The scene kept replaying in her mind — Damien's unwavering stare, the warning laced in his voice, the chilling certainty that he knew she was lying. Her heart was still racing. Did he already realize that Brittany Taylor was just a lie?
By the time she finally made it home that evening, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave.
Celia was curled up on the couch half-heartedly watching a show, when Brittany walked in. The second she caught sight of her friend's expression, she hit the mute button on the Tv. "You look like you've just seen a ghost".
Brittany dropped her bag on the table and plopped down on the sofa next to her. "I think I might have, actually."
"Did you hear what happened?"
"He caught me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Last night. In his office."
Celia's eyes went wide. "You actually went into Damien Wren's office? Brittany, are you out of your mind?"
"I had to check the archives," Brittany replied, her voice low. "There was a file — Project Verdan. My dad's name was on it."
Celia's expression shifted to one of concern. "Oh, Britt…"
Before she could elaborate, a sharp knock echoed from the door.
Brittany opened it to find Noah standing there, his hair a bit messy and a laptop bag slung over his shoulder. "You didn't respond to my messages," he said as he stepped inside. "What's going on?"
Brittany took a moment to gather her thoughts before spilling everything — the late-night search, the locked file, and how Damien had caught her, looking at her as if he already knew everything.
By the time she finished, Noah's jaw was set tight. "That's it," he declared. "I'm going back in."
"No." She shot up from her seat. "Absolutely not. Noah, he's dangerous. The way he looked at me… it felt like he could see right through every lie I've ever told."
"Good thing he's not looking at me," Noah replied with a smirk, already pulling out his laptop. "I'll mask my location. He won't have a clue."
Brittany stepped closer, her voice sharp. "You don't get it. He's not just some CEO, Noah. There's something chilling about him. It's like he's seen people vanish before and didn't even flinch."
Noah looked up, his expression softening. "Britt, I'm not afraid of him. We started this together. I'm not going to leave you to handle it alone."
Celia sat back and observed them, the air thick with tension. With a dramatic sigh, she threw her hands up in exasperation. "Alright, alright, I see what's happening here. You two look like you're about to dive into a tragic spy romance. Just admit it, Noah—you'd throw yourself into danger for her because you've been head over heels since college."
Noah blinked, taken aback. "What? No—Celia—"
Brittany shot her friend a warning look, but Celia just flashed a cheeky grin. "Come on, Britt, you can't deny it. The guy breaks into firewalls and stands up to billionaires just to keep you safe. That's not just friendship; that's true devotion."
Brittany rolled her eyes, but a hint of color crept up her neck. "Celia, come on."
"Okay, okay," Celia said with a smirk. "I'm just saying, if you two end up on the run together, at least it'll be a bit romantic."
Noah groaned, trying to suppress a smile. "You're impossible."
"And yet, I'm always right," Celia shot back.
The playful banter lightened the mood for a moment—laughter easing the sharp edges of their fear—but the worry still lingered in Brittany's heart.
Noah leaned in, his expression turning serious again. "I'll dig through the secondary archives—the shadow servers. If I uncover anything, I'll send it to a dead drop. The second thing feels off, I'm out."
Brittany's shoulders sagged. "You promise?"
"I promise."
He flashed a smile, trying to ease the tension. "Come on, you know I thrive on a good challenge."
She attempted to return the smile, but a weight settled in her chest. "Just… please be careful."