CHAPTER 8: THE FIRST TRAP
998 Words
The rain never let up, pounding the streets cold, relentless, almost punishing. Aria Vale watched from the window high above the chaos, her gaze locked on the smear of headlights below. The city wasn’t fazed. People acted like nothing had shifted. Like there wasn’t a missing woman. Like war hadn’t started.
Behind her, Daniel set a tablet down on the glass table with a soft thunk.
“It’s ready,” he said.
Aria didn’t turn. Not right away.
“Walk me through it,” she said, voice steady.
Daniel nodded. “He’s got a secondary account quiet, off the books, but active. That’s where he’s been shuffling money he doesn’t want anyone finding.”
Aria’s lips curved. Just a bit.
“Smart,” she murmured.
Daniel’s tone dropped. “Was.”
That got her attention. She turned, finally.
“What did you do?”
Daniel met her eyes. “Exactly what you told me to.”
He tapped the tablet. Numbers flashed. Patterns. Transfers. Clean disruption enough to rattle the account, but not tear it apart. Just exposed, suddenly vulnerable.
All to the right eyes. All at precisely the right moment.
Aria moved closer, scanning the data. Every detail mattered. Seconds slipped by and she measured each one.
“Will it come back to me?”
Daniel barely hesitated. “No way. It’ll look like a screw-up on their side. Or maybe an insider leak.”
Aria nodded once. That’s what she wanted confusion, paranoia, doubt.
“Send it.”
Daniel hesitated just as long as she had, then pressed the command. One click. That’s all it took.
And then something cracked.
Across town, Ethan’s car sliced through the rain. The city blurred past, slick and dark. His phone buzzed once, twice, a third time. He snatched it up, jaw tight.
“What?”
A voice pressed in, urgent. “We’ve got a problem. One of the private accounts something’s moving. Weird activity.”
He squeezed the wheel harder.
“What kind of activity?”
“Funds flagged. If this spreads…”
“It won’t,” Ethan bit out. “Lock it down.”
“We’re trying, but…”
“Don’t try. Fix it.”
He ended the call, face dark and tense. Everything was moving way too fast. Ava was gone. There was no way she.
He cut himself off. No. Not Ava anymore. His eyes narrowed.
“She’s testing me,” he muttered.
Back in the high-rise, Aria watched the live updates roll in. Right on time.
“He took the bait,” Daniel said.
Aria’s eyes sharpened, even if her face stayed calm.
“Of course he did.” Ethan never let threats slide. He crushed them. Hard. Fast. Predictable there’s his weakness.
“He’ll start digging,” Daniel said. “Trying to sniff out whoever leaked it.”
Aria nodded. “Means he’ll start doubting his inner circle.”
Daniel eyed her. “Including her.”
Something flickered in Aria’s gaze. Lila.
The so-called best friend the one who smiled and plotted behind her back. Good, Aria thought. Let her panic. Let her sweat.
“Doubt’s stronger than fear,” Aria said, almost to herself. “Fear disappears.”
She looked at the screen. “But doubt destroys everything.”
Ethan stormed into his office, slamming the door. “Who had access to that account?” he barked.
Silence. No one moved. That said plenty.
“Answer me!”
A man stepped up, careful. “Just a few people.”
“Names.”
They rattled off the list short, tight, controlled.
Ethan’s gaze moved between faces, calculating, weighing. Until it landed. Lila.
She froze.
“Ethan…”
“You had access.”
Her heart dropped. “You gave it to me.”
“And now it’s compromised.”
“That doesn’t mean it was me!”
His stare stayed sharp, unreadable. Didn’t budge.
“Then prove it.”
Lila’s voice wobbled. “I didn’t do this. Why would I blow everything up when I’m part of the plan?”
Ethan stepped closer. Slow, like ice.
“Because people get greedy,” he murmured.
The accusation just hung there, heavy.
Lila stared, devastated. “You think I’d betray you?”
No answer from Ethan. Which was its own answer.
Miles away, Aria watched the exchange play out through the feed. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Right on schedule,” she whispered.
Daniel crossed his arms. “You’re splitting them up.”
She never looked away. “They were never solid. I’m just exposing what’s already there.”
Lila’s voice echoed faintly, desperate “I’m on your side, Ethan!”
Aria’s smile sharpened. Were you ever on mine?
Back in the office, nerves snapped.
“I don’t have time for this,” Ethan said, ice cold. “Until I’ve got answers, nobody touches anything unless I say so.”
His gaze lingered on Lila just a second longer than the others. Then he turned, dismissed her. Just like that.
She stood there, shaky and pale. For the first time, she realized Ethan didn’t trust her. Not anymore. And if he didn’t…
She wasn’t safe.
Aria pulled herself up, stepping away from the feed.
“One move,” Daniel said. “They’re already unraveling.”
Aria picked up her phone. Calm, satisfied.
“This was never about smashing them in one go,” she answered, almost gently.
She slipped the phone away.
“It’s about breaking them apart. Bit by bit.”
She went for the door.
Daniel stopped her. “What’s next?”
She paused, lips curling into something cold.
“Now?”
Her eyes went dark.
“I let them chase shadows.”
Behind her, the rain kept falling. It washed the city, covered the truth.
And somewhere in that storm, two people finally started to get it the woman they thought was gone.
Wasn’t. She was coming back.
Stronger. Smarter.
Way more dangerous than either of them ever guessed.
- Writer
