~ Reign Dynamics International Branch~
~Late Night*
The security room is bathed in the harsh glow of red warning lights. Multiple screens flash urgent breach alerts. Selene Virell stands over the console, her elegant but commanding posture unyielding as her sharp eyes scan every line of code flooding the monitors.
"This isn't some rookie hacker or random attack," Selene says coldly, fingers flying across the holographic keyboard. "This is someone with inside knowledge... someone who knows exactly what to hit."
Her lips curl into a slight, grim smile as she narrows the source.
"Ivy Blackwood," she whispers, her voice low and filled with contempt. "You thought you could play me?"
Swiftly, she pulls out a secure comm and speaks with clipped precision, "Lucian, I want your men to locate her immediately. Bring her in alive. We need answers — and soon."
~ Ivy's Apartment – Late Night~
The dim room feels suffocating, shadows thick around Ivy's slumped form. Her eyes are distant, hollow, drained from the weight of her last confrontation with her father. The fierce spark that once burned in her gaze has flickered low, her strength sapped not just physically, but emotionally.
Suddenly, the sharp *crash* of the door being kicked open jolts her upright, but before she can gather herself, two of Lucian's men storm in with military precision.
"Agent Knox, you're coming with us," one announces, voice firm but not cruel.
Ivy struggles weakly, but her limbs betray her fatigue. The men move swiftly, cuffing her hands and guiding her out without hesitation.
~Lucian's Private Villa ~
~ Early Morning*
Lucian stands near a grand window, his silhouette sharp against the rising sun. His eyes, cold and calculating, fixate on the door as it opens and Ivy is led in, still subdued and distant.
The heavy door clicks shut behind Ivy as Lucian's men exit silently, leaving the two alone in the vast room. The ocean breeze drifts through the open window, carrying a cold sharpness.
Lucian stands near the window, arms crossed, eyes on Ivy's slumped figure after a long pause he speaks voice calm but edged with steel
*Lucian:*
"You're a long way from the girl who walked into Reign Dynamics weeks ago. What happened, Agent Knox? Where's the fire, the fight?"
Ivy lifts her tired eyes slowly, gaze distant but defiant.
*Ivy:*
"The fight never left me. It's just... harder to keep burning when the fire's been smothered."
She looks away, bitterness creeping into her voice.
*Ivy:*
"You don't get to pretend you know what I've been through."
Lucian steps forward, his voice lowering.
*Lucian:*
"Maybe I don't. But I know enough to see you're running on empty. And that won't get you through the storms ahead."
He pauses, eyes narrowing.
*Lucian:*
"You walked away from your father's empire. From everything. But you haven't walked away from him completely, have you?"
Ivy's jaw tightens. A flash of pain crosses her face.
*Ivy:*
"My father… he's a cage. And the bars are my brother's fate. Until I break those bars, I'm stuck."
Lucian's gaze softens for a brief moment before hardening again.
*Lucian:*
"So you carry his chains, and expect me to free you? Why would I help you when your entire family's business is my enemy?"
Ivy's eyes flash with anger.
*Ivy:*
"Because sometimes enemies need allies. And sometimes, those allies are the only ones strong enough to break your chains."
Lucian chuckles, a low, amused sound.
*Lucian:*
"Bold words for someone so broken. Tell me, what exactly makes you think I want to help you? You're a liability, Knox. A loose thread that could unravel everything I've built."
Ivy stands, slow but deliberate, meeting his gaze evenly.
*Ivy:*
"I'm not a liability. I'm a threat. To my father, to you, to anyone who underestimates me."
Her voice drops to a harsh whisper.
*Ivy:*
"And right now, I'm the only one who can stop the real danger — the one who hacked your system and put you all on edge."
Lucian's eyes flicker with something unreadable.
*Lucian:*
"So you admit it — you're involved. You're part of this mess."
Ivy shakes her head.
*Ivy:*
"No. I'm not the hacker. But I know who is. And if I don't stop them, none of us walk away from this clean."
Lucian's face tightens, and he turns away for a moment, looking out at the ocean.
*Lucian:*
"You're playing a dangerous game, Knox. If you fail, it won't just be your neck on the line."
He faces her again, voice low but firm.
*Lucian:*
"Here's the deal. I'll help you. But on one condition — you work with me. No more running solo. No more secrets."
Ivy's lips press into a thin line.
*Ivy:*
"And if I refuse?"
Lucian steps closer, voice dropping to a near whisper.
*Lucian:*
"You won't have the luxury of refusing."
For a moment, silence stretches between them, heavy with unspoken truths.
Then Ivy nods slowly, the spark in her eyes rekindling.
*Ivy:*
"Fine. But don't expect me to play by your rules."
Lucian smiles, cold and calculating.
*Lucian:*
"I wouldn't dream of it."