars."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm warning you."

They locked eyes.

Aria stood. "So that's it? You deny everything? Pretend this empire of yours isn't built on lies and offshore blood money?"

Damian moved closer, his voice low and deliberate. "What if I told you I've spent the last ten years cleaning up my father's mess-undoing what Lucien Ward helped him build? What if I told you this empire nearly destroyed me?"

Aria narrowed her gaze. "Then prove it."

He studied her for a long moment. Then-unexpectedly-he nodded.

"Fine," he said. "You want answers? You'll get them. But on one condition."

"What?"

"You stay close. You shadow me for a week. Day and night. I'll show you the truth-on my terms."

Aria's heart thumped. "And if I say no?"

He smirked. "Then you keep chasing shadows... and hope they don't catch you first."