A knife in the dark

The Lennox Hotel was a monument to excess—high ceilings, gold accents, and the kind of quiet that came with wealth and power. Allegra moved through the grand lobby with ease, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she approached the private lounge reserved for high-stakes negotiations.

This was Navarro territory, and Adrian had sent her straight into it.

She adjusted the sleek lapel of her blazer, schooling her expression into something neutral. This wasn't just about listening. It was about choosing which truth to believe.

Was Adrian the enemy? Or had she spent years chasing the wrong man?

She stepped into the lounge. Victor Navarro sat at the center of it all, exuding effortless control. His signature navy suit was crisp, his silver hair slicked back with precision. He was flanked by Riley West, his COO, and Trent Yates, a financial strategist known for making things disappear.

Victor's eyes found her immediately. His slow smile was that of a man who always saw the next move before it was made.

"Ms. Blake," he greeted, standing as if they were old friends. "Punctual. I like that."

Allegra gave a polite nod. "I was told this meeting was important."

Victor chuckled, motioning to the empty seat across from him. "You were told correctly."

She sat, careful not to betray anything in her expression. This was a test. She was being measured, weighed, and calculated.

Riley leaned forward, eyes sharp. "How much did Adrian tell you?"

Allegra played it cool. "Enough."

Victor studied her for a beat before smirking. "Let me guess—he thinks we're coming for Zenith."

She didn't blink. "Aren't you?"

Victor's expression remained amused, but there was something coiled beneath it, something dangerous. "What I want is bigger than one project." He exhaled slowly, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "CrossTech is a sinking ship. I'm just here to pick up the pieces."

Allegra kept her posture relaxed, but every word sent her mind racing. Was he bluffing? Or had Diana already given him the ammunition he needed?

She leaned back slightly. "You sound confident."

Victor's smirk widened. "I have good reason to be." He gestured toward Trent, who slid a folder across the table.

Allegra hesitated before opening it. Inside were documents—real, classified CrossTech documents. Financial records, project outlines, even encrypted emails.

She felt her stomach tighten. Someone inside had given this to Navarro. And it wasn't Ethan.

Victor's voice was smooth as silk. "You're smart, Ms. Blake. You already know Adrian isn't the real threat."

She glanced up. "Then who is?"

Victor's smile was slow, deliberate. "The people standing next to him."

Allegra's pulse spiked. Diana. The board. Maybe even someone closer.

Victor leaned in. "You've seen the cracks, haven't you? The secrets? The betrayals?"

Allegra held his gaze. "Maybe."

Victor sat back, satisfied. "Then you know how this ends. CrossTech falls. Adrian burns. And those smart enough to get out early? They survive."

A challenge. An invitation. A warning.

Allegra closed the folder and met his gaze head-on.

"Survival isn't the same as winning," she said coolly.

Victor's grin widened. "No. But it's the only way to stay in the game."

Allegra stood, smoothing out her blazer. "I'll think about it."

Victor lifted his glass in a mock toast. "You do that."

As she walked out of the lounge, her grip on the folder tightened.

Victor had just given her a loaded gun.

The question was—who was she going to aim it at?

Allegra's heels struck the pavement with controlled precision as she left the Lennox Hotel, her mind a tangle of calculations. Victor Navarro had just handed her a gift—a folder of classified CrossTech documents. A carefully baited trap disguised as an opportunity.

She didn't trust gifts.

The cool night air did little to calm the unease curling in her stomach. Navarro had a mole inside CrossTech. Someone powerful enough to smuggle out financial records, encrypted communications, and confidential project data.

Someone close to Adrian.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Jace.

She answered immediately. "Tell me you have something."

Jace's voice was tense. "I have something. But you're not gonna like it."

Allegra stepped toward a quieter side street, away from prying eyes. "Give it to me."

Jace exhaled. "The shell company Navarro's been using to move money? It's not just paying off executives. It's paying Diana Cross."

Allegra's grip tightened on the phone. "You're sure?"

"Absolutely," Jace said. "I found direct deposits to an offshore account linked to her. Large ones. Someone inside CrossTech is giving Navarro access, and Diana is profiting from it."

Allegra's stomach twisted. Diana had been feeding Navarro information all along.

