Dominic shut the door with a sharp click. Sloane’s warning still hung in the air like a fuse waiting for a spark.

Aria didn’t sit. Neither did Sloane. The air between the three of them felt loaded—old wounds, fresh threats, and too many things unspoken.

“Start talking,” Aria said. “What kind of move is Hale planning?”

Sloane tossed a flash drive onto Dominic’s desk. “That has a copy of his internal schedule, key staff movements, and a shell company blueprint tied to both your names. Yours, Aria, was added last week.”

Aria’s jaw clenched. “He’s planning to frame me.”

“Or tie you to something dirty and burn you in the fallout,” Sloane replied. “If your reputation tanks, Vale becomes worthless. If Blackwood backs you publicly, he burns with you. Classic Hale.”

Dominic plugged the flash drive in. The screen lit up with documents, spreadsheets, a digital web of deceit. Aria scanned them, heart pounding.

“He’s staging a leak,” Sloane said. “Next 48 hours. Fake whistleblower. Financial misconduct. All roads will lead to you.”

“And the second Dominic tries to defend me,” Aria added, “he’s pulled into the mess too.”

“Exactly.”

Dominic rubbed his jaw. “We need to beat him to it. Control the narrative.”

Sloane nodded. “I have someone on the inside. But you’ll need bait.”

“Me,” Aria said.

Dominic stepped forward instantly. “No. Not a chance.”

“Dominic—”

“No. We just got ahead of this. I’m not throwing you into the fire again.”

“You didn’t throw me in. I’m walking in this time.”

She turned to Sloane. “What do you need me to do?”

Sloane’s expression flickered with something close to respect. “There’s a charity auction tomorrow night. Hale will be there. He won’t expect you to show your face after today. You show up in power—owning your name, your brand, your relationship—and we feed him a trail.”

Dominic stepped in. “And then?”

“Then we let him take the bait,” Sloane said, “and when he does… we cut the line.”

Aria looked between the two of them.
A secretive ex.
A husband she barely trusted.
A storm barreling toward her life.

And she was done running.

“Alright,” she said. “Let’s burn him first.”