Jack hadn't slept all night.
The same phone call kept echoing in his mind. *"You'll have to pay the price for your mother."*
At six in the morning, he stood outside his mother's room, peeking through the doorway. His mother was sleeping—safe, peaceful. But Jack's heart was still pounding.
*They were here last night. In my house.*
He clenched his fists.
Whoever it was, they had crossed the line.
---
He arrived at the office at nine o'clock.
But as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, the atmosphere... was different.
People were whispering. Some fell silent when they saw him. Some averted their eyes.
*What's going on?*
Rohan was sitting at his desk, but as soon as he saw Jack, he gestured—*Come here, quickly.*
Jack went over to him.
"What happened?" Jack asked softly.
Rohan looked around, then leaned closer and whispered, "Hey, you were at the office last night, right?"
Jack frowned. "Yes. I had work. Why?"
"Because..." Rohan paused, "Security reported this morning that only two people were in the office after nine o'clock last night. You... and Zara ma'am."
Jack's heart skipped a beat.
"So?" he said, trying to keep his voice normal.
"So people are talking," Rohan said, lowering his voice even further. "That you and ma'am... you two..."
"That's nonsense," Jack said immediately, but the anger was clear in his voice.
"I know, man," Rohan raised his hands. "But you know how the office is. Just... be careful."
Jack didn't say anything. He just walked towards his desk.
But with every step, he felt the eyes on him. The whispers. The judging glances. *Nonsense.*
He put down his bag, turned on his computer, and got to work. Or at least, he tried to.
But only one question filled his mind—
*Where is Zara?*
---
Ten o'clock.
The intercom buzzed.
"Jack Reed. Cabin 1807. Now."
But it wasn't Zara's voice.
It was someone else's. Deep. Cold. Commanding.
Jack's stomach clenched.
He got up and looked towards the cabin. The blinds were open—which they never were.
And inside...
Two people were visible.
One was Zara—standing, incredibly formal, her face expressionless.
And the other... a man. Tall, in an expensive suit, his hair slicked back with gel. Around thirty.
Jack's jaw tightened.
He got up and walked towards the cabin.
---
He knocked.
"Come in."
Jack opened the door.
And as soon as he stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted.
Zara was standing by the window, avoiding his gaze. The same weariness was on her face as last night, but now... there was something else too.
Fear? Shame? Jack couldn't tell.
And the man—now standing in front of Jack, a smile on his face, but ice in his eyes.
"So you're Jack Reed," he said, extending his hand.
Jack shook it.
But the grip... was too tight. It hurt.
"Damien Walter," the man introduced himself, widening his smile. "Zara's... fiancé."
Jack pulled his hand away. His heart was pounding.
*So this is it. Zara's... fiancé.*
"Nice to meet you," Jack said, keeping his voice flat.
"Likewise," Damien said. But his eyes... they were scanning Jack. From head to toe. She was judging him.
Zara was still silent.
"I've heard a lot about you," Damian said, walking towards the table. He picked up a file—the one Jack had prepared last night.
"This work," Damian said, shaking the file in the air, "is impressive. Very impressive."
"Thank you," Jack said.
"Zara told me," Damian continued, now looking at Zara, "that you worked all night. Just... to help her."
The way he said "to help her"... there was something in it. Something dirty.
Jack's anger flared, but he didn't let it show on his face.
"Just doing my job," Jack said.
"Hmm," Damian said. He put the file down on the table and stepped closer to Jack. Too close.
"Just keep doing your job," Damian said softly, the threat now clear in his voice. "And only... your job."
Jack looked into his eyes.
There was no humor there. Only... danger.
"Understood?" Damian asked.
"Crystal clear," Jack said.
Damian's smile returned. "Good."
He turned and walked towards Zara. He put his arm around her waist—possessive, claiming her.
Zara still didn't look at Jack.
"Come on, darling," Damian said. "We have to go to lunch. Uncle will be waiting."
Zara nodded.
They both walked out.
But at the door, Damian stopped.
"And yes, Jack," he said, turning back, "there's a new project for you. It needs to be completed by tomorrow. The details will be emailed to you."
And then he was gone.
---
Jack stood there, his fists clenched. *Bastard.*
He stepped out of the cabin, but in the corridor—
Zara was standing there.
Alone.
Damien had already gone towards the elevator.
"Jack," Zara said softly, looking at him.
For the first time today, their eyes met.
And in her eyes... there was apology. Shame.
"For last night..." Zara began, her voice trembling, "I... I should apologize. I was drunk. I—"
"You don't need to apologize," Jack said, his voice gentle.
Zara fell silent.
"But," Jack continued, his voice now serious, "I need to know—what's going on? Really?"
Zara glanced around, then moved closer to Jack. Very close.
"Not here," she whispered. "This evening. After six. In my cabin."
"Zara—"
"Please."
The plea in her eyes... Jack couldn't refuse.
"Okay," he said.
Zara breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," she said.
And she left.
One o'clock in the afternoon.
Jack was at his desk when the email arrived.
Subject: URGENT - New Project Assignment
He opened it.
And what was inside... made his blood run cold.
