Episode 9
Aria was up before the sun. Sleep had evaded her again — not out of fear, but out of anticipation. The moment her feet touched the floor, she felt it: today was different. Today, she wouldn't just play Lucien's obedient wife.
Today, she'd take control of the game.
She slipped on a sleek black pantsuit, minimalistic yet powerful. No frills. No distractions. Just a woman on a mission.
When she walked into the dining hall, Lucien was already seated at the long table, sipping black coffee while flipping through a file. He didn't look up when she entered.
"You didn't sleep," she stated.
"Neither did you," he replied coolly.
She sat across from him and poured herself some tea. "What's on today's agenda?"
Lucien finally looked at her. "We expose a crack in Leonard's empire."
Her eyes narrowed. "Which crack?"
He slid the file across to her. "His shipping company. Oceanic Freight. It's a front for smuggling high-value unregistered assets — mostly antiques, sometimes weapons."
Aria's eyes skimmed the documents. Photos. Customs reports. Emails. "He's sloppy."
Lucien's lips curled. "He's arrogant. That makes him vulnerable."
"And what's our move?" she asked.
"We tip off the authorities anonymously. Get one of his shipments seized. Let the press tear him apart."
She nodded slowly. "A public scandal. You want to hit his reputation first."
Lucien leaned in. "Power is perception, Aria. If the world stops seeing him as untouchable, his empire starts crumbling."
Aria closed the file. "Then let's make him bleed."
---
Two Hours Later
Aria sat across from Detective Evelyn Hart — a sharp-eyed woman with a reputation for taking down white-collar criminals with surgical precision. Her office was small, tidy, and suffocatingly tense.
"I'm surprised to get this meeting," Evelyn said. "Anonymous tips usually don't walk in wearing thousand-dollar heels."
Aria didn't flinch. "Consider this… an investment in justice."
Evelyn arched an eyebrow. "And you're willing to testify?"
"No. But I can give you enough proof to start your own trail."
She slid a flash drive across the desk. "I expect nothing in return. Except that you do your job — thoroughly."
Evelyn took the drive, studying Aria for a long moment. "Why do I feel like you're not telling me everything?"
Aria stood with a faint smile. "Because I'm not."
---
Back at Blackwood Corp
Lucien was in the war room — a private, tech-secured chamber on the top floor. Screens lined the walls, each one tracking different corporations, news outlets, and internal security feeds.
Aria walked in without knocking. He didn't seem surprised.
"Evelyn Hart has the flash drive," she reported.
Lucien tapped a key, pulling up an active customs report.
"Perfect timing," he said. "One of Leonard's containers was flagged an hour ago. The media hasn't caught wind yet, but it's coming."
Aria sat beside him. "How long until it hits the headlines?"
Lucien gave her a knowing look. "It's already trending on underground forums. By noon, CNN will have it. By tonight, Leonard's board will be panicking."
"And then what?"
"Then," Lucien said darkly, "we exploit the chaos."
Aria's phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
Unknown: Meet me at 4 p.m. — Café Solace. Come alone. — D
She stared at it, her heart stuttering.
Lucien noticed. "What is it?"
She hesitated. "Someone… wants to meet me. Alone."
"Who?"
She turned the phone toward him.
Lucien's expression changed.
"Darian Vale," he said, voice suddenly sharp.
Aria's mind reeled. Leonard's only son. The heir. The golden boy of Vale International. She remembered reading about him — a tech prodigy who disappeared from the spotlight two years ago after a scandal.
"I thought he was in Europe," she said.
Lucien shook his head. "He's back. And if he's reaching out to you…"
"It means he knows something."
Lucien's voice dropped an octave. "Be careful, Aria. Darian's not like his father. He's smarter."
She stood, slipping her phone into her purse. "Then I'll be smarter."
---
Café Solace – 4:00 PM
The café was tucked into a quiet corner of the city, all glass walls and warm lighting. Aria stepped inside, scanning the crowd.
He was already there.
Darian Vale.
Late twenties. Tousled dark hair. A quiet intensity in his gaze that immediately set him apart from his father's theatrical arrogance. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans — effortless, confident, unassuming.
He stood when he saw her. "Mrs. Blackwood."
She walked over, sitting across from him. "You asked for this meeting. Speak."
Darian chuckled softly. "Straight to the point. I like that."
"Flattery won't distract me."
"Wasn't trying to. I need your help."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "You're Leonard Vale's son. Why would I help you?"
"Because I'm not my father. And I know things. Things that could bring him down — for good."
She leaned in slightly. "Then why not go public?"
"Because he's my father," Darian said quietly. "And because if I do it alone, I die."
His gaze met hers.
"But if I do it with you… we both win."
---
Later That Night
Lucien paced his study, jaw clenched. Aria had just finished recounting the meeting.
"He wants immunity," she said. "And in exchange, he'll give us everything — passwords, offshore accounts, audio recordings."
Lucien wasn't convinced. "He's playing a game."
"Maybe," Aria agreed. "But it's a game we can win."
He stopped pacing. "And you trust him?"
"I don't trust anyone," she said. "But I do trust leverage. And right now, he has it."
Lucien stared at her. Then slowly, he smiled.
"You're becoming more like me every day."
Aria met his gaze. "No, Lucien. I'm becoming something worse."
They both understood what that meant.
Leonard Vale wouldn't just fall.
He would burn.
🔥 To be continued...
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