Jace hesitated. "But that's not the worst part."

Allegra braced herself. "Go on."

"I traced a second account," Jace said. "Same shell company, different recipient." A pause. "The name on the account? Ethan Hale."

Allegra's breath hitched. "You're saying Navarro was paying Ethan before he disappeared?"

Jace's voice dropped lower. "I'm saying Navarro was paying Ethan days before he died."

A cold weight settled in Allegra's chest. Ethan's death hadn't been a clean exit—it had been a cleanup.

Jace continued, voice urgent now. "If Ethan was the go-between and Navarro had him eliminated, you can bet he already has his next target in mind."

Allegra's blood ran cold. "Who?"

The pause on the other end was too long.

Then, Jace exhaled. "You."

Allegra was still gripping her phone when she stepped into CrossTech Tower twenty minutes later. The lobby was nearly deserted at this hour, the hushed quiet amplifying the pounding of her pulse.

Navarro had marked her.

She was running out of time.

She made it to the executive floor, her mind whirring through possibilities, contingencies, escape routes. But when she rounded the corner to her office, she stopped short.

Diana Cross was waiting for her.

Dressed in a sleek black suit, Diana lounged in one of Allegra's chairs, looking like she had all the time in the world. She glanced up, her red lips curving into a slow, knowing smile.

"You've had a busy night," Diana mused.

Allegra kept her expression neutral. "What are you doing in my office?"

Diana leaned back, crossing her legs. "I wanted to have a little chat. Woman to woman."

Allegra shut the door, every instinct on high alert. "About what?"

Diana tilted her head. "About loyalty. About how dangerous it can be to make enemies before you know who your real friends are."

Allegra arched a brow. "And you'd consider yourself a friend?"

Diana smirked. "I'd consider myself a survivor."

Allegra stepped forward, folding her arms. "Let me guess. You're here to warn me about Adrian. To tell me he's the real threat."

Diana's smile didn't waver. "Adrian is a problem, yes. But not your biggest one."

Allegra gave a humorless chuckle. "Let me guess. Navarro?"

Diana exhaled dramatically. "You catch on fast." She leaned forward, voice dropping into something dangerous. "Listen carefully, Allegra. You're being used. Navarro didn't give you that folder because he trusts you. He gave it to you because you're expendable."

Allegra held her gaze. "And you're not?"

Diana's lips curled into something almost amused. "I know how to play the game. You're still learning."

Allegra narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you here? If Navarro is so dangerous, why warn me?"

Diana stood slowly, adjusting the cuff of her sleeve. "Because I don't need you dead. I need you useful."

Allegra clenched her jaw. "And if I don't cooperate?"

Diana smiled. "Then I'd start watching my back if I were you."

She walked past Allegra toward the door, pausing just long enough to whisper over her shoulder.

"Trust me. You won't see it coming."

And then she was gone, leaving Allegra standing in the dim office, alone with a choice she wasn't ready to make.

Allegra sat in her dimly lit office, her fingers drumming against the black envelope Navarro had given her. Seven figures. One choice.

Diana's warning still echoed in her mind.

"Trust me. You won't see it coming."

Was it a warning? Or a veiled threat?

Her laptop screen glowed in the darkness, displaying two open files—one with CrossTech's financials, the other with the stolen documents from Navarro. Two paths. Two betrayals.

Her phone buzzed. Jace.

She answered immediately. "Tell me you have more."

"I have more," Jace said. "But you're not gonna like it."

Allegra leaned forward. "Go on."

"I cracked the encryption on one of the files from that Navarro folder. It's a full executive personnel report on Adrian."

Allegra frowned. "That's not unusual."

Jace hesitated. "It is when it includes a psychological profile."

Her stomach clenched. "Psych profile?"

"Yeah," Jace continued. "Compiled by an independent risk assessment firm. The kind Navarro uses when he's deciding whether to acquire a company—or destroy it."

Allegra's pulse quickened. "And?"

Jace exhaled. "It labels Adrian as an unpredictable risk."

She frowned. "What does that mean?"

Jace hesitated before replying. "It means Navarro doesn't just want CrossTech. He wants Adrian removed. And I don't mean a hostile takeover. I mean… permanently."

