Beneath the Surface

Treading Thin Lines

Ava sat frozen, staring at the words on her phone. The world around her blurred as her heart thudded in her chest. "It's already begun." What did that mean? And what could possibly come next?

The air in Damien's office felt charged, crackling with unspoken tension. Patrick's eyes were on her, his confusion giving way to anger, while Damien remained eerily calm, his gaze fixed on the message. She could feel the weight of both men's expectations pressing in on her, but she wasn't sure which of them she should trust-if either of them.

Damien stepped forward, snatching the phone from her hand before she could protest, his eyes narrowing as he read the message.

"This is escalating faster than I thought," he muttered under his breath.

"Give me my phone back," Ava snapped, holding her hand out. She was tired of being kept in the dark, and Damien's controlling behavior was starting to grate on her nerves.

But instead of handing it back, Damien looked at Patrick, his voice calm but authoritative. "We need to move fast. Whoever's behind this has already made their next move."

Patrick's fists clenched. "I'm not doing a damn thing until someone tells me what's going on." His eyes shifted to Ava, softer now but still filled with frustration. "Ava, what's happening? You're not in danger, are you?"

Ava blinked, unsure how to answer. Was she in danger? Every instinct told her she was, but admitting that out loud made it feel too real. "I...I don't know, Patrick. It's complicated."

Damien cut in before she could say more. "What's complicated is that you've been chosen, Ava, and now, we have to figure out why. They're watching you, and the moment you make the wrong move, it's game over."

Patrick threw his hands up, his voice rising. "Damien, stop talking in riddles! What do you mean, 'game over'? Are you implying someone is threatening her?"

Damien took a step forward, his voice low and dangerous. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

The room fell silent as the weight of Damien's words sank in. Patrick's face paled slightly, and Ava could see his anger shifting into something more protective. She knew Patrick cared about her, but his overprotectiveness wasn't going to solve anything.

"I can take care of myself," she said, her voice firmer than she felt. "But right now, I need answers."

Patrick glanced at her, his expression torn, before turning back to Damien. "Then explain, Hart. What exactly are you involved in, and why is Ava in the middle of it?"

Damien hesitated, and for the first time, Ava saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He walked to his desk, picked up a folder, and tossed it onto the table in front of them. "It started a few months ago-corporate espionage, threats to executives, and now, this. It's all tied to something much bigger."

Ava leaned forward, her eyes scanning the papers in the folder. There were emails, screenshots of text messages, and confidential documents-evidence of a pattern she hadn't been aware of. Her stomach twisted as she realized how deep this went.

"This isn't just about me, is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damien met her gaze, his face hard. "No. It's about everyone in this building. Someone's targeting us, and they're playing a game with our lives."

Patrick looked from Damien to Ava, his expression growing more and more incredulous. "So, what are you saying? That this is some kind of corporate warfare?"

"Worse than that," Damien replied darkly. "It's personal. And whoever's doing this-they know us. They know our weaknesses, our secrets. And they're using them against us."