Chapter 1 - “Elena.”The single whispered word seemed to come from everywhere at once.
Elena Hart froze.
The secured door behind the architectural display stood open.
A thin blade of darkness cut through the warm golden light of the ballroom.
Hundreds of guests stared.
The music had stopped.
Even the waiters seemed afraid to move.
Dante Moretti stepped slightly in front of Elena.
It was a small movement, barely noticeable.
But Elena knew what it meant.
Protection.
“Stay behind me,” he said quietly.
She ignored him.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
The figure stepped forward.
A man.
Tall.
Dark coat.
Face partially hidden beneath a black cap.
For half a second Elena thought she recognized him.
Then he raised one hand.
Something metallic flashed between his fingers.
Mara Lin gasped.
Dante immediately reached for Elena.
The figure smiled.
Then he dropped the object onto the marble floor.
Clink.
It was a USB drive.
The man turned and disappeared back into the darkness.
Dante moved instantly.
Two security guards rushed toward the door, but by the time they reached it, the hallway was empty.
“Lock every exit,” Dante ordered.
The guards hesitated.
Dante looked at them.
“Now.”
They moved.
Julian Mercer watched from across the ballroom.
His face had lost all its smugness.
Camille stood beside him, suddenly pale.
Elena looked down at the USB drive.
She didn't touch it.
“Mara.”
Mara swallowed.
“Yeah?”
“Get it.”
Mara carefully picked it up with a napkin.
“What do you think it is?”
“I don't know.”
Dante stared at Julian.
“You do.”
Julian's jaw tightened.
“I have no idea what that is.”
Dante took one step toward him.
Julian stepped back.
Elena noticed something.
Camille was not looking at Dante.
She was staring at the USB drive.
Not confused.
Terrified.
Elena's eyes narrowed.
“Camille.”
The woman looked up.
“What?”
“You recognize it.”
“No.”
“You hesitated.”
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
Camille laughed nervously.
“You're imagining things.”
Before Elena could answer, the ballroom screens suddenly flickered.
The Grand Aurelia gala's main presentation disappeared.
A black screen replaced it.
Then white letters appeared.
HAVEN POINT FILE 01
A murmur spread through the guests.
Mara's face drained of color.
“That isn't from us.”
The screen changed.
Architectural drawings appeared.
Haven Point.
Elena's project.
Except there was something wrong.
Red circles covered the foundation plans.
Warning symbols flashed.
Then a sentence appeared across the screen.
THE FOUNDATION WILL COLLAPSE.
People began whispering.
Someone near the stage said, “Is this a safety breach?”
Another guest lifted his phone.
Elena's heart hammered.
The board members were here.
Investors.
Officials.
Every person whose opinion could determine the contract.
She looked at Mara.
“Tell me those aren't our files.”
“They're ours.”
“They were changed.”
Mara shook her head.
“Not these ones.”
“What do you mean?”
“These are the original files.”
Elena frowned.
“No.”
Mara zoomed in.
“These are the first engineering drafts. Before we corrected them.”
Elena went still.
Those files had never been uploaded publicly.
Only four people had ever accessed them.
Elena.
Mara.
The chief engineer.
And Julian.
Elena slowly turned.
Julian was staring at the screen.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
Watching.
Like a man seeing a plan work exactly as expected.
“You,” Elena whispered.
Julian shook his head.
“I didn't do this.”
Dante's voice was cold.
“Then tell me who did.”
Julian said nothing.
Suddenly the screen changed again.
A photograph appeared.
Elena recognized it immediately.
It was her.
Three years earlier.
Standing in Julian's office.
Holding the first Haven Point concept drawings.
Underneath the image appeared a date.
MARCH 17. 2023
Then another line.
SHE STOLE THE DESIGN.
The ballroom exploded into whispers.
Elena's stomach turned.
Julian looked at her.
And for the first time that night, there was something in his expression she had never seen before.
Fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Then Elena's phone vibrated.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED.
A second message arrived.
HE WASN'T THE ONE WHO BETRAYED YOU.
Elena looked at Dante.
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer, the giant screen went black.
The ballroom doors slammed shut.
Every light went out.
May you like
And somewhere in the darkness, a woman screamed.
Then a gunshot cracked through the room.
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