Chapter 96 Plan A
CHAPTER 96
Plan A
The night air carried a quiet tension as Trent pulled his car into a secluded corner of the city, and far from any place that could easily be traced back to them. The streetlights flickered faintly, casting long shadows across the empty road.
He killed the engine but didn’t step out immediately. His hands remained on the steering wheel, his mind replaying everything he had just seen.
The file, the signatures. The truth buried beneath years of silence.
“This is bigger than I thought…” he muttered.
A sharp knock on the passenger window pulled him out of his thoughts.
He unlocked the door immediately. She slid in quickly, her heels clicking lightly as she adjusted herself in the seat, her presence immediately filling the space. Even in the dim lighting, she looked flawless, calm, composed, and dangerously curious.
“What did you find?” she asked without greeting.
Trent turned to her slowly, studying her face.
“You came fast.”
Clara crossed her arms. “Don’t waste my time, Trent.”
He smirked faintly. “There she is.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Talk.”
Trent reached into his bag and pulled out the file, placing it between them.
Clara’s gaze dropped to it instantly. “What is this?”
“Open it.”
She didn’t hesitate, as she flipped through the pages, her expression remained neutral at first. Focused, analytical but then it changed slightly.
Her brows pulled together, her lips parted just a little.
“…What?”
She looked up at him sharply. “This is real?”
Trent nodded slowly. “Straight from his office.”
Clara looked back down at the file, scanning the lines again, more carefully this time. “This doesn’t make sense,” she said. “Why would he keep something like this?”
“Because no one was supposed to find it,” Trent replied.
Clara exhaled slowly, leaning back slightly in her seat as she processed everything. “This… this changes everything,” she whispered.
Trent let out a dry laugh. “That’s exactly what I said.”
Clara’s eyes darkened slightly. “And Leo?” she asked.
Trent’s smirk returned, but this time, it carried something colder. “Imagine what happens when he finds out.”
Clara didn’t respond immediately but the thought lingered. “If this gets out…” she said slowly, “his entire world collapses.”
Trent nodded. “Exactly.”
There was a pause, both of them thinking, calculating.
Clara closed the file gently, placing her hand on top of it. “So,” she said. “What’s the plan?”
Trent leaned back slightly, his gaze fixed ahead. “We don’t rush it.”
Clara tilted her head. “Why not?”
“Because this isn’t something you just throw out,” he said. “This is something you use.”
Clara’s lips curved slightly. “I like the way you think.”
Trent glanced at her. “We wait for the right moment.”
“And when is that?” she asked.
“When it hurts the most,” he replied.
Clara smiled faintly. “Cruel.”
“Effective,” Trent corrected.
She nodded slowly. “Fair.”
Another silence followed, but this time it wasn’t uncertain it was deliberate and strategic.
Clara tapped her fingers lightly against the file.
“Ruby?” she asked.
Trent’s expression shifted slightly. “What about her?”
Clara turned toward him fully now. “She’s the weak point.”
Trent frowned slightly. “Explain.”
Clara leaned back, crossing her legs as she spoke. “Leo’s biggest strength right now is also his biggest weakness,” she said. “Her.”
Trent didn’t interrupt.
“He’s distracted,” she continued. “Emotionally involved. That makes him vulnerable.”
Trent’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered it. “You’re saying we use her.”
“I’m saying,” Clara corrected smoothly, “we get close to her.”
Trent studied her carefully. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?”
Clara smiled. “That’s my part.”
He didn’t look convinced. “She’s not stupid,” he said. “And she’s not alone either.”
“I know,” Clara replied. “But people like Ruby… they trust easily. Especially when they’re trying to heal.”
Trent’s expression hardened slightly. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”
Clara shrugged lightly. “So are you.”
That shut him up. “What’s your angle?” he asked.
Clara’s smile deepened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll get into her space,” she said. “Find a way to be around her. Gain her trust.”
“And then?”
Clara’s gaze turned colder. “And then I break it.”
Trent watched her carefully. “You don’t hesitate, do you?”
Clara chuckled softly. “Not when I want something.”
Trent leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees. “This isn’t just about Leo for you, is it?”
Clara didn’t answer immediately, but the silence said enough.
Finally, “No,” she admitted.
Trent smirked. “I thought so.”
Clara glanced at him. “And you?” she asked. “This isn’t just about the company anymore either, is it?”
Trent’s jaw tightened slightly. “It never was.”
Clara nodded slowly. “Good.”
Trent reached for the file again, tapping it lightly. “This stays between us,” he said.
Clara nodded. “Of course.”
“No mistakes,” he added.
“No emotions,” she replied.
Trent smirked. “Speak for yourself.”
Clara raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get soft now.”
He let out a quiet chuckle. “Relax. I’m just getting started.”
Clara leaned back again, her expression calm but her eyes sharp. “Then we move carefully,” she said. “Step by step.”
Trent nodded. “Step by step.”
The car fell into silence again before they both turned to leave. They went to a nearby shop and bought food before they left together.
Trent kicked the bedroom door shut behind them, his arms still wrapped tightly around Clara. He’d carried her up the stairs from the car without breaking stride, her legs locked around his waist, her breath hot against his neck the entire way. The moment they were inside, he lowered her onto the bed, but didn’t let go.
Their mouths crashed together in a hungry kiss. Clara’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as Trent’s hands roamed down her body, sliding under her dress to grip her thighs. He pushed the fabric up to her hips, exposing smooth skin that he immediately caressed with rough palms.
“God, I need you,” he growled against her lips.
Clara arched into him, her body already aching. “Then take me.”
He stripped her dress off in one swift motion, tossing it aside. Her bra followed quickly after, leaving her bare beneath him. Trent’s mouth moved to her neck, sucking and biting gently as he trailed kisses down to her breasts. He took one nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the hardened peak while his hand teased the other. Clara moaned, her back bowing off the bed.
His fingers drifted lower, slipping between her legs. She was already slick and ready. Trent groaned at the feel of her wetness, circling her clit with slow, deliberate strokes before sliding two fingers inside her. Clara gasped, her hips rocking against his hand as he pumped them in and out, building a steady rhythm.
“I’ve been thinking about this all night,” he murmured, voice thick with lust.
He pulled his fingers free only to shed his own clothes, his erection springing free—thick, hard, and pulsing with need. Clara reached for him, wrapping her fingers around his length and stroking slowly. Trent hissed in pleasure, eyes fluttering shut for a moment before he gently removed her hand.