In the audit room, I had a lot to look into. Six screens ,endless numbers and I already had a headache.
The sabotage wasn't random. Someone who knew Blackwood Corp financial Structure did this.
The timestamps ,the values , the exact account touched.
I scroll through every hacked entry again but every number, transfer is wrong. Everything was planned to blow up in my face.
I guess the perpetrator understood me.
My phone rang— it's Damian
"My office now" he said
The call ended and I quickly head out. As expected everyone stared at me trying to find out if I'm a criminal or a new coworker because of what had happened.
When I entered his office, he was tapping his desk like he was worried about something.
"The backup server has been wiped" he said
I was shocked, eyes wide open.
"The logs you were supposed to review? Gone."
As in destroyed forever. "So the person sabotaging me is also after you? I asked
"It seems we have a mutual enemy Aria"
The words We and Mutual is a bit strange. I felt different in my heart hearing him say that.
I drop my gaze quickly.
"I can run a reconstruction. Even if the main logs are gone, fragments remain on secondary caches."
His brows lift slightly. "Can you do that?" he asked
I lift my chin. "I'm good at what I do, Mr. Blackwood."
He gave me a dangerous look…more like an admiration.
" Damian ," he corrects quietly "call me Damian."
"But we're at work and you're my Boss" I muttered
"I insist Aria." He steps closer " You don't have to act like it's hard to breathe around me" he added
"I'm not afraid of you" I said " I'm just keeping it professional ."
But I knew that was a lie.
My Emotions betrays me again.
He smiles knowing I just lied. Then, he hands over a sealed envelope to me— the one from his desk.
It's the assignment sheet for my first major project—one that gives me access to private financial records, restricted accounts, and executive-level data.
This is…
everything I need.
Everything Damian shouldn't be giving me.
"Why would you trust me with this? " I whisper
"Because someone wants you out of my Company and the best way to handle a threat is to hand over everything to them. Make them have a glimpse of hope and then you strike."
I was stunned.
"You're using me as a bait "
"No," he said " I'll be with you every step of the way. "
I felt a chill—something hot went through me. I managed to look away then something catches my eye.
My father's signature—Jonathan Lawson
"Why is this here?" I asked " This is one of the old investment files right?"
"Yes" Damian said reaching out to the files. He was close to me and I could feel the warmth of his arm.
"Everything ties back to the Lawson-Blackwood partnership. It all starts from there." he added
I held on tight to the file knowing he was right and someone somewhere is afraid of those files resurfacing.
"Aside my father who had access to this file? I asked
It can only be someone close to your father. Someone who knew both companies in and out.
Only one man cross my mind.
My Uncle.
The image of him flashed through my mind and if I'm correct then I have been deceived and manipulated all this years.
"You just thought of someone? Damian asked while he studied my countenance
"No I answered,I just thought of possibilities "
"I don't believe you Aria but it's alright."
"I can't accuse anyone without proof. "
"So you thought of someone, Good."
"Aria just like you can't conclude yet, I can't protect you without the truth"
Protect me.
Those words sounded like deceit but when he stepped close enough, I felt something different —Something I shouldn't feel.
He reaches past me and sets a folder on the desk.
"Start with this, It contains every file your father and I worked on together.
"You have all this?" I breathe.
"Yes." His voice softens. "I kept them because your father was important to me."
Important ?
Why does he sound like he misses my father?
My Uncle told me a different story. Yet Damian speaks of him with so much respect.
"Aria," Damian said quietly" Look at me."
I lift my gaze
Our eyes were locked and we both couldn't ignore the unspoken, fragile tension between us.
Damian took a deep breath which broke the silence.
"You're not safe. Not until we find who's behind this."
"I'm not afraid "I whisper
"You should be," he said with a low but steady voice."You were almost taken away from me with a sabotage and that makes you a target."
"Why do you think anyone would do that?" I asked
"Because together we're unstoppable'' Damian said holding my hands
I felt a spark …but I stepped back and quickly gathered the files .
"I'll work from the audit room," I say. "The sooner I start, the sooner we know who wants me gone."
Damian nods in agreement , face back to normal
But his eyes still follow me.
I turn to leave when he says my name one last time.
"Aria."
I stop.
"If anything happens," he says quietly, "you come to me first."
A promise.
A warning.
A pull I don't want to feel.
I nod once and walk out—my steps too fast, and my chest too tight with confusion.
Love isn't here yet.
But something is.
Something reckless.
Something dangerous.
Something that scares me more than the lies surrounding my father's death.
I'm beginning to trust the man I swore to destroy.
And I don't know if that's a mistake…
or the beginning of everything.