Allegra gripped the phone tighter. "You're saying Navarro is planning to—"

"Take him out? Yeah," Jace confirmed. "And soon."

Allegra's mind spun. Navarro wasn't just playing corporate chess. He was going for checkmate.

She inhaled sharply. "Does Adrian know?"

Jace scoffed. "If he did, do you think he'd be as calm as he is?"

Her stomach twisted. Navarro had given her a choice. Take the money and help him. Or stay and get buried along with Adrian.

She had come here to destroy Adrian. But Navarro wanted something worse—annihilation.

Another buzz. A new message.

Unknown Number: Time's up. Make your move.

Allegra's breath caught. They were watching her.

A knock at the door made her flinch.

She turned. Adrian.

His silhouette filled the doorway, his expression unreadable. "We need to talk."

Allegra shut the door behind him, masking the chaos swirling inside her. "What is it?"

Adrian stepped closer, his eyes scanning her face like he was searching for something beneath the surface.

"You met with Navarro," he said, his tone too calm.

Allegra's stomach clenched. He knew.

She kept her voice steady. "I was following your orders."

Adrian exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "And yet, you didn't tell me what he offered you."

Her heartbeat pounded. "You assume he made an offer?"

Adrian's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Navarro doesn't waste time on people who don't serve his interests. He offered you something. I want to know what."

Allegra's pulse raced. She had a choice—tell the truth, or spin a lie.

She met his gaze, weighing her options. "He gave me documents. Financial records, stolen CrossTech data. He wanted me to hand-deliver it to him."

Adrian nodded slowly, like he already knew part of the answer but was waiting for more. "And?"

Allegra hesitated. This was the moment. The moment Diana had warned her about. The moment she had been planning for since the day she walked into CrossTech.

"Navarro wants you out," she said finally. "Permanently."

For the first time, something flickered behind Adrian's eyes. A sliver of something raw. Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

He took a slow breath. "Did you take his offer?"

Allegra met his gaze. "Would I still be standing here if I had?"

Adrian studied her, the silence stretching between them like a blade. Then, finally, he gave a slight nod. "Good."

Allegra exhaled, but her body remained tense. He didn't fully trust her. Not yet.

"You're running out of time," she said. "Navarro isn't waiting. He's moving."

Adrian's jaw clenched, but his voice remained cool. "Then it's time I moved first."

Allegra watched him carefully. "What's the play?"

Adrian's eyes darkened. "I take the fight to him."

Allegra nodded, her mind already racing ahead. Navarro had given her a loaded gun. Now Adrian was about to fire back.

The only question was—which side of the bullet would she be on?

The tension in Adrian's office was suffocating. The city lights flickered through the towering glass windows, casting shadows across the sharp angles of his desk. Allegra stood across from him, arms crossed, pulse hammering.

She had just told him the truth—Navarro wanted him eliminated.

Now, she had to see what Adrian Cross would do with that information.

Adrian picked up his whiskey glass but didn't drink. He turned it slowly in his fingers, his gaze locked onto her. Assessing. Calculating.

"When?" he asked.

Allegra exhaled. "Soon. Navarro didn't give me a timeline, but Jace confirmed that the pieces are already moving."

Adrian let out a quiet hum, like he had expected this but was waiting for confirmation. "And Diana?"

Allegra hesitated. Diana had warned her. But was it to protect her—or manipulate her?

"She's in deep," she admitted. "Navarro's been paying her for months. She's either feeding him information or helping him position his next move."

Adrian finally took a sip of whiskey. "Then it's time to remind my sister who she's dealing with."

Allegra narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

Adrian smirked slightly, but there was no warmth in it. "You think I built this empire by letting people take things from me?" He set the glass down, stepping toward her. "Navarro is making his move. Diana is backing him. Ethan played his part. And now, Navarro's trying to buy you."

Allegra met his gaze without flinching. "And what if I had taken his offer?"

Adrian didn't hesitate. "Then you wouldn't be standing here."

A chill ran down her spine, but she kept her expression even. "So what's the play?"

Adrian leaned against the desk, his voice dropping lower. "We turn the game on them. Navarro wants a war? I'll give him one."

