The café was tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, dimly lit and thick with the scent of roasted beans and regret. Maria sat at the far end, back straight, fingers wrapped tightly around her teacup. Her eyes remained fixed on the entrance until a shadow moved through the door.
Chuka swaggered in like a man who owned the world—same worn leather jacket, same cocky smile that used to charm her before she knew better.
He slid into the seat opposite her without waiting for an invitation.
"You look… expensive," he said, eyes scanning her silk blouse and subtle diamond earrings. "Success suits you."
Maria didn't flinch. "You have five minutes. Start talking."
Chuka laughed low and leaned forward, placing a black flash drive on the table between them.
"Straight to business. Fine. This," he tapped the drive, "contains financial records from the Madu Group. Hidden accounts. Off-the-books transfers. Someone close to your Mr. Blackwood has been bleeding money out of his empire for years."
Maria narrowed her eyes. "Why come to me with this?"
"Because I know how you think," he said with a crooked smile. "You're smart, skeptical, and you've got more reason than anyone to question what's too good to be true."
Maria's fingers twitched. She didn't touch the drive.
"And what do you want in return?"
Chuka shrugged. "Nothing… yet. Let's call it a gift. From someone who used to know the girl behind the uniform."
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping the floor. "That girl doesn't exist anymore."
Chuka's smirk didn't fade. "Then maybe I'm talking to the woman who's about to realize she never really knew the man she built her life with."
---
That evening…
Maria sat in the penthouse balcony, the wind teasing her curls as the city lights blinked far below. In her hand was the flash drive, now cold from her grip. Her mind raced.
She had never fully unpacked the fear of betrayal. Trust didn't come easy, and now, just when things felt stable—safe—Chuka had slithered back in with a whisper of corruption.
Inside, Alexander's deep voice floated down the hallway as he read Junior his favorite bedtime book. The sound steadied her… but didn't quiet the storm inside.
She waited until Junior's door closed softly, then walked into the living room.
Alexander looked up, his smile warm—until he saw her expression.
"What's wrong?" he asked, rising.
Maria swallowed. "We might have a problem. A serious one."
She placed the flash drive on the coffee table between them. "Chuka found me. He gave me this. Says there's proof someone close to you is stealing money. That your company's being set up."
Alexander's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening.
"Did you look at it?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. I wanted you to see it first."
He nodded slowly, already reaching for the drive.
Outside, far beyond the windows, a figure leaned against a parked car, watching the penthouse tower. Chuka's cigarette glowed red in the darkness as he smiled to himself.
The game had only just begun