Tangled in Deception

The more you lie, the harder it is to remember the truth.

Celeste....

The weight of the file in my hands felt heavier than it should have. My mind raced as I tried to process the information Adrian had just given me.

A traitor.

Someone within his ranks had been leaking information. And judging by the contents of the file, they weren't just feeding details to an outside enemy—they were orchestrating something much bigger.

I needed to be careful. One wrong move, one slip, and Adrian would see right through me.

I set the file down and met his gaze. "So, what's your plan?"

He leaned back against his desk, arms crossed, watching me like a predator waiting to strike. "I have a few ideas."

I swallowed the unease creeping up my spine. "Such as?"

"We test our theory," he said smoothly. "We feed the traitor false information and see what happens."

That was smart. Too smart. If I wasn't careful, I'd get tangled up in this web of deception and never make it out.

I forced a smirk. "And let me guess—you want me involved?"

His lips curled slightly. "It would be a shame to waste your particular set of skills."

The air between us thickened. I wasn't sure if I was playing the game or if the game was playing me.

I pushed off the desk, keeping my expression unreadable. "Fine. What do you need me to do?"

Adrian studied me for a moment, then stood, his movements slow and deliberate. "Meet me at the warehouse tomorrow night. Midnight. No one else will know."

A trap? A test? Or something else entirely?

I nodded, careful to keep my expression neutral. "I'll be there."

The following night, I arrived at the warehouse just before midnight. The air was thick with the scent of oil and rust, and the quiet hum of the city seemed distant out here.

Adrian was already waiting, standing near a stack of wooden crates, his presence commanding as always.

"You're early," he remarked.

I shrugged. "Didn't feel like waiting around."

He gestured for me to follow him inside. The warehouse was dimly lit, shadows stretching long across the floor. A single table sat in the center of the space, a laptop open on top of it.

"This is where we start," he said, his tone calculated. "I've planted false intel on this drive. If our traitor is watching, they'll take the bait."

I folded my arms, watching him closely. "And what happens when they do?"

He turned toward me, his gaze dark. "Then we take them out."

Something about the way he said it sent a chill through me. Adrian Russo didn't hesitate when it came to eliminating threats. And if he ever found out about me—about who I really was—he wouldn't hesitate with me, either.

The game was shifting. The stakes were higher.

And I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep up the lie.