Bloodlines Legacy Arc 1 Eternal Night

Chapter 8: Rivalry in the Ranks

The newsroom buzzed with the usual noise of ringing phones, clicking keyboards, and the murmur of reporters chasing leads. Olivia sat at her cluttered desk, eyes glued to her screen as she scrolled through databases and records. After a couple of hours of searching, she had finally tracked down Thomas Shaw's wife—Margaret Shaw—and found her address. Now, all she had to do was set up an interview.

But as she pulled up Margaret's contact information, her focus was broken by the sound of a familiar voice from behind her.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't our very own Olivia Brooks, the latecomer. How's the bottom of the story pile treating you?"

Olivia groaned inwardly before turning around to face Ethan Grant, her longtime friend and rival. Ethan leaned casually against the edge of her desk, a smug grin plastered on his face, his brown eyes gleaming with amusement. He held up a folder, waving it in front of her like it was a trophy.

"The mayor scandal," he said, his voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Front page material. Guess who's got the exclusive?"

Olivia shot him a withering look, though there was no real anger behind it. "Oh, I don't know, Ethan. Is it... you?"

Ethan chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "Bingo! But don't feel too bad. I mean, you were late. Again. Maybe next time you'll remember to set your alarm, huh?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

"I prefer the term 'charming,'" Ethan said, flashing her a grin that could probably melt the heart of any less stubborn woman. But Olivia wasn't fazed. They'd been playing this game for years, and she wasn't about to let him get under her skin now.

"You can keep your little mayor scandal," Olivia said, turning back to her computer. "I'm working on something way bigger."

"Oh yeah?" Ethan leaned in a little closer, his curiosity piqued. "And what might that be, Miss Brooks? Something to do with those mysterious little envelopes you've been getting?"

Olivia's fingers froze over her keyboard for just a second, but she quickly recovered. "None of your business."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly growing. "Come on, Liv. You're holding out on me. What's this big scoop you're chasing? And don't say it's bigger than the mayor, because you know that's impossible."

She smirked, refusing to give him anything. "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

Ethan made a show of feigning disappointment, holding a hand dramatically over his heart. "Keeping secrets from your old pal Ethan? I'm hurt."

Olivia laughed, shaking her head. "You'll live."

"Fine, fine," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Keep your little mystery. But remember, if you need any help cracking the case of the mysterious late-night deliveries, you know where to find me."

"Right," Olivia said, smiling despite herself. "If I need someone to steal my story, I'll definitely give you a call."

Ethan chuckled again, stepping away from her desk with a mock salute. "Touché. Well, I'll leave you to whatever big, top-secret project you're working on. Just don't get too lost in the rabbit hole, okay?"

Before Olivia could respond, Ethan turned and headed back toward his own desk, leaving her to roll her eyes in amusement. He might be insufferable at times, but Ethan was one of the best reporters at Global Insight. And, she had to admit, he kept things interesting.

Shaking off the distraction, Olivia returned her focus to her screen. She clicked through a few more links, pulling up Margaret Shaw's contact information and making a note of her address.

"Gotcha," she whispered to herself.

She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she stood up from her desk. There was no time to waste. Margaret Shaw was her next lead, and Olivia needed to get to her before anyone else did.

As she turned to leave, Ethan called out from his desk, "Where are you running off to in such a hurry, Brooks?"

Olivia shot him a grin over her shoulder, already walking toward the exit. "Stay out of trouble, Ethan. And don't talk to strangers."

Ethan frowned in mock confusion. "What the hell are you up to?"

But Olivia didn't answer. She was already out the door, leaving Ethan to puzzle over what his rival could possibly be working on that was so important.

As she stepped out into the bustling streets of New York, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to be the story that changed everything.