Allegra tilted her head. "And Diana?"

A flicker of something—something almost personal—crossed Adrian's face before it disappeared behind that impenetrable mask. "She made her choice."

Allegra folded her arms. "You don't sound surprised."

"I'm not." Adrian's voice was sharp, precise. "Diana has been circling like a vulture for years. She's always wanted CrossTech—she just never had the nerve to take it. Until Navarro gave her a safety net."

Allegra inhaled slowly. "So what do you want me to do?"

Adrian smirked slightly, pushing off the desk. "You've already done it."

She frowned. "What?"

He nodded toward her bag. "That folder Navarro gave you? It's proof that he's been siphoning CrossTech data. I guarantee you he doesn't know that I know he gave it to you."

Allegra's stomach clenched. "You're using me as bait."

Adrian's expression didn't shift. "I'm using you as leverage. There's a difference."

Allegra let out a sharp breath. "And what happens when Navarro realizes the trap?"

Adrian took another slow sip of whiskey. "Then we'll see how much firepower he really has."

Allegra shook her head, stepping closer. "This isn't just business, is it?"

Adrian's smirk faded. "No." He set the glass down, his expression colder than she'd ever seen it. "Navarro thinks I'm like my father—calculating, distant, more concerned about profits than power. He's wrong."

Allegra swallowed. There it was. The real Adrian Cross.

"You want him afraid," she said quietly.

Adrian's lips twitched. "I want him to regret ever thinking he could touch me."

Allegra exhaled. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for.

She had come to CrossTech to bring Adrian down. Now she was about to go to war beside him.

And she wasn't sure which fate was more dangerous.

. 

Chapter 5 

Allegra stood in CrossTech's executive boardroom, staring at the city skyline stretching far beyond the tinted glass windows. Below, the city moved as if nothing had changed, oblivious to the fact that a war was brewing in the corridors of power.

Behind her, Adrian Cross sat at the head of the long glass table, his fingers steepled, his expression unreadable. The air between them was charged with unspoken strategy and inevitable betrayal.

She had spent years preparing to destroy him. Now, she was standing at his side, preparing to save him instead.

Adrian exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. "Navarro won't wait. Now that he knows I'm aware, he'll make his move."

Allegra nodded. "Which means Diana will too."

A flicker of something dark crossed Adrian's face at the mention of his sister. "She's already made hers."

Allegra frowned. "What do you mean?"

Adrian slid a manila folder across the table. She picked it up and flipped it open. Inside were legal documents—a formal motion from CrossTech's board to remove Adrian as CEO.

Her pulse spiked. "She's forcing a takeover?"

Adrian's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "She's trying. But she doesn't have enough votes."

Allegra scanned the documents, calculating. "Yet."

Adrian nodded. "Which is why we hit first."

She closed the folder. "How?"

Adrian leaned back, his gaze sharp. "We cut off Navarro's influence before he solidifies his hold. That means financial lockdowns, internal audits, and pressuring the board before Diana can turn them against me."

Allegra crossed her arms. "That sounds like a defensive move. You don't play defense."

Adrian smirked slightly. "No, I don't." He exhaled, his gaze flickering to the city outside. "Which is why I need to know if I can trust you."

Allegra stiffened. "I've given you no reason not to."

Adrian's eyes snapped back to her. "That's not an answer."

Silence stretched between them. This was the moment. The defining line between her past and present.

She inhaled slowly. "If I wanted to betray you, I already would have."

Adrian studied her, then gave a slow nod. "Good." He stood, straightening his sleeves. "Then let's remind Navarro why CrossTech doesn't fall."

Allegra followed him out of the boardroom, her heart pounding.

Lines were being drawn. And she had just chosen a side.

Allegra moved through CrossTech's executive wing, her mind a storm of calculations. The board was shifting beneath Adrian's feet, Navarro was tightening his grip, and Diana was playing a game with no clear rules.

She had aligned herself with Adrian—for now—but trust was still a fragile illusion.

Her phone buzzed. Jace.

She answered as she stepped into her office, closing the door behind her. "Tell me you have something."

Jace's voice was low, urgent. "Diana just made her move. She's meeting with Navarro tonight."

