The anonymous email lingered in Aria’s mind for the rest of the day. She couldn’t shake the sense of urgency it carried, but she also couldn’t bring herself to mention it to Blake again. He’d already warned her that success attracted attention—though he hadn’t said from whom or why.

She spent her evening combing through her notes on recent projects, searching for anything that might explain the threat. The tech partnership? The hostile takeover? Or was it connected to the shadowy meeting she’d attended the night before? None of it added up.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her apartment door. She froze, her heart racing. It was almost midnight, and she wasn’t expecting anyone. Peering through the peephole, she saw a courier holding an envelope.

“Delivery for Ms. Quinn,” the man said when she cracked the door open.

She hesitated before taking the envelope, her fingers brushing against its embossed seal. The courier nodded and left without another word.

Inside, the contents were sparse: a single piece of paper with an address, a time—11:30 p.m. tomorrow—and one cryptic line: "The answers you seek will cost you."

The next night, Aria found herself in a quiet, industrial part of the city. The address led her to an unmarked warehouse with dim lights glowing through the cracks in the shutters. She hesitated at the door, questioning the wisdom of coming here alone. But curiosity—and a growing need to understand the danger surrounding her—pushed her forward.

Inside, the space was bare except for a table in the center, where a man sat waiting. He was older, with silver hair and a sharp, calculating gaze.

“Ms. Quinn,” he said as she stepped inside. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice steady despite the unease swirling in her chest.

“Call me Ethan,” he said, gesturing for her to sit. “I have information that might help you. But as the note said, answers come at a cost.”

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“What do you want?”

“For now, just your attention.” He slid a folder across the table. “Inside, you’ll find a dossier on Alexander Blake. It’s incomplete, but it should give you a sense of what you’re dealing with.”

Aria hesitated before picking up the folder. Flipping it open, her breath caught as she skimmed the contents. There were photos of Blake meeting with individuals she didn’t recognize, reports of off-the-record financial transactions, and notes hinting at alliances with groups far outside the corporate world.

“What is this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Your boss plays a dangerous game,” Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. “And he’s not the only one watching you. The partnership you recommended? That AI startup? It’s tied to something much bigger than you realize.”

Aria closed the folder, her mind racing. “If you know so much, why are you telling me this?”

“Because you’re in a unique position, Ms. Quinn. You’re close to Blake, and you’ve proven yourself capable. That makes you valuable—to him, and to others. But it also makes you a target.”

Before she could respond, the sound of a car pulling up outside made Ethan tense. He stood quickly, his demeanor shifting.

“Our time’s up,” he said, ushering her toward a side door. “Leave through there and don’t look back. And Ms. Quinn…” He paused, his gaze serious. “Be careful who you trust.”

Back in her apartment, Aria locked the door behind her and sat on the couch, clutching the folder. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions. Who was Ethan? What was Blake hiding? And what had she gotten herself into?

The next morning, she walked into the office determined to confront Blake. But as she approached his door, it opened, and a woman stepped out. She was tall, impeccably dressed, and carried herself with the kind of confidence that made everyone else fade into the background.

Her eyes met Aria’s briefly, and there was a flicker of recognition—or was it disdain?—before she walked away.

Blake appeared in the doorway, his expression unreadable as always. “Ms. Quinn,” he said, his tone brisk. “Step inside.”

She followed him into the office, her pulse quickening. “I need to talk to you,” she began, but he held up a hand to silence her.

“You’ll have your chance,” he said, sitting behind his desk. “But first, there’s something I need you to handle.” He slid a file across the desk toward her.

Aria opened it, her eyes scanning the contents. It was a report on the AI partnership, but something about it felt off. Numbers didn’t align, and there were discrepancies in the financials.

“Is there a problem?” she asked, her voice cautious.

Blake’s gaze was sharp. “That’s for you to find out. And Ms. Quinn…” His tone softened slightly. “Don’t get distracted. The path you’re on requires focus.”

She nodded, her mind already turning over the puzzle in front of her. But as she left his office, she couldn’t help but feel that Blake knew more about the mysterious warning—and the man named Ethan—than he was letting on.