Crowded by Fire

The Crane estate loomed in the pale morning light, its once-proud facade crumbling like the lies it had been built on. Annalise pushed through the iron gate, her heels crunching against the gravel as she approached the front steps. The air felt heavy, laden with memories she'd buried deep.

Inside, Ethan Donovan waited, leaning against the dusty grand staircase, his scarred jaw tense. He looked like someone who had been reborn through fire—and dragged back into the flames.

"You're late," Ethan said, his tone sharp but his eyes watchful.

"Or maybe you're early," Annalise shot back, stepping into the room. Her gaze darted to the table where a laptop and a small stack of papers were neatly arranged. "This had better be worth my time."

"Oh, it is," Ethan said, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "I have what you need to take Victor down for good. But there's a catch."

Annalise folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Of course there is."

Ethan gestured toward the table. "Victor's been funneling money through shell companies—money tied to illegal deals, bribes, and… assassinations." He let the word linger. "Including one very particular death—your father's."

Annalise's breath caught, but she quickly masked her reaction. "You're saying Victor had my father killed?"

Ethan nodded grimly. "It wasn't just business. It was personal. Your father discovered something about Victor—something so dangerous it would've destroyed him. So Victor made sure he couldn't talk."

"What did my father know?" Annalise demanded, her voice trembling.

Ethan hesitated, then tapped the laptop. "That's what I've been trying to piece together. Victor's files are heavily encrypted, but I've unlocked enough to know there's a deeper layer—something even more explosive."

Annalise stepped closer, her caramel-toned skin glowing in the dim light filtering through the broken windows. "And you need me to do what? Break into Victor's servers?"

Ethan held her gaze. "No. We lure him out."

The Bait is Set

Hours later, Annalise sat in the back seat of a sleek black car, her mind racing as the city blurred past. Cole sat beside her, his hand resting casually near the pistol strapped to his side.

"You trust Ethan now?" Cole asked, his gray eyes flicking toward her.

"I don't trust anyone," Annalise replied. "But if Victor had my father killed, I'm going to make him pay. And Ethan has the pieces I need to do it."

Cole nodded, his jaw tightening. "Just remember—this is Victor Kline. He doesn't play fair."

"Neither do I," Annalise said, her voice cold.

The car pulled up outside a luxury hotel, its facade glittering with wealth and power. This was the site of their trap—a private charity gala Victor would be attending, unaware that Annalise planned to confront him publicly with her evidence.

Inside, the atmosphere was electric. The city's elite mingled beneath crystal chandeliers, sipping champagne and exchanging thinly veiled barbs. Annalise, dressed in an emerald-green gown that hugged her frame, turned heads as she moved through the crowd, her every step calculated.

Ethan joined her near the bar, dressed in a tailored suit that did little to hide the tension in his posture.

"Everything's in place," he murmured.

"And Victor?"

"Just arrived," Ethan said, nodding toward the grand entrance.

Annalise's heart quickened as Victor Kline strode into the room, flanked by his usual entourage. He was every inch the untouchable CEO—charismatic, confident, and utterly ruthless.

Their eyes met across the room, and for a moment, the noise of the gala faded.

Victor smiled, raising a glass in her direction.

The Game Begins

"Ladies and gentlemen," the host announced, stepping onto the stage. "Please welcome tonight's keynote speaker, Victor Kline."

Applause erupted as Victor ascended the stage, his presence commanding. Annalise's fingers tightened around the flash drive in her clutch, the device containing the damning files Mina had decrypted.

"This is it," Ethan said under his breath.

"Not yet," Annalise replied, her gaze never leaving Victor.

Victor's speech began smoothly—his usual blend of charm and corporate propaganda. But then, as he reached the climax of his presentation, the screen behind him flickered.

A moment later, the image of Victor's smiling face was replaced by a cascade of documents—bank statements, emails, and confidential memos. Gasps rippled through the crowd as the scope of his corruption became glaringly obvious.

Victor froze, his smile faltering. "Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you—"

"Save it, Victor," Annalise said, stepping forward. Her voice rang out, clear and commanding. "We all know you're the mastermind behind these crimes. And now, so does everyone else."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to her.

Victor's gaze darkened. "Annalise. I should've known you'd pull a stunt like this."

"This isn't a stunt," she said, holding up the flash drive. "This is justice—for my father, and for everyone you've crushed under your empire."

Victor's jaw tightened. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Don't I?" Annalise shot back.

But before she could say more, the lights in the room suddenly went out.

The Cliffhanger

Chaos erupted as the gala was plunged into darkness. Shouts and gasps filled the air, and the sound of glass shattering echoed through the room.

"Stay close!" Cole yelled, grabbing Annalise's arm.

"Ethan?" she called out, but there was no response.

A moment later, the emergency lights flickered on, casting the room in an eerie red glow. Victor was gone, his entourage nowhere to be seen.

And then Annalise noticed the flash drive in her hand—it was missing.

"Where is it?" she demanded, her voice rising in panic.

Cole scanned the room, his expression grim. "It's a distraction. Victor's one step ahead."

Suddenly, a phone buzzed in Annalise's clutch. She fumbled it out and saw a single text from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Checkmate.

Her blood ran cold as she realized the message wasn't from Victor.

It was from Ethan.