Talia Hayes stared at the reply she had just sent to Jax Ryland. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic, disorganized beat that had nothing to do with her professional life. A thrilling thought took hold. This was her chance. Her stomach flipped with excitement. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to be the cool, professional director he remembered.
She forced her excitement down, trying to adopt the calm, steady voice of Aria Vance, a voice that would never betray such inner turmoil. She immediately messaged Aria on their secure line.
Talia: He asked me to dinner tomorrow evening. I accepted. I maintained the professional boundary.
Aria's reply was instant: Aria: Good. That was the predictable move. He will test your loyalty and your focus. Do not deviate from the persona. Do not talk about me. The only acceptable conversation topics are the tour logistics and Ascend's communication strategy.
Talia messaged back: Talia: Understood. Firewall activated. But Aria, he is... Jax Ryland. I worked at Ascend because of his brand. I'll try to remember I'm not a fan. I'm the director.
Aria's final reply was typically stark: Aria: You are an operative. Act like one. Good luck.
Talia spent the rest of the day preparing. It wasn't about choosing an outfit; it was about choosing a character. She had to be the smart, business-focused director who had worked with Zenith Publishing before, not the woman who had cried happy tears the first time she heard "Shadow Heir."
The next evening, Jax chose a quiet, exclusive private dining room in a discreet restaurant, ensuring absolute privacy. He arrived looking relaxed, dressed in a black turtleneck and tailored trousers, the perfect mix of superstar comfort and executive power.
When Talia arrived, she managed to walk into the room with confidence, but inside, her nervous system was in chaos. Jax Ryland, who she had been a big fan of since the Aether group became famous and the lead shareholder of Zenith Publishing, was standing five feet away, smiling easily.
"Ms. Hayes, Jax greeted her, his voice deep and warm, instantly disarming. He came around the table and pulled out her chair. Thank you for accepting. Please, call me Jax. Let's make this less of a negotiation and more of a genuine conversation.
Talia sat down, forcing her voice to be steady. Jax. I appreciate the invitation. I was surprised. I assumed all operational communications would go through Lena Rourke.
Jax leaned back, holding her gaze and unleashing his entire arsenal of charm, making her feel like the only person in the room.
"Lena is brilliant for logistics, Talia," Jax admitted, with a practiced, intimate shrug. But she's a corporate brick wall. I need human insight. I need to understand the people who are securing my life and the tour. And I need to understand how Ascend plans to communicate during the tour's critical phases. This is about trust, something Lena's team doesn't prioritize.
The waiter arrived, and they ordered. Jax immediately steered the conversation toward her past work at Ascend, praising her efficiency and sharp mind. He wasn't talking about himself; he was building her up, encouraging her to open up.
Talia felt her resolve slowly cracking under the weight of his attention. She talked about Ascend's successful communication metrics and their social media strategies. She found herself laughing more easily than she intended. She was forgetting Aria's strict directives, succumbing to the exhilarating flattery of the man she admired.
"You really enjoy the work," Jax observed, his eyes sympathetic. But you're a friend of Aria Vance, correct? I've seen you two together. It must be interesting, being friends with someone so... private.
The question was subtle, a perfectly placed hook. Talia stiffened, remembering her role. Aria and I have a professional and personal connection. She's a very guarded person, as you know. She prioritizes the tour's success above all else. She trusts my judgment implicitly.
"And what about you, Talia?" Jax pressed gently. You seem like a woman who values balance and connection. Does Aria ever relax? What does she do when she's not dealing with contracts?
Talia instinctively fell back on the pre-approved, vague answers. She's always working. Strategy. Planning. She keeps herself in excellent physical condition. She's incredibly disciplined with exercise and diet. That's why her recovery from her recent injury was so quick.
Stop, Talia screamed internally. Recovery? Injury? Jax's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, his expression flashing with sudden interest. This was the crack he had been searching for.
"Injury?" Jax repeated, his voice dropping to a low, concerned tone. I wasn't aware she had been injured. That's a significant detail to keep from a contracted client, especially the person heading our security operation. Was it serious? What happened?
Talia felt a cold dread wash over her. In her excitement and her desire to appear "in the know" and trustworthy, she had committed a critical error. She had revealed Aria was injured.
"It was... a very minor training incident," Talia lied quickly, forcing a smile that felt brittle. A slight physical strain. Nothing that affected her command ability. She manages all field operations remotely now, anyway. It was purely a physical limitation, easily managed.
Jax leaned forward, the professional facade gone, revealing the hungry pursuer. Talia. Be honest with me. This is about my safety. If Aria Vance is injured, I need to know the true extent. And why is she hiding? Where is she managing these operations from?
