That night, Elias and Elena sat together on the terrace of their penthouse, enjoying the breathtaking view of the star-filled sky.
A chilly breeze drifted through the open terrace, carrying the coolness of the night. Wrapped beneath a warm blanket, they cuddled together. Elena rested comfortably against Elias’s broad chest, her head nestled beneath his chin.
Neither of them spoke for a long time.
The chaos of the day seemed far away.
Elias lowered his gaze to her. "Are you worried about the investigation?"
Elena shook her head gently. "No. Why would I be?"
She lifted her face to meet his gaze, her expression calm and composed. "I did nothing wrong. The person who did should be the one worrying."
Elias smiled faintly and caressed her cheek. "All I want is to see that smile on your face. Whoever targeted you will pay for it."
He had suspected from the beginning that the Sterlings were planning something. He had also suspected that Vivian might try to hurt Elena, which was why he had been keeping a close eye on her.
Yet somehow, certain things had slipped past his attention.
That frustrated him. But Elias was not a man who made the same mistake twice. He had already corrected it.
He had instructed Marcus to investigate every detail surrounding the leak and uncover whoever was behind it.
Elias trusted Marcus completely. He knew the man would not stop until he found the truth.
"Now..." Elias gently lifted Elena’s chin, looking deeply into her eyes. "How do you want to punish the traitor?"
Elena thought for a moment. "The Rowans should cut all ties with that person. No business. No favors. No connections. Nothing. And the same should apply to anyone who knowingly helped them."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "That’s all?"
He looked almost amused. "I thought you would demand something much harsher."
Elena smiled. She already had a strong suspicion about who was behind everything. And if she was right, severing the Rowans’ ties with that person would be devastating enough.
"Once word spreads that someone betrayed you, their reputation will be ruined," she explained. "No respectable company will want to work with them again."
She paused, her smile deepening. "Cutting ties with them would be the final blow. Their career will be ruined. They are bound to be doomed for the rest of their lives."
She looked at him innocently. "What greater punishment could there be?"
Elias nodded slowly, a grin appearing on his face. "You are right."
He pulled her closer. "Anyone who dares to cross the Rowans will eventually pay the price."
He leaned down and captured her lips in a gentle kiss.
Elena smiled against his lips. "I know how capable you are."
She kissed him back.
"Really?" His voice carried a teasing warmth. "Then I suppose I have to make sure I don’t disappoint you."
His arms tightened around her as their kiss deepened. Pulling up the blanket over their heads, he pressed her against the recliner.
"Uh... it hurts," Elena whispered. "Be gentle."
"I will." He kissed her again, slower this time, holding her close beneath the warmth of the blanket.
Her fingers curled lightly into his shirt.
The recliner shifted beneath them as they moved. His heavy breathing and her soft moan blended with the whispering night breeze.
Above them, the stars continued to shine across the open sky, while the city glittered far below.
At that moment, they forgot about everything. There were no worries about the enemies, the corporate battles, or accusations. What remained was their togetherness, the warmth between them, and their love for each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later...
Elias stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, his expression grim as he stared at the city below.
Two days had passed, yet the security team still hadn’t found the traitor.
The investigation had reached a frustrating dead end. Without the surveillance footage, they had no way of proving who had used Elena’s access card to enter her office that night.
The security team was still working to recover the backup footage, but they needed more time.
His fists tightened at his sides, his composure threatening to shatter.
He had promised the entire team that within three days, he would uncover the traitor. Only twenty-four hours remained. And he had nothing.
’What am I going to tell them at tomorrow’s meeting?’
His jaw flexed.
He hated being unable to control a situation, especially when someone had breached the security of his company and attempted to frame Elena.
Knock-Knock...
A sharp knock at the door broke his thoughts.
He turned around. He hoped Marcus might have found something.
"Come in."
As the door opened, Vivian walked in.
"You." His mouth twisted instantly. "What are you doing here?"
"Elias... I am your friend. Can’t I come see you?" Vivian looked hurt.
Elias walked back toward his desk and settled in his seat. "This is my workplace. I don’t entertain people here."
Vivian’s fingers tightened around the file in her hand.
She approached his desk and placed it firmly in front of him.
"I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important. I am here to discuss something urgent with you."
Elias’s gaze was set firmly on her face. Then he looked down at the file. "What is it?"
"There is something you need to know." There was no hesitation in her face. "It’s about Elena."
The moment he heard his wife’s name, Elias’s expression hardened. He realized Vivian had come up with another idea to frame Elena.
"What about her?"
"I didn’t want to show you this without being certain. But after everything that has happened, I think you deserve to know the truth."
She opened the file and pushed it toward him. "Take a look. These are the encrypted emails between Elena and Noah."
Elias’s expression changed. "What?"
"I found someone who was able to recover the encrypted email chain. They’ve been communicating secretly."
He pulled the file closer. His eyes moved over the pages.
The messages were brief and carefully worded. There were no obvious declarations of betrayal, but there were enough references to the project, confidential information, and meetings to make the exchange appear deeply suspicious.
One message read, ’The revised framework has been completed. I’ll send the remaining details when I have access.’
Another replied, ’Don’t rush. We need to make sure everything reaches Victor at the right time.’
Elias’s fingers tightened around the edge of the file. His eyes moved over the messages again.
"Where did you get this?"
"I saw Elena and Noah that day in the café. After that, I started having doubts about them. Something didn’t feel right. I had a feeling they were hiding something."
She paused, watching his reaction carefully. "That was one of the reasons I agreed to join the project. I wanted to stay close to Elena and find out what she was really doing."
Elias’s gaze remained fixed on the documents.
"I know you don’t like me. And I know you’ll probably hate me for telling you this."
She sighed. Her expression became wounded.
"But I care about you, Elias. We’ve been friends for years. How could I stand by and watch someone deceive you?"
Elias finally lifted his eyes.
Vivian gave him a helpless look. "You would never have listened to me if I’d come to you with nothing but suspicion. So I waited, watched, and gathered evidence. I wanted to be absolutely certain before I said anything."
She pressed her finger against the file. "This is the evidence of Elena’s betrayal. "Elena has been secretly communicating with Noah. They’ve been working together to get information to Victor Kane."