Hacking the Heart

Chapter 8

"Oh my God, you're Suraj Khan!" Asami's face lit up with recognition as she exclaimed. Suraj graciously dipped his head; he was obviously used to this response.

"Guilty as charged. I'm at a disadvantage here, though, since you seem to know me, even though I don't think we've been introduced." His tone was honeyed, but my teeth bared from his searching stare.

“I’m Asami,” she squealed. “This is my brother Kai," Asami said with a smile. "I noticed you on Forbes' cover last month! You must have such a glamorous, fast-paced lifestyle."

Suraj laughed. "I admit, it has advantages. However, if you don't have the right people to share it with, being at the top can also be lonely." For a moment, his gaze shifted to me.

Asami launched enthusiastically into describing her health journey and how pancake breakfasts were part of her brother's tireless efforts to keep her spirits up throughout the challenges. Suraj's focus remained locked on me.

"Kai, you and I didn't get much chance to chat the other evening," Suraj interjected smoothly, ignoring Asami's story. "Two devoted brothers just trying to take care of our loved ones. We likely have a great deal in common."

My jaw clenched, heat creeping up my neck under Suraj's cloying facade. "Oh, I highly doubt that."

Just then Asami slid out from the booth. "Pardon me guys, I'll be right back."

The second she was out of earshot; Suraj dropped all pretence. "You know, as a cybersecurity personnel, I was doing some digging into some corporations a few weeks ago and suddenly I came across a series of discrepancies. I tracked every unnoticeable transaction through a faint IP address which took a great deal of effort but eventually I traced it to you. Kai Nakamura.”

Suraj continued. “I have to give it to you you’re quite good, but clearly since I could trace every suspicious activity to you it certainly means you’re not that great this hacking thing.”

“You think you've set things up so cleverly, don't you? But it wasn't that hard for someone with my resources to uncover exactly where that money you stole is going." Suraj leaned in, trademark smugness returning. "I must say, preying on a rich young woman is rather distasteful, even for my flexible moral standards."

I sputtered in rage. "How dare you question my motives! You know nothing about me or my family."

"I can easily disclose your secret to Indira and it would break her dear heart." Suraj's smile turned razor-sharp. Kai’s eyes flashed at the possibility of Suraj telling Indira everything. There was an evil smirk on Suraj’s face as he continued to speak. "But I'm not unreasonable. I can keep my mouth shut if you help me out with a small favour."

Fury and desperation warred inside me. "I will never do anything to aid the likes of you," I seethed.

Suraj remained infuriatingly unruffled. "Come now Kai, think of poor innocent Asami. It would be a shame if her anonymous donor had a sudden change of heart. Or worse, if authorities somehow uncovered the source of those funds..."

He let the unspoken threat permeate my escalating panic. Asami returned, eyeing the charged body language between them.

“Also, if you’re convinced that you can’t assist, I won’t hesitate to tell Indira about your dirty little secrets.”

I was about to speak when he noticed his sister bouncing happily towards them. Asami could sense a bit of tension between me and Suraj.

"Everything okay over here?" She asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely." Suraj slid back out from the booth. "Just getting to know your upstanding brother a little better.”

Suraj slid a black card with embossed letters towards me. “Here’s my business card. You can contact me if you’ve made up your mind.”

Suraj glanced at Asami and gave her a broad smile.

“Now if you'll excuse me, duty calls. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast." With one last smirk at me, he sauntered arrogantly away.

Asami turned worried eyes on Kai. "What was that about?"

I forced a weak smile, pulse pounding in his ears. "Nothing important. Let's just finish our meal, shall we?" Suraj clearly now held all the cards and my entire world hung precariously in his vindictive hands.

I sat staring blankly at the stark black business card Suraj had stealthily slid across the table - just an embossed phone number and email address below his family’s pharmaceutical company logo.

After their confrontation, I raced home, heart still hammering. He flung the hated card onto his desk, pacing furiously trying to clear the red haze of rage clouding his thoughts.

Suraj knew all along exactly where the funds I diverted came from and clearly took sadistic pleasure in blackmailing him with that knowledge. And Asami, sweet Asami, was now an unwitting pawn caught in this vengeful power play.

My stomach churned as he imagined Suraj carrying out his malignant threats. Asami rotting away without access to life-preserving treatments or winding up imprisoned as Suraj shed full light on Kai’s fraud. And Indira...her heart would shatter learning the man she cared for was a criminal parasite leaching her accounts dry. Suraj had all the ammunition to ruin everything I fought so hard to build.

Flopping back defeatedly in his desk chair, I flipped the card between restless fingers. Part of him burned to shred the arrogant bastard’s contact info into pieces and find some way to weather the impending storm. But he knew realistically that Suraj had all the leverage in his vice-like grip. One call or message from him could bring my entire precarious world down.

Which left acquiescing to whatever nefarious and likely illegal scheme Suraj had planned. No other option existed to prevent total annihilation of the fragile existence Kai barely clung to. The realization made him want to retch at being bent so easily to corrupt agendas. But if becoming what he despised meant protecting Asami and Indira, so be it. Some lines were worth crossing if it kept those he loved safe, even at the sacrifice of his own decency.

A light knock interrupted his brooding. Asami’s concerned face appeared as she nudged the door open holding a tray.

“Thought you might need some fuel. I made us sandwiches.” Asami scrutinized my haggard appearance as she set the food down. “You sure you’re okay? I know that Suraj guy rattled you for some reason...”

I straightened, forcing a tense smile. “Just annoyed by arrogant rich jerks. But I’m fine, don’t worry about me. You focus on resting up today.”

Asami still eyed him dubiously but nodded after a moment, backing toward the door.

“Well, call if you need anything. And try to eat something please.” With one last searching look, she pulled the door shut.

I waited until her soft footsteps faded before reaching again for the unsigned pact beckoning ominously from the desk. He turned it over and over, the rigid cardstock feeling suddenly flimsy in his clammy grip. Time to make a deal with the devil before the delay damned them all.

I pulled out his secure burner phone - no traceable history on that device. With a bracing breath, he punched in the number before he lost his nerve. It barely rang once before Suraj’s smug tone purred in his ear.

“I thought you might see reason. So do we have an arrangement now?”

My hand clenched around the phone. “I’m in,” he bit out harshly. “Just tell me who or what you want me to hack and let’s get this over with.”

Suraj chuckled. “Patience. I’ll be in touch soon with details of our mutually beneficial partnership.”

The line went dead, leaving my unspoken oath hanging accusingly in the ensuing silence. He had sacrificed control of his morals and willpower for security - handed authority to ruin him to this serpent. Now I could only pray the trade would satisfy Suraj’s thirst for leverage without fully sinking the fragile raft and keeping himself and Asami afloat.

Because if Suraj’s blackmail shipped me straight to prison, Asami would be left helpless and abandoned. And I refused to fail his sister that abhorrently, even if it meant binding himself inextricably to the merciless will of a billionaire sociopath. The ink was dry on this profane bargain - no retracting the ruinous path I allowed myself to be manipulated down in order to protect everything vulnerable he still clung so desperately to.