Night had fallen over Aveline City, and the streets shimmered with reflections from neon signs and streetlights. Aria Vale walked briskly, her coat pulled close against the evening chill, yet her mind was anything but calm. Vivienne's presence loomed like a shadow — subtle, persistent, and increasingly dangerous.
Her instincts had been honed by years of survival, and she sensed that Vivienne's next move would not be subtle. Every client, every colleague, every casual conversation could be a weapon against her.
As she approached her car, she noticed it — a small envelope tucked under the windshield wiper. She bent slightly to retrieve it.
Inside, a single business card bore a cryptic message:"Meet me at the Grand Orchid Hotel, 8 PM. Alone."
Aria's pulse quickened, but only for a moment. Vivienne wants me alone. That's the trap.
By 7:45 PM, Aria arrived at the Grand Orchid Hotel, dressed impeccably — black evening gown, hair styled in a smooth chignon, lips painted the color of confidence. The lobby was nearly empty, the scent of orchids mixing with the faint notes of a grand piano somewhere in the distance.
A waiter led her to a private room on the top floor. The door clicked shut behind her, and she immediately scanned the room. No signs of violence, no unexpected guests — only a table with a single envelope.
She approached cautiously, lifting the envelope. Inside, she found documents designed to frame her for a major design theft — Vivienne's handiwork, unmistakable in its subtle manipulation.
A cold smile crossed her lips. Predictable. Amateurish.
Before she could step back, the door opened. Lucien Kane appeared, his silhouette framed by the hallway light. "I had a feeling you might need backup," he said, voice low and firm.
Aria froze for just a second — relief mingled with tension. "Mr. Kane," she murmured, keeping her expression neutral. "You shouldn't be here."
He stepped fully inside, closing the door behind him. "I know. But you don't go anywhere alone when someone is targeting you. Not again."
Her chest tightened. Protective… again. She suppressed the flutter of emotion rising in her chest. "I can handle myself," she said, voice calm, measured.
"You can," Lucien admitted, taking a small step closer. "But I won't let her endanger you while I can prevent it."
The tension in the room was palpable. Aria carefully laid the documents on the table, her fingers brushing the edges as if weighing each move. "Vivienne is escalating. She's moving from corporate sabotage to personal attacks."
Lucien's jaw tightened. "Then we stop her before it goes further. She underestimates us — both of us — when she thinks she can manipulate me."
Aria's gaze met his, steady and unflinching. The storm between them, unspoken yet electric, had not dissipated. This is more than a corporate war now, she thought. It's a chessboard with people I care about at stake.
"Let's make sure she knows," Aria said softly, yet there was steel beneath her words. "No move she makes will catch us off guard."
Lucien's hand hovered near hers for a heartbeat, a silent reassurance, a promise without words. She felt the warmth, but quickly pulled back, maintaining the composure the world expected from Aria Vale.
Vivienne's shadow, though unseen, seemed to tighten around them both. But tonight, the first real counterstrike had been planned — carefully, decisively.
The game has only just begun, Aria thought, heart steady. And this time, we won't lose.