The elevator doors opened with a cold, metallic sigh, and the sterile air of Marco’s office tower wrapped around me like a vise. Each step toward his office felt heavier than the last, my heels striking the polished floor in sharp, relentless clicks. I wasn’t walking into a meeting—I was walking into a trap meticulously prepared to exploit every weakness I had.
I knew why I was here. Marco didn’t want money—he wanted Jonathan’s information. I didn’t have it. Not a single file, not a password, not a hint of what he sought. But I had to offer something. Something tangible. Something that might at least buy me time.
And then there was Liam. The memory of his warning flashed in my mind: Don’t go alone. Every step I took felt like defiance and desperation rolled into one. I hated myself for n
