Michael barely slept that night.
He lay beside Hazel, her head tucked under his chin, her soft breathing the only thing keeping him from unraveling. The weight of what he'd seen on his laptop pressed against his chest like a lead weight.
Aiden's name… tied to a rival company's inside dealings.
Graze Industries had been working on Project Nexus for months — a revolutionary AI financial system that would redefine their firm's future. Only five people even knew the project existed. And now, here it was, in a confidential document addressed to an anonymous bidder… with Aiden Clarke listed as the "potential intermediary."
Michael wasn't the type to jump to conclusions.
But this wasn't a coincidence.
At dawn, he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Hazel, and headed for his study. The air felt heavier than usual, and even the city's noise seemed dulled.
He pulled up the file again. Scanned it line by line.
Aiden had debts.
Big ones.
And whoever was behind this had promised to clear them in exchange for information. The dates matched Aiden's sudden arrival. The sketchy "job" he left behind. The evasive answers.
He came here because he's in trouble. And it's bigger than a few parking tickets.
Michael ran a hand down his face, torn.
If he told Hazel, it would shatter her. She adored her brother, blindly, fiercely. It would crush her trust, and maybe… it would change how she looked at Michael too.
But if he didn't…
The company would fall. And so would everything he was building with her.
A soft knock broke through his thoughts.
Hazel, in his doorway, wearing his T-shirt and a sleepy smile.
"You okay?" she asked, stepping in.
Michael closed the laptop. Too fast. Too guilty.
Hazel frowned. "Since when do you sneak out of bed before sunrise?"
He forced a small smirk. "Since you started stealing the covers."
She walked over, wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek against his back. "You're tense. Want to talk about it?"
God, how could she make him feel both safe and completely exposed at the same time?
Michael turned, cupping her face. "Hazel… what would you do if someone you trusted made a huge mistake? Like… betrayal-level mistake."
She blinked, the sleepiness clearing from her gaze. "Who?"
Michael hesitated. "Hypothetically."
Hazel pulled back slightly, studying him. "Depends. Did they mean to hurt me? Or were they desperate and stupid?"
Michael swallowed. "Maybe both."
Hazel was quiet for a long moment. Then she whispered, "I'd want to know. Even if it hurt."
And that was it.
He couldn't keep this from her.
But before he could speak, the front door burst open.
Aiden stormed in, face pale, eyes wild. "Hazel. Michael. We have a problem."
Michael stood. "You mean besides your debts and corporate espionage?"
Aiden flinched. Hazel's head snapped to Michael. "What?"
Aiden's throat worked. "You saw it, didn't you?"
Michael's jaw clenched. "You want to explain what the hell you're doing tied to Nexus files?"
Hazel's voice cracked. "Aiden… what's going on?"
Aiden's face crumpled. "I didn't have a choice."
Hazel's world tilted.
And just like that — the storm they'd been dodging finally hit....