THE GAME OF REVENGE

The First Move

Seraphina Laurent didn't sleep that night.

She sat at the edge of her bed, staring at the photograph lying on the table in front of her.

Three men.

Gabriel Laurent.

Richard Devereaux.

And a younger Alexander Devereaux.

Her father's handwriting was still visible on the back.

If anything happens to me, don't trust the Devereaux family.

Seven years.

She had carried those words with her for seven years.

They had become the foundation of everything she believed.

Everything she had done.

Everything she had sacrificed.

But tonight, one question kept returning.

How much had Alexander known?

She picked up her phone.

2:17 a.m.

She opened the message thread with Elena.

Her thumb hovered over the keyboard.

Then she typed.

SERAPHINA: He knew who I was.

The reply came within seconds.

ELENA: What?

SERAPHINA: He knew I was Gabriel's daughter before I told him.

There was a long pause.

Then:

ELENA: Are you sure?

Seraphina stared at the message.

SERAPHINA: He practically told me.

Another pause.

ELENA: Then you need to get out.

Seraphina frowned.

SERAPHINA: No.

ELENA: Sera—

SERAPHINA: This is exactly why I came.

She looked toward the photograph again.

SERAPHINA: If Alexander knows who I am, then he knows something about my father.

Elena didn't respond immediately.

When the message finally appeared, it was only five words.

ELENA: Don't let him get close.

Seraphina locked her phone.

She almost laughed.

Too late.

Alexander Devereaux had already gotten inside her head.

And she hated him for it.

At exactly 7:42 the following morning, Seraphina stepped through the revolving doors of Devereaux Holdings.

The building was enormous.

Forty-eight floors of glass, steel, and money.

Employees moved through the lobby with the quiet efficiency of people who understood that mistakes here were expensive.

Seraphina adjusted her blazer and walked toward reception.

"Ms. Laurent?"

She turned.

A tall man in a charcoal suit stood several feet away.

He looked younger than she expected.

Perhaps thirty-three.

Dark hair.

Sharp features.

Expression unreadable.

"Yes?"

"I'm Roman Ashford."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Alexander's right hand.

She knew the name.

Everyone who had researched Devereaux Holdings knew it.

Roman approached and extended his hand.

"Mr. Devereaux asked me to escort you upstairs."

Seraphina shook his hand.

His grip was firm.

"That's generous."

Roman released her hand.

"Mr. Devereaux isn't known for generosity."

Interesting.

She smiled.

"Then why am I getting special treatment?"

Roman studied her for a moment.

"That's something you'll have to ask him."

They entered the elevator.

The doors closed.

Silence.

Seraphina watched the floor numbers rise.

Roman stood beside her without saying anything.

She glanced at him.

"You knew my father."

Roman's expression didn't change.

"No."

Too quick.

Seraphina noticed.

"Everyone seems to know something about Gabriel Laurent except me."

Roman finally looked at her.

"Maybe you're asking the wrong people."

Before she could respond, the elevator doors opened.

Forty-eighth floor.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

It was quieter.

Almost unnaturally so.

There were fewer employees.

More security.

The walls were dark wood and black marble.

At the end of the corridor stood a set of enormous glass doors.

Roman opened them.

"Mr. Devereaux is waiting."

Seraphina stepped inside.

Alexander stood with his back toward her.

He was looking out through the windows at the city below.

"Close the door, Roman."

Roman did.

Then he remained inside.

Alexander turned.

His eyes went immediately to Seraphina.

"You're early."

"You told me eight."

"It's 7:56."

"I prefer being early."

"I know."

Her eyebrows lifted.

"You know?"

Alexander walked toward his desk.

"I've read your file."

Of course.

He had.

Seraphina placed her bag on the chair.

"Then you know I'm qualified."

"I know you graduated with honors."

He picked up a folder.

"I know you spent three years at Laurent Advisory."

Her heart skipped.

Laurent Advisory.

Her father's old company.

The company she had helped rebuild under another name after his death.

Alexander continued.

"I know you specialize in corporate restructuring."

He closed the folder.

"And I know your official employment history contains a six-month gap."

Seraphina remained calm.

"Personal reasons."

"Of course."

He said it almost casually.

Roman stood near the door.

Watching.

Seraphina turned toward Alexander.

"You said yesterday that you hired me because you wanted to see what I was willing to do to get inside this company."

Alexander's gaze sharpened.

"I did."

"So let's stop pretending this is a normal employment arrangement."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"I never said it was."

"Then why am I here?"

Alexander walked around his desk.

"Because I have a problem."

"What kind?"

"Someone has been stealing information from my company."

Seraphina's expression remained neutral.

"What kind of information?"

"Financial projections. Acquisition plans. Internal communications."

"Do you suspect someone?"

"I suspect everyone."

She almost smiled.

"Then why hire me?"

"Because you're new."

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

Alexander stopped in front of her.

"If someone is watching this company, they won't be watching you."

Seraphina understood immediately.

He wanted to use her.

Interesting.

She crossed her arms.

"And what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Find the leak."

She stared at him.

"You want me to investigate your own employees?"

