The silence of the room was shattered only by the soft rustle of paper. Rowen Cade sat across from Amara, flipping through a freshly printed document. His sharp eyes scanned every detail like a hawk sizing up prey. The early morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of Amara's study, casting soft golden hues over the sleek mahogany desk between them.
Amara leaned forward, her fingers lightly tapping the wood. "What do we have?"
Rowen slid the file across. "Not enough to take them down. Yet. But there's movement—secret transactions, unregistered properties, and a woman. Darian's been careful, but he's not invisible."
Amara's lips curled slightly—not in joy, but satisfaction. "Then we keep digging."
Rowen nodded. "I'll keep the trail warm."
As he stood, Amara's gaze softened,
Thank you...
—
Selene's world was cracking.
The chandelier above her gleamed, untouched by the chaos in her chest. She stood alone in her lavishly decorated living room, the walls seeming to inch closer, suffocating her. For days now, she had felt it—eyes watching, shadows moving where they shouldn't. Someone was prying.
She paced the room, heels clicking sharply against marble, thoughts spiraling. Had Darian been sloppy?
Her mind drifted to the past—a dangerous place where envy had first taken root.
Flashback:....
They had been inseparable. Two little girls giggling under the summer sun, chasing dragonflies in the Moretti gardens. Amara, with her natural charm and effortless grace, always drew attention. Even as children, people gravitated toward her.
Selene used to adore her. Worshipped her even.
But things shifted when they entered adolescence. Selene noticed the way Zane looked at Amara during family dinners. The way her parents whispered praises about Amara's kindness, her beauty, her perfect future. Even when Selene topped her classes, it was Amara who was always remembered.
Then came the cruelest betrayal—Zane.
Selene had loved him first. Or at least thought she did. But Amara hadn't even tried to win him. He had just chosen her. Just like everyone else did.
The rage festered quietly for years, masked in smiles and sisterly affection.
She had smiled at Amara's wedding.
She had stood beside her in her dress, holding her hand and promising to always protect her.
And the very next day, she had started plotting her downfall.
Present:
Selene gritted her teeth. "They will not take this from me. Not when I'm this close."
She grabbed her phone and dialed Darian.
"It's me," she said when he picked up. "We have a problem. Someone's digging."
"Handle it," he replied coolly. "I'll find out who. No one ruins our plans."
Selene hung up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The same mirror where she had once practiced smiling like Amara.
She laughed bitterly. "Now she gets to taste the game I mastered."
—
The attic smelled of dust and memories. Amara ran her fingers over an old photo album she hadn't touched in years. She opened it, slowly flipping through pages filled with smiles, laughter, and lies.
There they were—Selene and herself at a beach picnic, arms locked, faces glowing. Two young girls who once made friendship bracelets and promised to never let anything come between them.
But something had.
Amara sighed, a heaviness in her chest. She had trusted Selene with her secrets, her tears, her doubts. She remembered one night, years ago, when she had confessed her fears about marriage.
Selene had comforted her then. Held her.
All the while, had she been smiling through gritted teeth?
Amara snapped the album shut.
She wasn't the same girl anymore.
Now, she wore armor.
And Selene would never see the dagger coming.
—
Rowen returned later that evening, a folder in his hand and a frown on his face. "We have a lead. A transfer made to a shell company, and guess who signed the approval?"
"Zane?" Amara asked, heart stalling.
Rowen shook his head. "Selene. But she used Zane's old digital signature."
Amara's eyes narrowed. "She's planting evidence against him?"
"Looks like it," Rowen replied.
Amara stood, fury coursing through her veins. "Then it's time we turn the heat up.
Because this time, it wasn't just revenge.
It was justice.
And she wasn't playing fair anymore.