By morning, the lie was already in motion. It didn’t look like a lie. That was the point.
Every piece of information Aria constructed had weight behind it — real data, real access points, real consequences if exposed. Nothing fabricated enough to be dismissed. Nothing obvious enough to be questioned.
Just enough truth — Strategically arranged — To become something dangerous.
Lucien stood near the window in his office, watching the city move beneath him with the same detached focus he reserved for negotiations and threats alike. The difference now was that this wasn’t external anymore. The threat was inside.
And somewhere within his own company, someone was waiting to carry their lie directly to Elias.
Behind him, Aria worked at the main desk, her attention locked on the tablet as she
