The Trap is Set

Lena stared at her reflection in the glass of her office window. The city lights shimmered like fractured stars, their brilliance obscured by the storm clouds gathering in her mind. She had made the decision, one that could expose Reed or irreparably damage their relationship if she was wrong.

She turned back to her desk, where Elias sat across from her, a laptop open between them.

"We need to make this airtight, Reed is smart. If he's guilty, he'll see through anything too obvious." Lena said, her voice steadier than she felt.

Elias nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

"I've set up a dummy server that mimics our internal systems. We'll plant a false project file in it, a supposed merger negotiation with high-stakes implications. If Reed accesses it or leaks it, we'll know." Elias said.

"And if he doesn't?" Lena asked, crossing her arms.