Chapter 13: A Plan Takes Shape

As we sat in the coffee shop, Ethan and I began to brainstorm a plan to take down Sophia. We knew it wouldn't be easy, but we were determined to clear Ethan's name and put an end to Sophia's blackmail.

"I think we need to gather more evidence," I said, scribbling down some notes on a piece of paper. "Do you have any idea where Sophia might be hiding the tape?"

Ethan shook his head. "I've tried to get it out of her, but she just laughs and tells me I'll never find it."

I frowned, thinking. "We need to get into her inner circle," I said. "Do you know anyone who's close to her?"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "There is one person," he said. "Her assistant, Rachel. She's been with Sophia for years."

Wait... WTF I thought Rachel is your assistant now, I asked feeling surprised, I mean from what I have heard then they said you had miss Betty fired and replaced her with Rachel.

Ohh about that, you don't know? Ethan asked.

Know what? Hmm I indeed fired Betty but I didn't replace her with Rachel, I had her replaced with Alex instead you should know him he works in your department.

Ohh my G, how come I never heard and Alex never told me and besides Rachel has been the one always around you, arranging your schedule and other things.

Yh that's because I'm kinda close to Rachel, not really close though, and she took some time off from Betty so she insisted on working for me for a while before alex, Ethan explained.

Ohhh I said nodding my head.

I was still a bit lost but brushed the issue aside, focusing on the issue at hand.

I nodded, a plan starting to take shape in my mind. "I think I can get in touch with Rachel," I said. I've been a little bit close to her, "Maybe she'll be willing to help us."

Ethan's eyes locked onto mine, a glimmer of hope in their depths. "Do you think we can really do this?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "We can do this," I said. "We'll take Sophia down, and we'll clear your name."

As we parted ways, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and purpose. We were taking a risk, but it was one worth taking.

Little did I know, however, that Sophia was not going to go down without a fight...

As I walked back to my apartment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of determination. We were going to take Sophia down, and we were going to clear Ethan's name.

I quickly grabbed my phone and dialed Rachel's number. She answered on the first ring, and I could tell by the hesitation in her voice that she was wary of talking to me.

"Rachel, I need to talk to you about Sophia," I said, getting straight to the point.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I wondered if Rachel was going to hang up on me.

"What about Sophia?" she asked finally, her voice cautious.

"I know she's been blackmailing Ethan," I said. "And I know she's using a sex tape to do it."

Rachel's gasp was audible, and I knew I had her attention.

"How did you find out?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't have time to explain," I said. "But I need your help. We need to get that tape back and expose Sophia for what she's doing."

There was another pause, and I could tell Rachel was weighing her options.

"Okay," she said finally. "I'll help you. But we have to be careful. Sophia is not someone to be trifled with."

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of hope for the first time in days.

"Thank you, Rachel," I said. "I'll be in touch soon to discuss the details."

As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. We were one step closer to taking Sophia down, and I knew that with Rachel's help, we could do it.

But as I turned to walk away, I noticed a piece of paper on my doorstep. I picked it up, my heart racing as I read the words scrawled on it:

"Back off, Camila. This isn't your fight."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that Sophia was watching me, waiting for me to make my next move.

As I walked into my apartment, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Sophia was watching me. The note on my doorstep had left me with a sense of unease, and I knew I had to be careful.

I locked the door behind me and took a deep breath. I needed to focus on the task at hand: getting the sex tape back from Sophia.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Rachel's number. She answered on the first ring.

"Rachel, it's Camila," I said. "I need to know more about Sophia's plans. Can you tell me what you've heard?"

Rachel hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I don't know if I should be telling you this," she said. "But Sophia's been talking about releasing the tape to the press. She's been in touch with some reporters, and I think she's planning to make a big announcement soon."

My heart sank as I listened to Rachel's words. We were running out of time.

"Rachel, I need you to do something for me," I said. "Can you get me a copy of Sophia's schedule for the next few days? I need to know where she'll be and when."

Rachel agreed, and we made plans for her to send me the schedule as soon as possible.

As I hung up the phone, I felt a sense of determination wash over me. We were going to take Sophia down, no matter what it took.

But as I turned, I noticed something that made my heart skip a beat. There was a shadowy figure lurking outside my apartment window...