It was even bigger than Weston.
Global Bank—Xanthara's largest bank.
They needed him to... hack it. They wanted transaction records. Account information.
This wasn't just illegal.
This was... a federal crime.
Jack stared at the screen.
No. This is too much.
He closed the email.
But then, the phone rang.
An unknown number.
Jack's heart pounded.
He answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Jack Reed."
The same voice. The one from last night.
"Did you see the email?"
Jack didn't say anything.
"Good," the voice continued. "Now listen. You're going to do the job. And you're going to do it quietly. Otherwise..."
A pause.
Then—a photo arrived. In a message.
Jack opened it.
And his heart sank.
The photo was... of his mother. From this morning. At the market. Buying vegetables.
Someone had been following her.
"Understand?" the voice asked.
Jack's fists clenched.
"Yes," he said softly.
"Good. Finish the job by tomorrow. Otherwise... the next photo of your mother... will be in the hospital."
The line went dead.
Jack slammed the phone down on the table.
His hands were trembling. Anger, fear, helplessness—all at once.
What do I do?
Six o'clock in the evening.
The office was empty.
Jack stood outside Zara's office.
He knocked.
"Come in."
He opened the door.
Zara was standing by the table, a coffee cup in her hands. No wine today.
"Sit down," she said.
Jack came in, but didn't sit. "Zara," he said directly, "I need to know the truth. Now."
Zara put down her coffee cup.
"I'm getting threats," Jack continued, his voice laced with anger. "My mother is being followed. And I'm being forced to do things that... that are federal crimes."
Zara's eyes widened.
"What?" she said, shocked.
"You didn't know?" Jack asked.
"No!" Zara said, her panic now evident. "I... I didn't know anything."
Jack looked into her eyes.
She wasn't lying.
"Then who?" Jack asked.
Zara took a deep breath.
"Uncle," she said softly. "Or... Damian. Maybe both."
She came closer to the table.
"Jack, I really didn't know," she said, her voice pleading. "I only asked you to do the Weston job. This... this bank thing..."
"You didn't know," Jack said.
"No."
Zara took his hand.
"I'm sorry," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I didn't want to drag you into all this. I just... I just wanted to save my company."
Jack pulled his hand away.
"But now?" he asked. "What do I do now? If I don't do the job, my mother—"
"I'll protect your mother," Zara said immediately.
"How?"
"I still have some resources," Zara said. "Private security. I... I can send them to your house."
Jack looked into her eyes.
"And you?" he asked. "What will you do?"
Zara fell silent.
"I..." she began, but stopped.
"You'll marry Damian," Jack finished her sentence. "And you'll give the company to Uncle. And... and everything will be over."
Zara closed her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I have no choice," she whispered.
Jack's heart ached.
He went to Zara. Very close to her.
"There's always a choice," he said softly.
Zara opened her eyes. Looked at him.
Their eyes met.
And this time... something was different.
Zara slowly placed her hand on Jack's face.
"You... you don't understand," she said, her voice trembling. "If I fight, they won't just ruin the company, but... everyone. You too."
"I don't care," Jack said.
"But I do."
Zara's hand was now on his cheek. Warm. Trembling.
"I... I can't let you be ruined," she whispered. "You... you're good. You—"
Her voice broke.
Jack took her wrist. Gently. Tenderly.
"Zara," he said, "we can save both of us. But for that... you have to trust me."
Zara looked into his eyes.
"I trust you," she said. "Only you."
And suddenly, without thinking, Zara pressed her lips against Jack's.
But this time... it wasn't because of the alcohol.
It was real. Deep. Filled with pain, but... real.
Jack thought about stopping for a moment.
But then... he responded.
He pulled Zara into his arms, their lips still locked. The kiss deepened—pain, helplessness, and something else... something neither of them could understand.
Love? Perhaps. Or maybe... two broken people clinging to each other.
A few seconds later, they separated. Their breathing was rapid.
Zara pressed her forehead against Jack's.
"I don't know what this is," she whispered, "but... I'm scared."
"Me too," Jack said.
They stayed like that for a few moments—two people, clinging to each other, hidden from the world.
Then—
A bang.
Loud. Close by.
They pulled apart.
"What was that?" Zara said, panicked.
Jack ran to the window. He looked outside.
In the parking lot... a car was burning.
Smoke was rising. Flames.
And that car...
Jack's blood ran cold.
It was Zara's car.
"Zara," he said, his voice now filled with fear. "That... that's your car."
Zara came to the window. Her face turned pale.
"Oh my God," she whispered.
Then, Jack's phone rang.
A message.
An unknown number.
He opened it.
"This was just a warning. Next time... you'll both be inside."
Jack showed the phone to Zara.
Zara's eyes widened.
"Jack," she said, her voice trembling, "This... this is war. They've declared war."
Jack looked outside—fire, smoke, and darkness.
"So we'll fight too," he said.
But inside, he knew.
This war... had only just begun.
And winning... was almost impossible.
The End—Chapter 2
In the next chapter: Jack must make a dangerous decision—go against Uncle and Damian, or save Zara? And an old friend returns... who will change everything.