The weight of the world seemed to press down on Agnes more with each passing day. She had been raised to uphold her family's name, to protect their empire with her silence. But now, the world knew the truth. And as she stood on the precipice of that truth, it was as though her past life—the one she had known and been shaped by—was crumbling beneath her feet.
Majek had always been a rock for her. But lately, it felt like the foundation beneath their connection was cracking.
He was determined. Unshakable. But Agnes wasn't sure if they were still in sync. Every conversation now felt like they were two people pulling in different directions.
The Distance Between Them
They sat together in the small apartment, surrounded by scattered papers and the digital evidence they had been gathering. The hum of the laptop was the only sound between them as Majek typed away, focused on the next step of their strategy.
Agnes leaned back against the couch, staring out the window. The city was alive with energy, but she felt a strange sense of detachment, as though she was trapped in a parallel world where nothing made sense anymore.
"Majek," she began, her voice soft but filled with an unspoken heaviness.
He didn't look up. His fingers continued their steady rhythm on the keyboard.
"Majek…" she repeated, a little more insistent this time.
He paused and finally turned to face her. His expression was tired—too tired, and the lines of stress creased his forehead more than usual.
"I know you're working hard on the final phase of this," she said, her gaze never leaving his. "But I don't know if I can keep going at this pace. It's too much."
Majek's jaw tightened, and for a moment, she feared he would dismiss her feelings as he had before. But instead, he stood up slowly and walked over to her, sitting down on the edge of the couch.
"I get it, Agnes. I know it's hard. I know what we're doing is dangerous, and I can see that it's tearing at you."
She shook her head. "No, you don't get it. You don't understand how it feels—this guilt. This sense that I've already lost everything. My family. My father. My life as I knew it."
"Your father has never cared about you the way you deserve," Majek said softly, but there was a fire in his words. "He's always used you. You know that."
"I know," she whispered, the confession tasting bitter on her tongue. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm losing him. Losing everything I've ever known."
Majek's eyes softened, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm. "Agnes, you're not losing anything that was ever worth keeping. Your life is just beginning. You have the power to create something real, something that's yours."
"But at what cost?" Her voice cracked, the uncertainty weighing heavily in her chest.
Majek's gaze darkened. "We've already paid a price, Agnes. We can't turn back now. Not when the truth is this close to being out."
A silence fell between them, thick and heavy. Agnes felt it—the painful divide, the chasm that seemed to grow wider with each passing moment.
The truth was close, but at what cost?
The Dangerous Next Step
The next phase of their plan was set into motion with no turning back. The exposé would be released in less than 48 hours, and everything hinged on the release of a single, damning piece of evidence: a hidden video from one of her father's most trusted associates—a whistleblower who had worked closely with him in his corrupt dealings.
But they weren't the only ones in the race to expose the truth.
Agnes's father had already made his counter-move.
Her lawyer, Tolu, had warned her that her father had begun a media blitz of his own. Using his connections, he was spinning the narrative to paint Agnes as an unstable, emotional figure. He had the power to sway public opinion, especially after the damage the media had done to her reputation.
The gloves were off. There was no turning back.
A Final Betrayal?
The evening before the final broadcast, Majek and Agnes stood on the balcony of her apartment, overlooking the city. The air was thick with anticipation, the weight of their actions pressing heavily on them both.
"We're doing the right thing, right?" Agnes asked, her voice a quiet tremor in the night air.
"Of course we are," Majek replied, his voice steady, though his eyes told a different story. He was just as uncertain, just as conflicted.
"I've never been so scared in my life," she admitted, leaning her head against the cool metal of the railing. "But I don't know what else to do. I feel like I'm losing my mind."
"You're not alone in this, Agnes. You know that."
Her heart clenched as she turned to him. The words were there—everything he said felt like a promise—but in that moment, she wasn't sure if promises meant anything anymore. She could still feel the distance between them, despite his presence, despite his comforting words.
"I'm not sure I can do this without you, Majek," she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek.
Majek's hand reached for hers, his grip strong and warm. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, as though trying to hold her together, trying to keep her from falling apart.
"We'll get through this. Together."
The Morning After
The following morning was a blur of final preparations. Agnes barely ate, her stomach tied in knots, knowing that everything was about to change. Her phone rang, the name "Tolu" flashing across the screen.
Agnes quickly picked up.
"They're ready to release the video," Tolu's voice crackled through the line. "This is it."
Agnes's throat tightened. "And what about my father's counterattack? How are we handling that?"
"We're ahead of the curve," Tolu assured her. "We've got backup. We'll go public with everything, all at once. He won't know what hit him."
But Agnes could feel her pulse quicken. This wasn't just about the video. This was a war—a war that would destroy everything she had ever known. The repercussions of this decision would echo for the rest of her life.
But there was no turning back.
Majek walked into the room, his expression grave. He saw the tension on her face. "Everything ready?"
Agnes swallowed, her hand trembling as she pressed it to her chest. "I don't know if I can do this."
Majek took her hands in his, locking eyes with her. "You've already done it, Agnes. You've already chosen this path. Now, we finish what we started."
The Final Revelation
At 9 AM, the exposé went live.
Agnes watched the video of her father's greatest betrayal unfold on the screen—corruption at every level of SMG Conglomerate, secret accounts, shell companies, the vast empire of deceit her father had built over decades.
Then came the moment of truth—her father's own voice, recorded in a private meeting, confirming everything.
This was it. The battle for her freedom was no longer just a battle for her family's secrets—it was a battle for her soul.
But the broadcast wasn't just about exposing her father. It was also about the love she shared with Majek.
For the first time, Agnes realized: she wasn't just fighting for justice.
She was fighting for herself.