DAVID'S WAR ROOM
David stood before the wall screen in his private office, his face illuminated by the blue light from three monitors displaying rapidly streaming data. Two of his best cybersecurity experts worked behind him.
"Final report, Sir," one of them said. "We managed to trace the initial source of the leak to an IP address in Singapore. But that was just a relay server."
David didn't blink. "Continue."
"We performed a forensic analysis on the photos' metadata. There's a consistent digital fingerprint." The expert typed a few commands. "And this is the source."
A profile picture appeared on the main screen. Clara.
David's face contorted. He imagined all possibilities—from blackmailing her back to destroying her life. But then, something else occurred to him.
"Wait," he said. "Something's not right."
He highlighted a file timestamp. "These photos were taken from different angles. Some from a distance with a telephoto lens. Others... seem like they were taken from within a crowd."
David's eyes widened. Realization hit him.
"Not just Clara," he whispered. "She's not working alone."
CLARA'S DESPAIR
In her cramped apartment, Clara threw a wine glass against the wall. Glass shattered. Her perfect plan—the one that was supposed to destroy Elara and bring Kael back—had failed completely.
"Bastard!" she screamed, grabbing a photo of her wedding with Kael. "You chose her? After everything?"
She dialed a number. "They found us. David knows."
The voice on the other end was calm. "Relax. This is just the first round."
"I DON'T CARE!" Clara roared. "I want Elara DESTROYED! I want her to feel pain deeper than what I feel!"
"We'll play dirty," the voice replied. "But it takes time. And more money."
Clara looked around her messy apartment. She saw a picture of Bimo. Tears began to flow.
"Do whatever it takes," she whispered bitterly. "I've lost everything. Now it's their turn."
THE UNSEEN PUPPETEER
David sat in his leather chair, analyzing every piece of data. The pattern was too sophisticated for Clara. There were traces of a professional behind this attack.
He called his personal assistant. "I need all information on Clara from the last six months. Every transaction, every trip, every new acquaintance."
A few hours later, the report came in. There was something interesting.
"Clara took a trip to Hong Kong last month," David read. "And there was a large transfer from a shell company in the Cayman Islands."
David narrowed his eyes. Clara wasn't the mastermind. She was just a pawn. There was someone more dangerous behind the scenes—someone with a grudge against David or his business.
ELARA'S GROWING SUSPICION
Meanwhile, Elara, who felt like a house prisoner, began noticing small changes. David was receiving more mysterious phone calls. There were new bodyguards always following her.
She entered David's study without permission—something she never did. His computer was locked, but a piece of paper lay beside the printer.
CLARA - INVESTIGATION REPORT - CONNECTION TO RIVAL COMPANY?
Elara froze. Clara? But why mention a rival company?
She heard footsteps. Quickly, she left the room, but the question was already planted. This was no longer just a love triangle. Something bigger was happening.
THE NEXT MOVE
David received a call from his investigator.
"We found something, Sir. Clara isn't acting alone. She's being funded by... Alexander Grant."
David's face paled. Alexander Grant—his most ruthless business rival, whose company David nearly acquired a year ago.
"Grant is using Clara as a tool to bring you down through a personal scandal," the investigator continued. "He knows it will affect your company's stock value and reputation."
David hung up. This was no longer about Elara and Kael. This was a business war using his personal life as the battlefield.
He looked at the photo of Elara on his desk. For the first time, he felt a pang of regret. He had blamed Elara, but the real threat came from the world he had created himself.
That night, David went to Elara's room.
"There's something I need to tell you," he said, his voice different—softer, almost... vulnerable. "About what's really happening."
But before he could continue, his phone rang. A message from Alexander Grant himself:
"Loved playing with your puppets, David. But this is just the beginning. Wait for the next surprise."
Attached was a photo of Elara walking alone in the park—taken that very day.