Allegra's grip tightened. "Where?"

"Private club downtown. The kind where deals don't get documented."

Allegra exhaled. "This is it, isn't it? She's locking in the takeover."

Jace hesitated. "It's worse than that."

Allegra frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I dug deeper into Navarro's offshore accounts," Jace said. "Diana isn't just helping him take CrossTech. She's selling him Zenith."

Allegra's stomach twisted. "She wouldn't."

"She would," Jace said. "And if Navarro gets Zenith's proprietary tech, Adrian is finished—whether the board votes him out or not."

Allegra didn't hesitate. "I need a copy of everything you found. Now."

Jace exhaled. "Already sending it."

A sharp knock at her door made her stiffen.

She turned just as Adrian stepped inside.

She ended the call, sliding her phone into her pocket. "What is it?"

Adrian's expression was unreadable. "I need you to get ahead of Diana."

Allegra kept her face neutral. "And how do you suggest I do that?"

"You're going to her meeting with Navarro," Adrian said.

Allegra blinked. "Excuse me?"

Adrian walked closer, voice even. "Diana trusts Navarro, but Navarro still doesn't trust her. He'll want confirmation that she can actually deliver. That's where you come in."

Allegra crossed her arms. "You want me to pretend to be on their side?"

Adrian smirked. "You already got an invitation from Navarro, didn't you?"

Her pulse spiked. He knew.

She kept her voice even. "How long have you known?"

Adrian leaned against her desk. "Long enough."

She swallowed hard. "Then why didn't you stop me?"

"Because I wanted to see what you'd do," Adrian said. "And now I know."

Allegra let out a slow breath. "And what exactly do you think you know?"

Adrian's gaze didn't waver. "That you haven't picked a side yet."

The words cut through the air like a blade.

Allegra met his stare. "If that were true, I wouldn't be telling you this now."

A tense silence stretched between them. Then Adrian nodded. "Fair point."

Allegra sighed, rubbing her temples. "So what's the play? If I go to this meeting, what do you want me to do?"

Adrian's voice was smooth, controlled. "I want you to stall them. Make Diana think you're considering her offer. Make Navarro second-guess whether she's the right investment."

Allegra frowned. "And what will you be doing?"

Adrian smirked. "Making sure when the deal falls apart, I'm the one left standing."

She studied him carefully. "And if Navarro realizes I'm playing him?"

Adrian's smirk faded. "Then I suggest you be very, very convincing."

Allegra exhaled slowly. She was walking into a trap.

The only question was whose it was.

The private club was a world away from the neon-lit chaos of the city—a sanctuary where billionaires made power plays behind closed doors. Allegra stepped past the velvet rope with ease, her black dress tailored to perfection, her every movement controlled. She wasn't just walking into a meeting.

She was walking into a battlefield.

A discreet server led her to a secluded VIP lounge. Inside, Victor Navarro lounged in a leather chair, looking effortlessly in control, while Diana Cross stood by the bar, swirling a glass of red wine with idle amusement.

Diana's gaze flickered to Allegra as she entered, a slow smile curving her lips. "Look who finally decided to stop pretending."

Allegra tilted her head. "Pretending?"

Diana chuckled. "Let's not insult each other, Allegra. You've been dancing between sides for weeks. It's time to pick one."

Allegra turned to Navarro, who studied her with quiet amusement. "And what exactly are my options?"

Navarro gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit. Let's talk."

She moved carefully, lowering herself into the chair, every instinct on high alert.

Navarro leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "Adrian sent you here, didn't he?"

Allegra met his gaze, not betraying a flicker of emotion. "If I say yes, does that change your offer?"

Navarro smirked. "Not at all. In fact, it makes it more interesting."

Diana perched on the arm of his chair, her eyes gleaming. "You know Adrian will lose, right? It's only a matter of time."

Allegra crossed her legs. "Funny. He said the same about you."

Diana let out a sharp laugh. "Adrian always thinks he's untouchable. That's his weakness."

Navarro watched her closely. "And what do you think, Ms. Blake?"

Allegra exhaled slowly, letting the moment stretch. "I think Adrian isn't the only one with blind spots."

