♣ CHAPTER 22 ♣
The next morning, Kate dialed Tina's number while pacing the living room.
"Tina, I need that guy's number."
Tina yawned on the other end. "What guy?"
"Jeremy. The hacker. The one from high school. You said he's good."
"Oh... him." Tina sat up. "Are you serious about meeting him?"
"I don't have time to play. That video Gabriella posted is still trending. My name is everywhere. I need help."
"Okay, okay. Calm down. I already spoke to Jeremy. He said he's available today. You can meet him downtown. Eleven o'clock sharp."
Kate grabbed her bag. "Text me the address."
"Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"I don't even know what I'm fighting yet, Tina. But I need weapons."
"I'll come with you."
"No. Stay close to the office. If anything breaks, I need you to cover."
"Alright. But be careful. Jeremy isn't exactly... normal."
"None of us are anymore."
---
At the café downtown, Kate sat by the window, with her hands folded. A young man in a dark hoodie walked in and slid into the seat across from her.
"Kate."
"Jeremy."
He smirked. "Didn't think you'd remember me."
"I remember people who hacked the school system to change math scores."
He grinned playfully. "Guilty."
She leaned forward. "I need help." She said, making the space in the café moody.
"I figured. Tina said you're in trouble."
"I need someone to dig. Deep. Someone's trying to ruin my company. They've already started. A fake document scandal. A viral video. My investors are shaken."
Jeremy opened his laptop. "Names?"
She hesitated. "My uncle. And a woman named Gabriella. But something tells me there's more."
"Give me access to your system. And the company's server. I'll trace the uploads. I'll see who's pulling the strings."
"And what do you want in return?"
He grinned playfully again. "I'll think about it."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "That's not reassuring."
"You'll get results. Don't Just ask questions about how."
"Fine. How long will it take?"
"A few days or Maybe less."
"I'll be waiting."
---
Later that afternoon, Kate entered William's office. His jaw was tight. He didn't look up.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
He finally raised his eyes. "We have a problem."
"What now?"
"Lawrence Knight."
"Who's that?"
"A business tycoon. He is Ruthless and he Controls half of the energy market. And now... he wants your family's company."
Kate's heart skipped. "What?"
"He's buying shares silently. Through proxies. Your uncle's helping him."
She stepped back. "Why? Why would he—"
"To destroy me."
Kate stared at him. "You think this is about you?"
William stood. "It started with me. But now it's about us. Your company is the easiest way to hurt me."
"I thought we were dealing with Gabriella."
"We were. But she's just noisy. This... this is war."
"So what do we do?"
He walked over to her. "We fight back. But carefully. He's powerful, Kate. And dangerous."
She nodded. "I already took the first step."
He frowned. "What step?"
"I met Jeremy today."
His brows lifted. "Who's Jeremy?"
"A friend from highschool."
"What does he do?"
"He's a hacker."
"A hacker?... You should have told me you need one,I got the best hacker in the world, they all work in my company ." William explained.
"Yes… and I know that you have, but I don't think it's time to brag about it."
"Do you trust him?"
"No. But I need him."
William nodded slowly. "Alright. Let him work. But stay alert. If Knight comes for you, I won't hold back."
Kate held his gaze. "Neither will I."
Kate turned away from William and walked to the window.
"He's trying to use my parents' company to get to you?" she asked.
William nodded slowly. "Yes."
"But why now? Why not months ago?"
"Because now you're in the picture. You're my wife. My name is tied to yours. If your company falls, mine shakes."
Kate's voice rose. "So, all of this… the marriage, the partnership… was just to protect yourself?"
William's jaw tightened. "That's not what I said."
"You didn't have to. I see it clearly now."
He stepped closer. "Kate, stop twisting this. Yes, I needed the marriage for business. But it's not just about that anymore."
She looked at him,her gaze burning. "Then what is it about?"
He didn't answer.
Kate scoffed. "Exactly."
William ran a hand through his hair. "Lawrence is playing dirty. He's using your uncle, your company, your name. If we don't act fast, he'll own everything tied to you."
"Let him try," Kate snapped. "I'm not scared of him."
"You should be," William said, his voice firm. "This man buries people. Not just financially. He erases them."
Kate stood tall. "Then I'll dig him out first."
William stepped back. "Be smart, Kate."
She crossed her arms. "I've been smart all my life and I was smart enough to call Jeremy."
"Jeremy isn't a soldier. He's a hacker. He plays behind screens."
"And that's exactly what I need right now. Someone who can go into the dark and pull out the truth."
William watched her for a moment. "Fine. But I want full updates."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "So now you want updates?"
"Yes," he said. "If something happens to you, I need to know. Immediately."
Kate walked past him. "Then start telling me everything too. No more secrets."
He nodded. "Deal."
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was Tina.
"Hey," Kate answered.
Tina's voice was urgent. "Check your email. Now."
Kate unlocked her phone and opened her inbox. A new mail sat at the top. The subject line: Urgent – Transfer Records.
She tapped it. The files loaded slowly.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Those are the accounts Jeremy found," Tina said. "Lawrence has been moving large sums through shell companies. Your uncle is one of the beneficiaries."
Kate's hands clenched. "He's selling out the company."
"He already sold part of it," Tina said. "The documents were hidden and Altered,But Jeremy found the original files in the server backups."
Kate looked at William. "They've already started cutting pieces of the company."
William grabbed his phone. "We need to freeze all internal transactions. Now."
Kate end the call and looked at him. "I'm calling an emergency board meeting."
William nodded. "I'll back you."
She turned to go, then paused. "William."
"Yes?"
"If I fall, will you stand by me?"
He met her eyes. "I won't let you fall."
---
An hour later, Kate sat in her car outside the office. Her phone rang again. It was an unknown number.
She picked up. "Hello?"
A deep voice spoke, calm and cold. "Stay away from the files, Kate."
Her blood ran cold. "Who is this?"
"Someone who knows what your father died for."
Kate gripped the phone. "What do you mean?"
There was a long pause. "Some doors should stay closed."
The line went dead.
She stared at the screen, with her heart pounding. Her face turned white.
Something darker was coming.
And she was already in too deep.