Flavia sat at a desk that was too small, in an office that was too cluttered. This was BioGenix, a startup teetering on the edge of oblivion.
She wasn't a simple consultant here. She was the acting CFO and lead auditor. And she knew BioGenix wasn't just a biotech firm; it was a shell company used by the Fitzpatrick family to hide problematic assets. Her job was to find the leverage hidden in its books.
A stack of financial reports lay before her. She was hunting for a cash leak. Her eyes moved across the spreadsheets, identifying patterns that others missed.
Chloe, a junior researcher with purple hair, poked her head in. She was holding two coffees in styrofoam cups.
"Hey. How was the birthday? What did the Prince get you?"
Flavia looked up. She forced a smile.
"A surprise. It was... unforgettable. I'm still processing it."
Chloe sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "Must be nice. Meanwhile, we're all wondering if the paychecks are going to bounce next week."
Flavia looked back at the numbers. The cash flow situation was critical. If the company folded before she found the evidence, her primary leverage over the Fitzpatricks would vanish.
"I'm working on it, Chloe. Don't worry."
Across town, in the glass tower of Fitzpatrick Banking, Eliseo sat in his corner office. His assistant was droning on about quarterly projections, but Eliseo wasn't listening.
He was staring at his phone. Flavia hadn't texted. Usually, by noon, she sent a message. 'Have you reviewed the attached file?' 'Don't forget your call with the SEC.'
Today, nothing.
His desk phone rang. It was Carter.
Eliseo picked up the receiver.
"If you ever show your face to me again," Eliseo said, his voice devoid of emotion, "I will send the photos of what you did in Vegas to your father."
He slammed the phone down. It didn't make him feel better.
He opened his top drawer. Inside was a black velvet box. He took it out and flipped it open. A sapphire necklace glittered under the office lights. It had cost more than most people earned in a decade.
He felt a surge of self-righteous indignation. He had bought her a gift. He was the victim here.
Flavia was eating a dry sandwich in the BioGenix breakroom when her phone rang. It was the front desk.
"Mrs. Fitzpatrick? Your fiancé is here."
Flavia closed her eyes for a second. He knew where she worked-the cover story required it.
She went down to the lobby. The startup's office was in a converted warehouse in Brooklyn, a far cry from Manhattan.
Eliseo stood near the security desk. He was wearing a suit that cost more than the building's security system. People were staring.
Flavia walked over to him. She kept her distance.
"What are you doing here?"
Eliseo held out the velvet box.
"Happy Birthday. I'm late."
Flavia looked at the box. She didn't take it.
"Is this an apology, or hush money?"
Eliseo stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Don't make a scene, Flavia. Just take it."
She took the box. She opened it, looked at the stones, and snapped it shut. Her expression didn't change.
"It's beautiful. A suitable accessory for the role I'm playing."
She dropped the box into her tote bag, letting it fall among the pens and notepads.
"But I'm working. I don't have time to play happy family right now."
She turned around and walked toward the elevators. She didn't look back.
Eliseo stood there, stunned. He had expected gratitude. He had expected her to melt. Instead, he felt like he had just tried to bribe a judge and failed.
He watched her swipe her badge and disappear through the turnstiles. She looked different here. Sharper. Harder.
He walked back to his car. He sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel. A cold knot of anxiety formed in his stomach. He realized he didn't know the woman who had just walked away from him.
