The sun dipped low over the skyline, casting molten orange against the windows of Donovan Vrex's penthouse office. He leaned back in his leather chair, sipping dark scotch, the ice clinking softly.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the glass desk as he watched a security feed on his tablet—paused on a single blurry still of Elina leaving the underground lab.
"She's bolder than I thought," he muttered, smiling to himself. "Or dumber."
Across the room, his assistant cleared her throat. "Sir, the forensic team confirms—Elina deleted all Neurolink Core copies and uploaded a legal claim under her original patent."
"And the board?"
"Most of them are still in the dark. But a few are asking questions."
Donovan's smile didn't fade. "Let them ask. By the time they get answers, I'll already own the solution."
He stood and walked to the panoramic window, the city sprawling beneath him.
"Set up a meeting with Elina Demir," he said. "Privately. She wants war? I'll give her a treaty—one with a blade hidden inside."
—
Elina read the message on her burner phone three times.
> PRIVATE MEETING REQUEST
From: D.V.
Location: Skyline Lounge, Penthouse 47
Time: 8 PM
Harper paced behind her. "It's a trap."
"I know," Elina said.
"Then why consider it?"
Elina looked up, eyes steely. "Because traps work both ways if you're prepared."
Harper crossed her arms. "What if he plans to kill you?"
"Then he better aim well," Elina replied flatly. "Because I won't miss."
—
The Skyline Lounge was elegance dressed in black marble and gold trim. A live pianist played something haunting in the background, and a storm brewed outside, reflecting lightning across the vast floor-to-ceiling windows.
Elina arrived in a fitted navy pantsuit and low heels. Her makeup was subtle, but her expression said she wasn't there for pleasantries.
Donovan stood as she entered, offering her a seat.
"No drinks?" he asked.
"I don't sip poison," she replied.
He laughed. "Still sharp. I missed that."
"Cut to the point."
He leaned forward. "You want your designs back. I want the company intact. Let's make a deal."
Her brow lifted. "You mean the same way you 'made a deal' with my designs behind my back?"
Donovan waved a hand. "Details. We both know Blackstone wouldn't survive a public scandal. But if we cooperate—if you drop the patent claim—I can give you your old position back. Full department lead. Your own lab. Your name on the next Neurolink launch."
Elina stared at him. "And you keep the profits?"
"Of course. I'm offering you redemption. Relevance."
"You think I care about that?"
Donovan's tone darkened. "I think you care about the legacy you're trying to build. And I think you're smart enough to know when to settle."
Elina leaned in, voice like ice. "I don't settle. I burn."
She rose, turned, and walked away.
Before she reached the elevator, Donovan called out, "You think Aidan's your ally?"
She stopped.
"He's not. He's just a man playing chess, and right now—you're the queen he's maneuvering."
She didn't look back.
But her heart skipped.
—
Back in her apartment, Elina stared out the window at the rain, mind racing.
What if Donovan was right?
What if Aidan was using her to clean up the company's mess—just to wipe his own slate?
Harper entered with takeout and dropped it on the counter.
"You okay?"
"Fine," Elina said, too quickly.
Harper sighed. "If you keep lying to me, I'll start feeding you tofu instead of steak."
Elina turned, cracking a tired smile. "You're evil."
"Seriously," Harper said. "Talk to me."
Elina hesitated, then sank onto the couch. "Donovan offered me everything I once wanted—position, power, credit. But on his terms. Aidan… he's helping me, but I don't know why."
"You don't trust either of them?"
"I don't even know if I trust myself."
Harper handed her chopsticks. "Then here's the plan. Trust me until you remember how to trust yourself."
Elina smiled softly. "Deal."
—
Meanwhile, Aidan stood in his study, looking over a legal notice from the patent office. Elina's claim was already gaining attention in the tech press. Headlines screamed:
> THE GENIUS BEHIND NEUROLINK SPEAKS OUT.
WOMAN VS CORPORATE GIANT—IS BLACKSTONE TECHNOLOGIES IN TROUBLE?
He could feel it—change in the air. A storm coming not from the sky, but from the people who once believed the company stood for innovation and integrity.
He set the papers aside.
And reached for his phone.
—
> AIDAN: Elina, I need to see you.
> ELINA: I'm not in the mood to play.
> AIDAN: Then let's be real. Come to my place tomorrow night. No guards. No board. Just us.
There was a pause before her reply.
> ELINA: One hour. No more.
—
The next evening, Elina stood in the lobby of Aidan's penthouse. A private elevator opened silently, and she stepped in, heart beating faster than she liked.
He greeted her in a black shirt and slacks—no tie, no armor.
Just a man.
Vulnerable. Dangerous.
"Thank you for coming," he said, leading her to the balcony where soft jazz played and two glasses of wine sat untouched.
"Why am I here, Aidan?" she asked.
He looked out over the city lights. "Because I want to give you the truth."
"No chess moves?" she asked. "No boardroom tactics?"
"No. Just this."
He pulled out a leather folder and handed it to her.
She opened it.
Inside was a signed transfer document.
He was turning over full rights to the Neurolink Core patent.
Her signature. Her name. Her intellectual property—returned to her, legally.
Elina's hands trembled. "Why would you do this?"
"Because I should've protected you from the start," he said. "And because I'm done letting other people rewrite your story."
She met his eyes. "Is this a bribe?"
"It's a confession," he said quietly. "Of guilt. Of regret. And maybe… hope."
Her voice softened. "You think this fixes everything?"
"No," Aidan said. "But I hope it starts something."
He stepped back, giving her space.
She looked at the folder again.
Then at him.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He nodded once. "You earned it."
As she left the penthouse that night, the wind was gentle, but her thoughts were not.
She had her design back.
She had leverage.
And—somehow—she had Aidan's heart in her hands.
But did she dare keep it?