Navarro's expression flickered—just for a second. She had his attention.

Diana's smile thinned. "Careful, Allegra. You're in the deep end now."

Allegra leaned forward. "I've been in the deep end my whole life."

Navarro chuckled. "Now that is an answer I respect." He reached for his drink, swirling the amber liquid. "Tell me, what does Adrian really think is happening tonight?"

Allegra let out a soft laugh. "He thinks I'm here to stall you. To make you doubt Diana's loyalty."

Diana scoffed. "Predictable."

Allegra's voice didn't waver. "And what he doesn't know is that I'm done playing messenger."

That got Navarro's full attention. He set his drink down, his gaze sharpening. "Meaning?"

Allegra let the silence build before delivering her next words.

"Meaning I want in."

Diana's expression flickered with something between curiosity and suspicion. "You want in?"

Allegra nodded. "I've been inside CrossTech long enough to see the cracks. Adrian's smart, but he's not invincible. He's reacting, not leading. If I stay tied to him, I go down with him."

Navarro studied her carefully. "And what exactly are you offering?"

Allegra's pulse pounded, but she kept her voice even. "Adrian trusts me. That means I have access. I can give you what Ethan never could."

Diana raised a brow. "And what's stopping you from running back to Adrian the second you leave this meeting?"

Allegra smirked. "Give me a reason not to."

Navarro exchanged a look with Diana before turning back to her. "Alright, Ms. Blake. Let's see if you're as valuable as you claim to be."

Allegra lifted her glass in a mock toast, hiding the unease twisting in her gut.

She had just stepped onto the tightrope.

And one wrong move would send her crashing down.

Navarro leaned back in his chair, watching Allegra with something between amusement and calculation. "You want in?" he repeated, rolling the words over his tongue like he was tasting them. "That's a bold statement."

Allegra didn't flinch. "You don't need bold. You need someone inside. Someone Adrian trusts."

Diana smirked, swirling the wine in her glass. "And you're suddenly that someone?"

Allegra met her gaze head-on. "Not suddenly. Strategically."

Navarro chuckled. "I like you, Allegra. You know how to sell yourself." He tapped a finger against his glass. "But I don't buy easily."

Allegra exhaled, leaning in just slightly. "Then let's talk specifics. What do you need?"

Navarro tilted his head. "You already know the answer. Zenith."

Allegra feigned mild surprise. "And here I thought this was about taking Adrian's throne."

Diana smirked. "Navarro is patient. CrossTech will fall into his hands eventually. But Zenith? That's a different game."

Navarro nodded. "Ethan tried to secure the tech for us before his… unfortunate departure."

Allegra arched a brow. "Unfortunate?"

Navarro's expression didn't change. "Ethan made mistakes. You won't."

The words sent a chill down her spine. That was a warning, not a compliment.

Diana leaned forward. "So, let's get down to it. You want in? Prove it."

Allegra tilted her head slightly. "How?"

Navarro smirked. "By showing us you're not just feeding us the same lines you feed Adrian."

Allegra's pulse quickened, but she kept her expression cool. "What do you have in mind?"

Diana placed her glass down with a sharp clink. "There's a security protocol update rolling out at CrossTech tomorrow. It locks down access to Zenith's data files."

Allegra's stomach tightened. She knew about the update—because she had helped Adrian implement it.

Diana continued, her voice smooth as silk. "If we don't have access before the lockdown, it complicates things. That's where you come in."

Allegra didn't blink. "You want me to hand you the keys."

Navarro smiled. "You're catching on fast."

Silence hung between them. This was it. The moment they decided whether she was an asset or a liability.

Allegra let out a slow breath. "And if I do this?"

Navarro leaned in, voice low. "Then you'll be more than just a pawn in someone else's game. You'll be on the winning side."

Diana smirked. "And if you don't?"

Navarro's smile didn't falter. "Then you'll be as replaceable as Ethan."

Allegra met his gaze, letting the weight of the moment settle.

Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll handle it."

Navarro grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

Diana raised her glass. "Welcome to the real game, Allegra."

Allegra lifted her own glass in return, though her mind was already racing.

She had just promised to betray Adrian.

The only problem?

She had no intention of keeping that promise.