Chapter Twenty-Two - Kahlan’s POV - Desperate Measures

I wasn't a fool.

I knew what I had done.

I knew the weight of it—the way Aldrich had looked at me yesterday, that cold disappointment, that unshaken fury.

But what choice had I had?

Destroying that contract had been the only way to stop him from signing a deal that would bring him closer to disaster. The only way to keep him from walking into a trap he didn't see coming. Aldrich was buying his way into his own death… was I just supposed to walk away from that?

Come to think of it… if this was anyone else - say the demon I married, Emiliano - I would not have thought twice about it. I could have instantly left the company and be on the clear, away from some criminals threatening my life and using it as leverage. These men were desperate and could definitely kill Aldrich but they had thought it wasn't the best way around it. I was sure of that. 

The death of Aldrich Maximus will bring about so much unwarranted attention that could cause more harm than good to them. So they want to plant a pun; use a more 'insignificant' life to get at Aldrich instead. 

They would not want to kill Aldrich… but they would definitely kill me if I flopped. 

And yet, last night, I had made a decision.

I was done.

I had no interest in playing puppet anymore, in tearing down his empire bit by bit. I had tried to fight for him. I had done enough.

It was time to back off.

I hoped—desperately hoped—that Aldrich would let go of this deal and move on. That he'd accept the loss and take the first flight back home, far away from whatever danger lurked in the shadows.

But Aldrich Maximus was not a man who accepted losses.

And the next morning, when I stepped into the office, he was already working to fix the deal.

I barely made it to my desk before Amelia dropped a file in front of me, sighing dramatically. "You better brace yourself."

I frowned, flipping through the pages. It was the blueprint for the same damn contract. Not the contract itself but it showed the contract was alive somewhere!

"They're revamping the contract?" I asked, trying to mask the frustration in my voice.

Amelia leaned closer, lowering her voice. "He's got the entire thing in a flash drive. Aldrich's determined to make this deal happen. He already called the investors for another meeting." She hesitated, then smirked. "Honestly? I don't know what's gotten into him, but he's on a rampage. You should've seen how he handled Richard Langley this morning. It was brutal."

I could imagine.

Aldrich never accepted failure, and now, thanks to me, he was more determined than ever to push this through.

I could feel the panic creeping in, but I forced myself to breathe.

It was none of my business now.

I was out. They could figure it out without me.

That was the plan.

At least, until my phone buzzed.

The moment I saw the unknown number, my stomach clenched.

I stepped away from my desk and answered, voice barely above a whisper. "I told you. I'm done."

A slow, amused chuckle. "No, sweetheart. You're not."

I stiffened, gripping the phone tighter. "Find someone else."

Silence.

Then—

"Look outside."

I did.

Across the glass walls of the office, through the crowd of workers moving about their day, I spotted Amelia.

Laughing at something someone had said. Completely unaware of the man standing just a few feet behind her.

My blood ran cold.

"Keep watching," the voice murmured.

And then—

The man behind her reached into his coat.

I didn't think.

Didn't breathe.

"Stop," I hissed. "Leave her out of this."

"Then do your job."

I shut my eyes for a second, swallowing back the bile in my throat. I couldn't risk it.

Amelia had nothing to do with this.

I had to do what they said.

"What do you want?" I whispered.

"You know what we want." A pause. Then—"Erase the agreement. The flash drive. Destroy it."

I exhaled shakily. There was no way out of this.

"Fine."

The line went dead.

I looked back at Amelia. She was still standing there, alive, still laughing, still oblivious. The man was gone.

But my hands wouldn't stop shaking.

***

The opportunity came sooner than I expected.

Aldrich left his office for a meeting, leaving the flash drive sitting on his desk, plugged into his laptop.

I had seconds.

I moved quickly, my fingers steady despite the storm in my chest. A quick swipe—flash drive unplugged, slipped into my pocket.

I had just turned away and back to where I and Amelia had our desks when—

"What are you doing?"

I froze.

Aldrich stood at the doorway, eyes sharp as he took in the scene.

Think fast.

"I—"

I couldn't get caught. I couldn't afford to.

I turned to the nearest desk. Amelia's.

Without hesitating, I reached over and dropped the flash drive into the open pocket of her coat.

Aldrich's gaze flickered towards the coat as he stepped in. 

My stomach twisted.

Oh, poor Amelia…

But I couldn't stop now.

***

Aldrich was furious, and the moment he spotted the missing flash drive, the explosion was instant.

It didn't take long before Amelia—poor, unsuspecting Amelia—was called into his office.

She had no idea what was coming.

The flash drive sat on his desk. Aldrich's arms were crossed, his expression deadly calm.

"Explain."

Amelia blinked. "Uh. Explain what, sir?"

Aldrich's jaw ticked. "I found this in your coat."

She glanced at the flash drive, then back at him, confusion settling in. "Okay…? That's not mine."

A muscle in Aldrich's jaw twitched.

"Then how," he said slowly, dangerously, "did it end up in your pocket?"

Amelia laughed. A nervous, breathy sound. "Wait, wait. You don't actually think I took it, sir, do you?"

Aldrich's stare was unrelenting.

Her smile faltered.

I stood there, silent, pretending to be just as shocked as everyone else.

Amelia looked at me, her brows furrowed. "Kahlan?"

I couldn't speak.

Because I couldn't save her.

Not this time.

Aldrich exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "You're fired."

Silence.

Amelia stared at him, stunned. "What?"

"You heard me." His voice was void of emotion. "You're done. I want you on the first flight back."

Amelia's breath hitched. "Sir… sir… please I don't know what is going on!"

"I don't repeat myself."

A pause.

Then, Amelia turned to me. "You believe me, don't you?"

I forced myself to hold her gaze. Then, I looked away.

I had to.

If I showed even a flicker of doubt, Aldrich would suspect something.

Amelia's lips parted slightly, as if something had clicked in her mind.

As if she finally understood.

And when she turned back to Aldrich, she didn't fight it anymore.

She just nodded stiffly, turned around, and walked out.

Aldrich didn't even spare her a second glance.

But I did.

And the look on her face…

It would haunt me forever.