The threat had evolved from a shadow into a suffocating presence silent, persistent, and terrifying. Bella's entire world now rotated on the axis of Lila's safety. The anonymous messages weren't just taunts anymore; they were warnings. Precise. Personal. And horrifyingly close to home.
Jason had transformed overnight from CEO to something fiercer—an unrelenting force fueled by fury, guilt, and the kind of fear that only came with being a father.
His security chief, Mark Jenkins, stood in Jason's office, dark eyes unreadable. Once a black-ops legend, Jenkins now operated in the private sector with chilling precision. He had swiftly turned Bella's apartment building into a fortress disguised as a home. Cameras were embedded into light fixtures and exit signs. Lila's school had been discreetly placed under watch, with guards posing as parents and maintenance workers.
"The proxy servers are bouncing through six countries," Jenkins reported. "But we isolated a signature pattern on a specific data ping. Bella mentioned an encrypted data trail from five years ago, routed through a server farm in Zurich. We traced it to a shell corporation that is partially owned by a company registered in the Cayman Islands. That company, in turn, shares directors with one of George Reed's subsidiaries."
Jason's brows furrowed. "It's all a web… and my father is sitting in the center of it."
Bella leaned forward, gripping the edge of the conference table. "And what if this was always his plan? What if my coming back… was just another variable he anticipated? A contingency he prepared for?"
Jenkins exchanged a glance with Jason. "Possible. This isn't amateur work. Whoever's behind this has intelligence training or has hired someone who does. We're not dealing with a disgruntled employee or even just corporate sabotage. This is warfare. Psychological, economic… personal."
Ryan Cole entered next, dumping another stack of documents on the table, his expression exhausted but determined. "We dug deeper into the financials tied to Sterling Hayes. George Reed used him to move money through a maze of dead-end corporations. A full-blown offshore network. Money laundering is the minimum crime here."
Jason exhaled, rubbing his temples. "What are we really dealing with, Ryan?"
Ryan didn't flinch. "An international operation. Possibly criminal syndicates. At the very least, a long-term scheme to shield illegal assets and political bribes."
And Bella… Bella was the weak link in their eyes. The liability. The inconvenient truth that could expose it all.
That afternoon, the elevator doors slid open to reveal her.
Veronica Pierce strutted into Jason's office with the self-assurance of a predator. Her power suit was razor-cut, her red lipstick bold. Bella instinctively straightened, alert. There was a glint in Veronica's eyes—smug and venomous.
"Jason, darling," she cooed, brushing past Bella like she was furniture. "I hope I'm not interrupting any urgent strategy sessions. I thought we should chat especially after what I just heard about OmniCorp."
Jason didn't move. "What about it?"
Veronica settled herself in the chair across from him like she owned it. "Let's just say… I've come across some highly sensitive information. Documents… correspondences… that tie certain payments made by Reed International to a certain woman from the past." Her eyes drifted toward Bella.
Bella's heart pounded. Martha. She's talking about my mother.
"Careful, Veronica," Jason warned. "Defamation is still a crime."
"Oh, I'm not accusing anyone," Veronica replied, smiling with saccharine sweetness. "I'm simply observing that if OmniCorp were to learn that one of their merger partners had engaged in questionable disbursements to cover up… let's say… an inappropriate relationship resulting in a child? Well, that could make things very messy."
Bella's hands went cold. Her past, the truth of Lila's conception was being weaponized. Veronica knew about George's payoff to Martha. About the silence he bought with money.
Jason's jaw locked. "Where are you getting this?"
Veronica stood. "That's the wrong question. The right question is… how much are you willing to lose before you come to the table and admit defeat?"
She walked out, leaving tension in her wake like the scent of her perfume.
That night, the sky over Boston seemed darker than usual. Bella sat by the window, staring out as the city pulsed in the distance. Her phone buzzed.
A message.
From: Unknown
"She laughed again today. That sweet little giggle. You're lucky to hear it. Just make sure it doesn't become a cry for help."
Attached was another photo of Lila this time walking with her teacher after school. A blurred figure appeared behind them, barely distinguishable. But the implication was clear.
They were being watched. Closely.
Bella dropped the phone and rushed to Jason's office. "It's not just someone inside the company," she choked. "This is organized. Lila is being followed. The threats are escalating. They're going to use her to break me."
Jason crossed the room in two strides, pulling Bella into a fierce, protective embrace. "They won't touch her. I promise you that."
But even as he said it, his eyes flicked to the phone. To the image. To the words.
Because deep down, both of them knew…
This wasn't a game anymore.
It was war.