Chapter Seven: The Silence That Burns

Eva

I didn't sleep.

Not really.

I just lay there, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling like it had answers.

The codicil was still in my drawer. Tucked inside an old notebook, buried beneath sketches and ink-stained paper. But even hidden, it felt like it was watching me. Breathing next to me. Like it could speak.

And what would it say?

You were supposed to tell him.

You had your chance.

You could've dropped it into Damien's hands, in front of the whole world, and said:

I'm Eva Sinclair. I'm your daughter.

But instead, I had let my phone stop me.

Luca Voss.

The man I'd struck a deal with—the man who reminded me last night that if I exposed the truth now, I'd ruin everything. The plan. The access. The revenge.

I pulled the sheets over my head and let out a deep sigh.

His voice still echoed in my ears:

"You break our deal, Eva… and you lose everything."

But was it revenge I still wanted?

Or did I want something else now?

His face came back to me.

Damien.

The way his eyes searched mine in the ballroom.

The way his fingers brushed my wrist before I left.

It wasn't just attraction anymore. It was… something else. Something heavier.

Something that made my chest ache.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"This is getting dangerous," I whispered to no one.

Then I stood, walked to the drawer, and pulled out the notebook.

The codicil was still there, creased but whole. I ran my fingers over my mother's name. Margot Sinclair.

"I'll make them pay," I said softly, teeth clenched.

Not with just a public reveal.

But by tearing Katherine Wolfe apart from the inside out.

Late Morning – Wolfe EnterprisesI wore black slacks, a white blouse, and a blazer that gave me sharp shoulders I didn't feel. My heels clicked with too much certainty for how nervous I was inside.

The building looked the same—sleek glass, high ceilings, powerful silence—but it felt different. Colder. Heavier.

I stepped into the elevator. My reflection stared back at me.

Damien Wolfe's intern.

His enemy.

His… daughter.

The words made me swallow hard.

The elevator doors opened.

I moved quickly through the halls toward the Research and Compliance wing, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. My badge still worked, thank God. If Katherine had pulled my access after last night, I wouldn't have even made it past the lobby.

I reached the restricted archives.

Just like Luca told me—there was a blind spot in the security cameras at the far side of the record room. A space where the lights flickered and the digital logs didn't auto-update.

All I had to do was download the Wolfe Enterprises' offshore transaction files—proof of hidden money, shell companies, and Katherine's fingerprints on every shady deal.

I had the flash drive tucked in my blazer pocket.

My hand was already reaching for the file terminal when I heard the voice behind me.

"You're not supposed to be here."

My heart jumped.

I spun around.

It wasn't Damien.

It was Jordan, the assistant from the fifth floor. Mid-twenties, always smiling. Except today, he wasn't.

I forced a calm smile. "Oh, I—Damien asked me to pull some archived data from the compliance department. It's for a presentation later this week."

Jordan raised a brow. "He didn't mention anything."

I tilted my head, offering a little laugh. "He was kind of distracted last night. You saw the gala."

Jordan smirked. "Yeah. You were hard to miss."

I gave him a tight smile.

He nodded once. "Alright. Just don't stay too long. IT's been weird about people accessing this wing without clearance."

"Got it."

As soon as he turned the corner, I exhaled—hard.

Then moved fast.

I inserted the flash drive into the back of the mainframe and watched the files download one by one. Offshore accounts. Dummy corporations. Private transactions that smelled like betrayal.

Katherine's empire was built on stolen gold.

One more minute.

The progress bar ticked up slowly.

My stomach tightened.

Was this really worth it?

If Damien found out I was stealing from his company—feeding information to a rival—he'd never forgive me.

But if I didn't…

My mother's name would stay buried.

And Katherine would keep her crown.

Early Afternoon – Damien's OfficeI was walking past his door when it opened suddenly.

"Eva."

His voice stopped me cold.

He stood in the doorway—tie loose, shirt sleeves rolled, eyes shadowed like he hadn't slept either.

I swallowed.

"Mr. Wolfe," I said carefully.

"Come in."

I hesitated.

But I walked in.

His office smelled like cedar and ink. The door clicked shut behind me.

Damien moved around the desk slowly, watching me.

"I didn't see you during my speech."

"I needed air," I said. "It got… overwhelming."

He studied me.

"You okay?"

I nodded, too fast. "Just needed space."

He stepped closer, voice lower now. "I keep feeling like you're holding something back."

My throat dried.

He stopped inches away, eyes locked on mine.

"There's something familiar about you, Eva. Something I can't explain."

I couldn't breathe.

He reached out—like he wanted to touch my face—but stopped.

"You make me forget how to think," he whispered.

The silence burned.

So loud, I could hear my own heartbeat.

And then—I stepped back.

"I should get back to work," I said softly.

His hand dropped. His face tightened.

"Right," he said. "Of course."

I turned, heart pounding.

Before I left, I paused at the door.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," I said.

He looked at me, eyes dark.

"I'm starting to realize that."

An hour later

The flash drive was in my hand.

The files had been delivered.

Luca had already texted:

"This is it. We're close. You did good."

But I didn't feel good.

I felt hollow.

Because every step I took toward destroying Katherine… pulled me closer to hurting Damien.

And no matter how many times I told myself he was part of the past…

His eyes tonight said otherwise.

They said he's becoming my future.

And that might be the most dangerous thing of all.