"I want you to investigate everyone."

"Including you?"

Alexander's eyes held hers.

"Especially me."

For the first time, Seraphina wasn't sure if he was being arrogant or serious.

Perhaps both.

Alexander handed her a thin black folder.

"Everything you need is inside."

She took it.

"What happens if I find something?"

"Bring it to me."

"And if I find something involving you?"

"Bring it to me."

She opened the folder.

Inside were names.

Departments.

Financial reports.

Internal communications.

Then she saw a name that made her blood run cold.

Gabriel Laurent.

She looked up.

Alexander was watching her.

"Why is my father's name in this?"

"Because he was involved in the original investigation."

"Investigation into what?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Seraphina closed the folder.

"You knew this would affect me."

"Yes."

"You could have given this assignment to anyone."

"Yes."

"Why me?"

Alexander leaned against the edge of his desk.

"Because you're going to find the truth."

Seraphina stared at him.

"About the leak?"

"No."

His voice dropped.

"About your father."

Silence.

She felt her heartbeat in her throat.

"What do you know?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Instead, he walked toward the window.

"My father told me never to investigate Gabriel Laurent's death."

Seraphina's fingers tightened around the folder.

"Why?"

"Because some questions are more dangerous than their answers."

She stepped toward him.

"That's not an answer."

"No."

He turned.

"It's a warning."

Seraphina's anger rose.

"You think I'm afraid?"

"I think you're angry."

"And you?"

"I'm patient."

She laughed bitterly.

"You're enjoying this."

Alexander's expression didn't change.

"Perhaps."

She walked closer.

"Let me make something clear, Mr. Devereaux."

His eyes lowered briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.

"If there's anything your family had to do with my father's death, I will find it."

"I know."

"And when I do—"

"You'll destroy me."

Her words died.

Alexander had finished the sentence for her.

He didn't sound afraid.

He sounded almost certain.

Seraphina stared at him.

"You seem very confident."

"I've spent seven years preparing for this conversation."

Her heart stopped.

Seven years.

She searched his face.

"Why?"

Alexander looked away.

"That's what you're here to find out."

Before she could respond, the office door opened.

Roman stepped inside.

"Sir."

Alexander didn't turn.

"What?"

"There's been another breach."

Alexander's expression changed.

"What was taken?"

Roman looked at Seraphina.

Then back at Alexander.

"Nothing."

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"Then why are you calling it a breach?"

Roman hesitated.

"Because whoever entered your private archive didn't take anything."

Seraphina frowned.

"What did they do?"

Roman's gaze shifted toward her.

"They left something."

A chill moved through the room.

Alexander turned.

"What?"

Roman pulled a small evidence bag from his pocket.

Inside was a photograph.

Old.

Damaged.

A photograph of three people standing outside a building.

Gabriel Laurent.

Richard Devereaux.

And a third person whose face had been scratched out.

Seraphina stepped forward.

"Who is that?"

Roman didn't answer.

Alexander stared at the photograph.

For the first time since Seraphina had met him, the cold mask disappeared completely.

He looked shaken.

"Where was this found?"

"Inside your father's private archive."

Alexander took the evidence bag.

His eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

Then Seraphina noticed something.

There was writing on the back.

She reached for it.

Alexander stopped her hand.

"Don't."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

His eyes met hers.

"Because that photograph was taken three days before your father died."

Seraphina's blood ran cold.

She looked at the scratched-out face again.

"Who is the third person?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Roman did.

"We don't know."

Seraphina looked between them.

Then she saw something that neither man had noticed.

A tiny reflection in the photograph.

A face in the window behind the three men.

Someone else had been there.

Watching them.

And that person—

wasn't scratched out.

Seraphina's breath caught.

"Alexander."

He looked at her.

She pointed at the photograph.

"There's someone else."

Alexander stepped closer.

He saw it.

His expression hardened.

Roman moved beside him.

For several seconds, none of them spoke.

Then Alexander quietly said:

"Lock the building down."

Roman immediately reached for his phone.

Seraphina looked at Alexander.

"Who is that?"

He didn't answer.

She asked again.

"Who is that man?"

Alexander's eyes remained on the photograph.

Then, almost too quietly to hear, he said:

"I was told he died seven years ago."

Seraphina felt the world tilt beneath her.

"Who?"

Alexander finally looked at her.

And for the first time—

she saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"Your father's closest friend."

Seraphina stared at him.

"My father didn't have a closest friend."

Alexander's face went pale.

"That's what everyone was supposed to believe."

The elevator alarms suddenly began ringing throughout the building.

Roman's phone buzzed.

He looked at the screen.

His expression changed.

"Alexander."

"What?"

Roman looked toward Seraphina.

"Someone just accessed the company's restricted database."

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"Who?"

Roman slowly raised his phone.

"It's using Ms. Laurent's employee credentials."

Seraphina froze.

"What?"

Alexander looked at her.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then he said the words that made her blood run cold.

"Welcome to Devereaux Holdings, Seraphina."

His voice was calm.

Almost gentle.

"But I think someone just made their first move."

And suddenly—

Seraphina realized the game had already begun.