Who is Leila?

The Shadows of the Past

The night had settled comfortably over the city, with a light drizzle coating the streets, making the glow from the streetlights seem hazier than usual. Leila, standing outside the pub in her sleek purple dress, glanced at her phone, texting Ryan to pick her up. The dinner had gone well—perhaps too well. Despite Ryan's caution, she had allowed herself a few drinks, mostly to loosen the tension that had built up during her first day. She had laughed along with the team, shared stories, and subtly begun weaving herself into the fabric of Techno's inner circle.

As the last few members of her team called their taxis and began to disperse, Robert lingered for a moment by her side, hands tucked into his coat pockets.

"Do you have a ride, Leila?" he asked, his tone friendly but laced with the mild concern of a director making sure the new team leader was taken care of.

Leila offered a smile, her breath visible in the cool air. "I've called an Uber. My driver should be here soon."

"Alright then," Robert said, nodding. "You did well tonight. Everyone likes you."

"Thanks, Robert. It was a good first day."

With that, he waved and started off down the street, leaving her standing alone as the pub's lights dimmed behind her. The last of the patrons had gone, and the street felt unusually quiet. Leila took a deep breath, feeling the coolness of the night air against her skin. She had made it through her first day, but the road ahead was long. She couldn't let her guard down—especially not with Mark.

Leila walked a few blocks away from the pub, stepping off the main street to avoid attention. She turned the corner and waved her hand just as the black, sleek Mercedes pulled up smoothly beside her.

The car's tinted windows rolled down, and Ryan's familiar face greeted her from the driver's seat. He gave her a quick nod as she opened the door and slid inside, the plush leather seats enveloping her. Before the car door even closed, Ryan's eyes scanned the surroundings like a hawk.

"Everything go as planned?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with the vigilance that never seemed to leave him.

Leila exhaled slowly, leaning back into the seat. "Yeah, they're warming up to me. Robert, Isaac, James... they'll trust me soon. It's all falling into place."

Ryan gripped the wheel tighter, his expression unreadable in the low light. "Good. Just stay sharp. You know what's at stake."

Before Leila could respond, Ryan pulled the car away from the curb and drove off smoothly into the night, the powerful engine purring beneath them. Leila gazed out the window, her mind drifting between the memories of the past and the present situation. She had waited for this moment for so long—getting close enough to Techno to enact her plan. She wasn't about to let anything—or anyone—derail her revenge.

Across the street, hidden in the shadow of his parked car, Mark sat in silence, watching.

He had arrived late, held up by a meeting that had stretched far longer than he'd anticipated. By the time he had reached the pub, the team was already leaving. Not wanting to intrude, he stayed in his car, observing from a distance. His eyes followed each of his colleagues as they drifted off one by one, but it was Leila who held his attention.

There was something about her that still gnawed at him, an elusive familiarity that he couldn't shake. As she stood under the dim streetlights, waving her hand to signal her ride, Mark narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of the nagging feeling in his chest. He knew Robert had mentioned the team dinner, but there had been something about Leila's demeanor that set her apart from the others.

Then, as if the universe was teasing him, a black Mercedes rolled up beside her, its sleek body reflecting the amber streetlights. Leila slipped inside quickly, and though he strained his eyes to see who was driving, the tint on the windows prevented him from catching a glimpse. The car drove off almost immediately, disappearing into the flow of city traffic.

Mark sat back in his seat, the faint hum of the engine the only sound in the silence of the night. Who was she really? Why did her presence stir something deep within him, something he hadn't felt since... since the fire?

The images of Emma, Ryan, and himself as kids flashed in his mind again, as they so often had in the past few days. They had been inseparable once, their fathers partners in building the very foundation of Techno. But everything had crumbled the day of the fire. His father had sent him abroad, far away from the chaos, and when he had returned, Emma and Ryan had vanished without a trace. He had tried to find them for years, but the trail had gone cold.

Yet now, as he watched Leila drive away, the thought that kept resurfacing, despite his best efforts to dismiss it, was: Could she be Emma?

Inside the speeding Mercedes, Leila felt the weight of the evening lifting off her as they drove further away from the office and deeper into the night. Ryan glanced over at her, his eyes softening briefly.

"Do you think Mark suspects anything?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.

Leila's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Mark? No. He's curious, but not suspicious. Not yet."

Ryan tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Good. But we can't take any chances."

"I know," she whispered, leaning her head back against the seat. "We're just getting started."

As the car vanished into the distance, the city continued its relentless hum, unaware of the intricate web of revenge, secrets, and long-buried betrayal that was slowly coming to life within Techno's walls.