Lila's phone trembled in her hand, the photo of her Brooklyn apartment searing into her mind: her window open, Nimbus's silhouette against the curtain. The message from the unknown number—no text, just the image—felt like a fist around her heart. Someone had been in her home, her sanctuary, and they were using it to silence her. The Hamptons estate's opulent guest suite, with its ocean views and locked doors, suddenly felt like a trap.
It was 5 a.m., a storm raging outside, rain lashing the windows like a warning. Lila's laptop glowed with Aurora Holdings data, the Nexus Global link pointing to a deeper conspiracy. Zara's photo with Julian, Elias's brother, hinted at betrayal, but the threat to her apartment made it personal. She couldn't tell Elias—not yet. His secrets, his intensity, kept her on edge, even as her traitorous heart raced at the memory of his touch.
A sharp buzz shattered her thoughts. Her phone lit up with a call from an unlisted number. She hesitated, her thumb hovering, then answered.
"Who is this?" she demanded, her voice low.
A distorted voice crackled through, mechanical and cold. "You're digging too deep, Lila Carver. Hand over Vantage's private key, and your family stays safe. Refuse, and that photo is just the start."
Her blood froze. "I don't have any key. What do you want?"
"Find it. You're close to him. 48 hours." The line went dead.
Lila's knees buckled, and she sank onto the bed. The private key—Elias's master access to Vantage's systems. Betray him, or risk her mom, her home. Her dad's words echoed: Numbers don't lie. People do. But what about her? Could she lie to save her family?
Thunder roared, shaking the estate. The power flickered, plunging the room into darkness. Lila grabbed her laptop, the only light in the storm, and headed for the library—Elias's high-tech office was too exposed. The halls were silent, the chandeliers swaying as she navigated to the grand library, its shelves towering with leather-bound books.
Elias was already there, standing by a window, lightning illuminating his sharp features. He turned, his gray eyes locking onto her. "You shouldn't be wandering," he said, his voice low, almost drowned by the storm.
"I couldn't sleep," she said, setting her laptop on a table. "Not after someone broke into my apartment."
His gaze sharpened. "What?"
She showed him the photo, her hands shaking. "They sent this. They're watching me, Elias. Because of Aurora."
He crossed the room in three strides, taking the phone. His jaw clenched as he studied the image, his fingers brushing hers, sending a spark through her. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was tight, protective, but edged with frustration.
"Because I don't trust you," she snapped, pulling her hand back. "You're hiding things—Julian, Zara, Phase Two. I'm risking everything, and you're playing games."
His eyes flashed, and he stepped closer, the storm's roar fading against the tension between them. "You think this is a game? My brother's dead, Lila. Aurora's tearing my company apart. I need you—more than you know."
The air stilled, his words hanging heavy. Need. Her heart pounded, caught in the pull of his gaze, the raw edge in his voice. He was close now, too close, his breath warm against her face. Her resolve wavered, and for a moment, she forgot the threat, the conspiracy, the NDA.
His hand lifted, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Her skin burned under his touch, her breath hitching. He leaned in, his lips inches from hers, the storm outside mirroring the chaos within her.
Then the library door slammed open, Marcus's heavy frame silhouetted against the lightning. "Elias, we've got a breach. Server room's compromised."
Elias pulled back, the moment shattered. Lila's cheeks flushed, her heart racing with equal parts relief and frustration. "Go," she said, her voice shaky.
He hesitated, his eyes still on her, then followed Marcus out. Lila sank into a chair, her fingers touching where his hand had been.
Her phone buzzed again. Another message from the unknown number: Time's running out. Get the key.