Talia's professionalism finally kicked in, fueled by panic. I'm sorry, Jax. I've said too much. I cannot discuss Aria's personal health or her location. That is strictly classified. I apologize. We need to focus on communications.
Jax realized he had hit the jackpot. Aria was hiding, not just for corporate reasons, but due to physical recovery. The wall was built on a lie of perfect health.
He smiled, a slow, predatory expression. You're a loyal friend, Talia. That means a lot. We can talk about communications later. For now, thank you for your honesty.
Talia spent the rest of the dinner trying to steer the conversation back to the Eclipse Tour's social media strategy, feeling the weight of the mistake pressing on her. She left the dinner shaken, knowing she had let her guard down and given Jax a critical piece of the puzzle.
Meanwhile, that same evening, the Thorne family was having their private dinner, with Charles's presence ensuring Victoria and Chloe kept their plotting strictly to coded language.
Charles Thorne looked relieved. The news is insane. The Volkov Global Group is causing chaos at Zenith Publishing. It's fortunate we aren't involved in that industry anymore.
Victoria Thorne smiled thinly. Indeed, Charles. It is a fortunate distraction for many. Jax Ryland will be completely consumed by saving his company's structure. He will be forced to pull all his focus away from the tour logistics and that expensive security contract with Vance Global."
Victoria shot a meaningful look at Chloe, who understood immediately. The target was not Jax's company, but Aria Vance, who was responsible for securing his life. With Jax distracted and Vance Global potentially stretched thin, Aria was vulnerable.
Chloe Thorne, whose growing fashion brand, Thorne, was her focus, looked excited. Not only did she despise Aria for dismantling her family's empire, but she also harbored a crush on Jax Ryland and had been trying to get a meeting with him for months without success. His engagement with an aggressive corporate takeover was the best news she could imagine.
"Volkov Global is heavily invested in luxury media and distribution, Father," Chloe said, addressing Charles but directing her next statement to Victoria. If she buys a stake in Zenith, she controls the platform. She is a dangerous enemy, but a powerful ally for those looking to establish a new legacy.
Victoria immediately picked up the thread. Chloe, you need to use this distraction. Your brand is rising. Soverkis Volkov is known for supporting powerful, high-fashion brands that carry global influence. Find a way to connect with her. Use this chaos to bring down the people who stole our future.
Chloe smiled, a cold, focused expression. I already have a connection. A mutual investor. I'll arrange a meeting. Volkov needs a beautiful, public face to distract from her brutality. I can be that face.
Charles, focusing only on the financial aspect, simply nodded, pleased his daughter was so focused on her legitimate business. He had no idea the coded conversation was about revenge and corporate espionage targeting his estranged daughter.
Miles away, Aria read Talia's full, panicked messages about the dinner slip-up. She was disappointed but immediately moved to strategy, not recrimination.
Aria: It is acceptable. He took the bait. The distraction is working. He will now waste time trying to locate me, believing I am nursing a serious injury. He will not suspect I am focused on a new career. Talia, I need you to find out who Jax has hired for his personal investigation. He won't trust his Zenith team after this Soverkis threat.
Aria walked over to her wall-sized monitor, now displaying the architectural renderings of her new design studio. She zoomed in on the specifications for the custom automated tailoring system. This machine, which represented her future, was the key. She needed a way to receive it without Jax Ryland, or anyone else, connecting the purchase to Aria Vance.
Aria to Elias Vance: Jax Ryland knows I was injured. He will try to find my safe house. He will likely hire an independent surveillance specialist or private investigator. You need to prepare a complex ghost trail with multiple decoy residences in various states, all with minimal security footprints, to keep him distracted. Keep the trail personal, not corporate.
Elias reply: Understood. The personal investigator will be looking for a medical weakness. We will feed him phantom prescriptions and physical therapy appointments in three different cities. He will spend weeks chasing shadows.
Aria smiled, a cold, strategic glint in her eyes. The revelation about her injury, meant to break her, would only force her to double down on her anonymity.
She then returned to her own goal. The biggest risk was the delivery of the new tailoring machine. It was too large and specialized to be discreetly moved.
She messaged Talia again: Aria: The machine is being shipped to the shell company address next week. Find the one logistics company Jax uses for all his high-value Aether equipment, the one he personally trusts. We need to use them for our delivery. He will never suspect the company he relies on for his security is unwittingly moving the foundation of my escape.
A thrilling thought took hold of Aria, one that was both professional and deeply personal. She knew Jax Ryland now had a mission: Find the injured Aria Vance and uncover her weakness. He was looking for a wounded prey.
He was about to find something far more dangerous: a woman preparing to build her true kingdom. The revelation about her injury, meant to break her, would only force her to double down on her anonymity. Jax Ryland had made his move, and Aria Vance was ready for the counterattack.