through the flames

The Betrayal Within

The next few days passed in a blur of caution and silent fury. Olivia sat at the head of the conference table, staring at the reports in front of her, her mind working overtime. She had thought the threat was external, something she could see and fight. But Jace's sniper had only been the tip of the iceberg.

Damon's sharp gaze swept the room, his presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room, but Olivia knew something was off. There was tension in the air, a heaviness she couldn't place.

Then, she saw it.

The faint tremble of one of her most trusted men's hands as he handed her the files.

"Report on the market figures for this quarter," he said, voice steady but eyes darting.

Olivia's instincts screamed at her. She'd seen this before. Fear. But from whom?

"Thank you, Thomas," she replied coolly, but her mind was already racing.

The name had barely left her lips when Damon's hand shot out, grabbing Thomas by the collar and slamming him against the wall. His gun was out before anyone had time to react.

"Damon—" Olivia started, standing up, but her words faltered as she saw the rage in Damon's eyes.

"He's been compromised," Damon snarled. "And you didn't notice."

Olivia stepped forward, her heart sinking. "What do you mean?"

Thomas's eyes were wide, panicked. "It's not—"

"The market numbers," Damon continued, voice low, "They were intentionally manipulated. Someone's been leaking information, and I'm sure as hell not letting it slide."

Thomas's lips trembled. "I… I didn't—"

"I told you not to lie to me," Damon growled, pressing the barrel of his gun against Thomas's forehead. "Who paid you?"

Olivia froze. She'd never seen Damon like this—so cold, so ruthless. But she understood the stakes. If someone on the inside had betrayed them, then everything they had fought for was in jeopardy.

"Tell me!" Damon demanded.

Thomas's voice was barely a whisper. "It was Jace. He's been manipulating everything from the inside. You were right, Olivia. He's been planning this for months. He knew you wouldn't give in unless he forced you into a corner."

The words hit her like a blow to the chest.

"Jace," she repeated softly, her stomach turning. He had been working behind the scenes this whole time, pulling the strings. And now, she had no idea who she could trust.

The Deal

As soon as Damon released Thomas, the room fell silent. Olivia's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, all focused on the one name she couldn't escape.

Jace.

But she knew she couldn't let emotions cloud her judgment. "Get him out of here," she ordered, her voice sharp. "Thomas, you're done. I'll have someone take care of you."

Damon turned to her, eyes dark with fury. "You should've seen it. He was working for Jace, Olivia. You were right all along."

Olivia's chest tightened. "How do you know I was right?"

Damon didn't answer right away, his jaw tightening. Finally, he spoke, voice low and full of something she couldn't quite place.

"I've always known. I just… I couldn't believe it."

She stepped closer to him, taking his hand in hers. "We need to move fast. He's going to come for us. And this time, we won't be able to stop him unless we have everything."

Damon nodded. "Then we burn everything to the ground."

The Plan

That night, in the confines of their private quarters, Olivia and Damon strategized. Every move had to be calculated. Every person they had trusted had to be scrutinized.

"What if we're missing something?" Olivia murmured, looking over the papers spread across their desk. "What if Jace has more people inside?"

"I've already begun vetting everyone on our payroll," Damon said, his voice hard and unwavering. "But that's not enough. We need to take him down for good."

"We need leverage," Olivia said, her eyes dark with determination. "Something Jace doesn't expect."

"And you think you have something like that?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

She met his gaze. "I do."

The Phone Call

The next morning, Olivia received an unexpected call. The number was unfamiliar, but there was something chilling about it. She answered it without hesitation.

"Olivia," the voice on the other end was calm, too calm. "I think it's time we had a little chat."

She stiffened. "Jace."

"I've been waiting for you to realize what's going on, sweetheart. You don't trust anyone. You never have. And now, you're seeing the truth."

Olivia's blood ran cold. She knew where this was headed.

"I've had my eyes on you for a long time. And you know why, don't you? Because you're mine, Olivia. You always have been."

Her grip tightened on the phone, her voice low but steady. "What do you want, Jace?"

"I want you back. But if I can't have you…" His voice darkened, dripping with malice. "I'll make sure no one else does."

The call ended abruptly.

Damon's Vow

Damon stepped into the room, his eyes searching Olivia's face for any sign of weakness. "What did he say?"

She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "He's coming for us. And this time, he's not alone."

Damon's fist clenched, the anger in his eyes boiling over. "Then we make sure he regrets it."

She stood, moving toward him, her face hardening with resolve. "This ends, Damon. Once and for all."

He pulled her into his arms, his lips pressing firmly to her forehead. "No more running. No more games. We burn it all down."