9.

After that tense agreement that night, Alina and Leo stood on the brink of something much bigger. They both knew this partnership wasn't about trust it was about necessity. Despite their lingering doubts, they agreed to move in the shadows, keeping everything hidden from Ricardo.

Alina returned to Ricardo's side with her usual calm expression, as if nothing had changed. But behind her smile, a plan was already in motion. Ricardo couldn't suspect a thing. He had to believe she was still under his control.

That night, Leo sent a short message: "From now on, I'm going to test your loyalty. Don't disappoint me."

Alina stared at her phone screen, her face unreadable. She knew Leo wouldn't trust her easily. She had to prove she wasn't a threat but at the same time, she couldn't just surrender herself. She had to play her role carefully.

The next day, Ricardo held a meeting with his most trusted people. Alina sat beside him, listening closely.

"Some of our recent transactions have attracted attention," Ricardo said, his tone serious. "Someone is digging too deep."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Ricardo glanced at her briefly before answering. "It's unclear. But I want you to keep an eye on those around you. Don't let anyone get too close."

Alina nodded. In her mind, she knew this could be connected to Leo. But she couldn't let anything show. She had to remain neutral, a person Ricardo could still trust.

After the meeting, another message came from Leo. This time, it was longer.

"I need you to find out about the next shipment. What's being transported, who's involved, and where it's headed. This isn't just another test. If you fail, you know the consequences."

Alina exhaled. She had expected Leo wouldn't let her off easily. But this was also her chance to dig deeper into Ricardo's operations. If she could gather enough information, she could find a weakness something she could use to bring him down.

That night, while Ricardo was asleep, Alina made her move. Carefully, she opened his laptop and accessed the locked files. She had spent months observing the way he typed his password. After a few attempts, she finally got in.

Inside the files, she found details of the latest transactions. There were names she recognized, but also some unfamiliar ones. One entry caught her attention next week's shipment.

Destination: South Harbor.

Alina took a quick photo of the document with her phone before closing the file and erasing any trace of her access. As she was about to leave the room, Ricardo shifted in his sleep. She held her breath. A few tense seconds passed before he settled again. Moving silently, she slipped out, ensuring nothing seemed out of place.

***

The next day, she sent the information to Leo. A few hours later, his response came.

"Good. But I need more than this."

A faint smile played on Alina's lips. She knew this wasn't over. She had stepped deeper into the game, and there was no turning back.

Meanwhile, Leo was already setting his next move. He still didn't fully trust Alina, but the information she provided was enough for now.

He arranged a secret meeting with Rafael. "We're going to start disrupting his operations," Leo said, handing over Alina's intel.

Rafael studied him seriously. "Are you sure she's on our side?"

Leo leaned back. "She's not on our side. But she's no longer fully on Ricardo's either. That's good enough for now."

Rafael nodded. "Alright. I'll get a team ready for this."

Leo smirked. "Make sure Ricardo doesn't figure out who's behind this. Alina needs to stay inside."

That night, without Ricardo's knowledge, their plan was set in motion. But in a world full of betrayals, anyone could be a threat. Alina knew that one wrong move could mean her own downfall.

Ricardo was starting to sense that something was off. Shipments that should have gone smoothly were encountering problems. Information was leaking, and some of his trusted people were growing restless.

During one of their next meetings, Ricardo fixed his sharp gaze on Alina. "I feel like there's a traitor among us."

Alina remained calm. "Who do you suspect?"

Ricardo sighed. "I don't know yet. But I will find out. And when I do, they won't live long."

Alina felt her heartbeat quicken slightly, but she showed no sign of it. She had to keep playing her part flawlessly.

Meanwhile, Leo and Rafael were preparing their next strike. Disrupting Ricardo wasn't enough they had to take him down completely. And for that, they needed Alina more than ever.

That night, Alina received another message from Leo. This time, his request was bolder.

"I need a list of Ricardo's top clients. Without them, he'll collapse."

Alina stared at the message for a long moment. This was far riskier than before. If she got caught, Ricardo wouldn't give her a chance to explain.

But if she succeeded… this could be the final blow to Ricardo.

She had to make a choice. And time was running out.