Hundred and eight

Sophia’s POV

I locked the door behind me and immediately went to my desk, where I had kept all the files I had stolen and copied over the past few weeks. My laptop screen lit up, and within seconds, I had multiple documents open, business reports, financial statements, legal contracts. Some of them belonged to Ethan, others to Henry, and a few were connected to Alexandra in ways that had taken me weeks to piece together.

I opened one of the older files, scanning through it with renewed determination. Alexandra had always been careful, leaving no obvious traces behind. But Ethan? He had his secrets, and if I looked hard enough, I would find them.

I scrolled through transactions, trying to find anything unusual. My fingers tapped against the desk as I flipped through the physical reports as well. Nothing stood out immediately, but I wasn’t ready to give up yet.

I reached for another folder the one that had taken me the longest to put together. It contained records of my mother’s case, Henry’s brother’s accident, and every inconsistency that had led me to believe something bigger was at play.

I flipped through the papers, skimming over my mother’s last recorded statements and the notes she had written down before she died. Some of them mentioned Henry. Others mentioned Ethan.

But none of them mentioned Alexandra.

That fact alone sent another wave of unease through me.

I pulled out my phone and searched her name in the internal company database. Her record was clean, nothing out of the ordinary. No direct connections to Ethan, no signed contracts, no business deals that I could trace back to him.

But that didn’t mean there wasn’t something deeper beneath the surface.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as I thought through the possibilities.

Alexandra was dangerous, that much was certain. She knew how to manipulate, how to deceive, how to get exactly what she wanted. But Ethan was just as calculating, just as ruthless.

If the two of them were working together, then I needed to know why.

And more importantly, I needed to know what that meant for me.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair before turning back to the files. I won't stop searching. Not until I had the answers I needed.

The words on the screen blurred as exhaustion settled over me like a heavy blanket. My body screamed for rest, but my mind refused to quiet down. Every piece of information I had uncovered so far painted a fragmented picture, one that still had too many missing pieces.

I blinked rapidly, willing my brain to push through the haze, but my body had other plans. My eyelids drooped, my head tilted forward, and before I realized it, darkness swallowed me whole.

\---

I jolted awake to the shrill sound of my alarm. My heart pounded against my ribs as I sat up, momentarily disoriented. Papers were scattered across my desk, my laptop screen was dimmed, and the faint glow of dawn seeped through the curtains.

I had fallen asleep while working. Again.

With a sigh, I rubbed my face, trying to shake off the grogginess. I didn’t have time for this. Today was another workday, and after everything I had uncovered last night, I needed to be alert.

I moved sluggishly toward the bathroom, stripping off my clothes as I stepped under the hot spray of water. The warmth eased some of my tension, but my mind remained restless.

Ethan and Alexandra.

Something about them wasn’t adding up.

I replayed everything I had learned in my head. Ethan had been careful with his secrets, but Alexandra had been even more elusive. If there was a connection between them, I needed to find it before it was too late.

After drying off, I got dressed in a fitted black blouse and a high-waisted pencil skirt, pairing it with heels that clicked softly against the floor. I brushed my hair into a sleek ponytail, applied minimal makeup, and grabbed my bag.

As I stepped out of my apartment, I nearly stopped in my tracks. There was the devil, leaning against his car, waiting for me.

For a moment, I hesitated, my instincts screaming that something was off. He hadn’t mentioned picking me up. He had never done it before. Why now?

With a frown, I approached him, “What are you doing here?”

Ethan smirked, opening the passenger door. “Picking you up for work. Figured you could use the company.”

I almost declined, but then I remembered something. Last night, I had seen him with Alexandra. If I refused now, I’d lose my chance to get information out of him.

So, instead, I slid into the car, fastening my seatbelt. “Fine.”

Ethan got in beside me, starting the engine. “Did you eat anything this morning?”

I glanced at him briefly. “No.”

Without a word, he turned the car in the opposite direction of our office.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Getting you something to eat,” he replied simply.

I frowned but didn’t argue. A few minutes later, he pulled up in front of a fast-food restaurant.

“I’ll be back,” he said, stepping out.

As soon as he was gone, his phone vibrated on the dashboard. I shouldn’t have looked. But I did. A message from Alexandra. That bitch!

“It’s done.” was the message she sent. What was done?

I barely had a second to process before Ethan opened the car door, sliding into the driver’s seat with a bag of food.

“Here,” he said, handing me a sandwich and a coffee.

I took them absentmindedly, my thoughts still on the message. Ethan drove in silence for a while, but I couldn’t let it go.

I turned to him, keeping my voice casual. “Do you know Alexandra?”

His expression didn’t shift. “I’ve met her a few times.”

“For what?”

“She’s been helping with Henry’s brother’s case.” I nodded slowly, pretending to accept his answer. But I knew he was lying.

"Hmm, what a kind lady," I mocked

The way his grip tightened on the steering wheel. The way his jaw tensed. The way he refused to look at me directly.

Something wasn’t right.

The rest of the ride was quiet, tension thick between us.

When we finally arrived at the office, Ethan parked the car and stepped out first. I lingered for a moment, inhaling deeply to compose myself before following.

Today, I needed to play my cards right. Ethan and Alexandra were hiding something. And I was going to find out what it was.

Don't forget to follow redvixen136 on IG for more stories!