Chapter 22: The Knock at Midnight

The knock at the door reverberated through the room, sending a chill down Ethan's spine. Mia stood frozen beside him, her wide eyes reflecting his fear. Leo gave them both a sharp nod and cautiously opened the door just enough to peek outside.

A shadowed figure stood in the dim hallway, shifting nervously. As the door creaked open wider, Ethan felt his heart pounding in his chest, half-expecting Oscar's henchmen to burst through.

Instead, a familiar voice broke the tension. "Ethan? It's me, Claire."

Claire, Ethan's manager, stood before them, her face pale and drawn. She looked disheveled, her hair out of place and her clothes slightly rumpled as if she had rushed over in a panic. Ethan felt a momentary relief but it quickly dissipated when he saw the grim expression she wore.

"Claire," he said, stepping forward, "what's going on?"

Claire didn't waste time with pleasantries. She pushed her way into the apartment, closing the door firmly behind her. "You're in deep trouble, Ethan," she said in a low voice, glancing around the room. "This thing with Oscar… it's way bigger than any of us thought."

Leo leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "What do you mean?"

Claire turned her gaze to him, her eyes dark with worry. "Oscar's not just trying to destroy Ethan's career—he's got connections higher up. Powerful people who owe him favors. If we don't handle this carefully, Ethan could be blacklisted from the entire industry."

Ethan felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. "Blacklisted? Claire, we've already started releasing the evidence. The public's turning against Oscar."

Claire shook her head. "It's not enough. Not yet. His team's working overtime to discredit everything we're doing. They're spinning new rumors faster than we can control them."

Mia stepped forward, her voice fierce. "So what do we do? Just sit here and wait for them to ruin him?"

"No," Claire said sharply. "But you need to be strategic. Releasing everything at once was a mistake. We need leverage—something that'll hit Oscar where it hurts most."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "We've already leaked the recordings, the documents. What more can we do?"

Claire's eyes narrowed. "There's something I didn't tell you before, Ethan. Something I was saving in case things got this bad."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Claire hesitated, then reached into her bag, pulling out a small USB drive. "This."

Leo straightened up, eyeing the drive with suspicion. "What's on it?"

"Footage," Claire said, her voice dropping. "Footage that could end Oscar's career for good."

Ethan's pulse quickened. "Footage of what?"

Claire glanced at the door, as if someone might be listening, before speaking. "A meeting. Between Oscar and a high-ranking government official. There's proof of bribery, corruption… it's bigger than anything we've got so far. If this gets out, Oscar will have no chance of recovering."

Mia's eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"

"I didn't think it would get this bad," Claire admitted, her voice tight. "But now… now we have no choice. This is the nuclear option."

Ethan stared at the drive, the weight of it sinking in. He knew that once they released it, there would be no turning back. Oscar would come at him with everything he had left, and if they weren't careful, Ethan's career—and possibly his life—could be over.

But at the same time, this could be the key to finally taking Oscar down.

Leo broke the silence. "If we're going to use this, we need to be smart. We can't just drop it and hope for the best."

Claire nodded. "Exactly. We need to find the right outlet, someone who'll expose this without giving Oscar time to retaliate."

Ethan's mind raced. "What about a press conference? If we bring in a few trusted reporters, we can control the narrative."

Claire considered it, then shook her head. "Too risky. Oscar's people could easily sabotage it. We need something more secure. A direct leak to someone with enough influence to protect you once this hits."

Mia's eyes lit up. "What about Evelyn Bennett?"

Ethan blinked. "The investigative journalist?"

Mia nodded. "She's known for taking down corrupt people in power. If anyone could expose Oscar without getting intimidated, it's her."

Claire pursed her lips, thinking it over. "She's risky, but effective. If you're sure you can trust her…"

"We don't have much of a choice," Leo said grimly. "It's either that or wait for Oscar to bury us."

Ethan exhaled, feeling the weight of the decision crushing him. "Let's do it. Contact Evelyn. We'll leak it to her."

Claire nodded, slipping the USB drive back into her bag. "I'll make the arrangements."

As she left the apartment, Ethan turned to Mia and Leo. His heart was still racing, his mind overwhelmed by everything that was happening. But amidst the chaos, there was something else simmering beneath the surface—something he couldn't ignore any longer.

Mia was still standing close to him, her eyes reflecting the same turmoil he felt. The kiss they had shared earlier lingered in the air between them, unspoken but undeniable. Ethan could see the conflict in her eyes, the mix of emotions swirling within her.

"Mia," he began softly, unsure of how to express everything he was feeling. "I…"

Before he could finish, Mia's phone buzzed loudly, snapping them both back to reality. She glanced down at the screen, her expression turning grim. "It's Oscar's PR team."

Ethan frowned. "What now?"

"They're spreading another rumor," Mia said, her voice laced with frustration. "This time, they're saying… they're saying you've been in a relationship with a producer to get ahead. And that you've been secretly manipulating deals behind the scenes."

Ethan's blood boiled. "That's a lie!"

"I know," Mia said quickly, her hand brushing his arm. "But people are believing it. We need to act fast, or this is going to get even worse."

Leo stepped forward, his expression dark. "Oscar's not going to stop until he ruins you completely, Ethan. We have to hit back hard."

Ethan clenched his fists, his anger burning white-hot. "We will. As soon as Evelyn has that footage, Oscar's finished."

But even as he said the words, he couldn't shake the feeling that the war with Oscar was far from over. And with every new rumor, every lie, the battle was becoming more personal. The lines between professional and private were blurring, and Ethan knew that if he wasn't careful, he could lose everything—including Mia.

The stakes had never been higher.

And the next move was critical.