CHAPTER 7

Maya sat in her car in the Davis Enterprises parking garage, her hands gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. The events from the conference room kept replaying in her mind like a bad movie she couldn't shut off. Her phone lay silent on the passenger seat – she'd turned off all notifications after that last cryptic message.

A tap on her window made her jump. Reese stood there, concern etched on her face. Maya had texted her an hour ago, barely coherent through her tears.

"Get out," Reese said through the glass. "You're in no state to drive."

The moment Maya stepped out, Reese pulled her into a tight hug. That simple gesture of comfort broke something in Maya, and she found herself crying again.

"I screwed up," she whispered. "I screwed up so badly."

"Come on," Reese said, taking her car keys. "We need wine and ice cream for this conversation."

Twenty minutes later, they sat on Reese's couch, Maya clutching a glass of red wine while Reese dug into a pint of chocolate ice cream.

"So Isabella set you up," Reese said after Maya finished explaining everything. "That manipulative witch."

"Maybe she was right though." Maya stared into her wine. "Maybe I was naive thinking someone like Zane could actually..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Reese pointed her spoon at Maya. "You did nothing wrong. You met a guy, you liked him, you had chemistry. End of story."

"Try telling that to my father." Maya took a long sip of wine. "You should have seen his face, Reese. Like I'd personally betrayed him."

Her phone buzzed – she'd turned it back on out of habit. Another message from Isabella: "Missing him already? Don't worry, I'll take good care of him. Just like old times."

Attached was a photo of Zane leaving what looked like a restaurant, Isabella at his side.

"That's it." Reese snatched Maya's phone and deleted the message. "Block her number. Now."

"She's winning," Maya said quietly. "She's got everything she wanted. My father thinks I'm either a corporate spy or an idiot, Zane thinks I played him, and—"

A sharp knock at the door cut her off. Reese frowned, checking the time – almost midnight.

"Stay here," she said, moving to answer it.

Maya heard low voices, then Reese returned with Alex – Zane's head of security – right behind her.

"Miss Davis," he said formally. "We need to talk."

Maya straightened. "If Zane sent you—"

"He doesn't know I'm here." Alex glanced at Reese, who nodded and stepped into the kitchen to give them privacy. "There's something you need to know about Isabella... and Luca Moretti."

Maya's breath caught. "L... the message was from Luca?"

Alex nodded grimly. "We've been monitoring their communication. This goes beyond you and Zane. They're planning something bigger." He pulled out a folder. "Isabella's been meeting with Donovan Scott."

"Zane's rival?" Maya remembered reading about their fierce business competition.

"And the man who's been searching for Zane's sister for years." Alex's face darkened. "A sister Zane doesn't even know exists."

Maya's head spun. "What?"

"Her name is Elara. She's Zane's twin." Alex's voice dropped. "And Donovan's kept her hidden for years. Now he's working with Luca and Isabella to use her against Zane."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because despite what happened today, I've never seen Zane look at anyone the way he looks at you." Alex stood. "And because right now, you're the only one who can get close enough to help us stop them."

Maya's hands trembled. "He hates me."

"No," Alex said firmly. "He's hurt. There's a difference." He headed for the door, then paused. "There's a charity gala tomorrow night. Zane will be there. So will Isabella... and Luca."

"And you want me to what? Just show up?"

"I want you to fight back." Alex's eyes were intense. "Question is – are you willing to?"

After he left, Reese came back in, having heard everything. "Well?" she asked, sitting beside Maya. "What are you going to do?"

Maya stared at the folder Alex had left, her mind racing. She thought of Zane's face when he'd walked out, of Isabella's smug smile, of this unknown sister trapped in Donovan's web.

Her phone buzzed one last time – Isabella again: "Sleep well, little girl. Tomorrow's going to be quite a show."

Maya's jaw set. She'd been played like a pawn in their game. But pawns could become queens.

"Reese," she said, her voice steady for the first time all day. "I need a dress for tomorrow night."

—--

The charity gala buzzed with Vancouver's elite, but Maya felt oddly calm as she entered. Her emerald dress caught the light with each step, chosen deliberately to match her eyes – the feature Zane had first commented on. Reese walked beside her, scanning the crowd.

"Isabella's by the bar," Reese muttered. "And she's already seen you."

Maya didn't need to look to feel Isabella's glare burning into her. Instead, her attention caught on a man she didn't recognize, speaking intently with Isabella. Dark hair, features similar to Zane's – this had to be Luca.

"Maya Davis," a smooth voice interrupted her observations. "I don't believe we've met. Donovan Scott."

Maya's blood chilled, but she kept her expression neutral as she turned to face him. Tall, distinguished, with cold eyes that seemed to strip away her defenses.

"Mr. Scott," she nodded, fighting to keep her voice steady as she remembered what Alex had told her about Elara.

"Brave of you to show up tonight," he said, swirling his whiskey. "After yesterday's... entertainment."

"I've never been one to hide," Maya replied, meeting his gaze directly.

His lips curved. "No, I suppose not. Unlike some people." His eyes flicked meaningfully across the room. "Some secrets stay buried for decades. Wouldn't you agree?"

Before Maya could respond, the crowd shifted, and she saw him. Zane stood near the entrance, power radiating from his perfectly tailored black suit. Their eyes met across the room, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

Then Isabella was there, sliding her arm through Zane's, breaking the connection. Maya watched as she whispered something in his ear, her red lips curved in triumph.

"Excuse me," Maya muttered to Donovan, needing space to breathe.

She made her way to a quieter corner, her mind racing. The way Donovan had emphasized secrets... he was taunting her with his knowledge of Elara.

"Here." Alex appeared beside her, offering a glass of champagne. "Luca's making his move soon. Be ready."

"For what?"

Before Alex could answer, the lights dimmed slightly, and Luca took the stage. His resemblance to Zane was stronger under the spotlights, but where Zane's features held warmth beneath their strength, Luca's were all sharp edges.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice carrying across the hushed room. "Tonight isn't just about charity. It's about family." His eyes found Zane in the crowd. "About truth."

Maya's heart pounded. She started moving before she realized what she was doing, pushing through the crowd toward Zane.

"For years," Luca continued, "secrets have torn the Moretti family apart. Tonight, those secrets end."

She was halfway there when Isabella stepped into her path. "Not another step," she hissed, grabbing Maya's arm.

Maya wrenched free. "Get out of my way."

"Or what?" Isabella smiled coldly. "You'll tell Zane the truth? That you knew exactly who he was that night?"

"No," Maya said quietly. "I'll tell him about Elara."

Isabella's face went white. Behind them, Luca was still speaking, building to his revelation.

"Tell me, brother," he called out to Zane. "Did you ever wonder why father chose you? His illegitimate son?"

The crowd murmured. Maya saw Zane's jaw clench, his hands fisting at his sides.

"Or did you never question why he kept you, while your own twin sister disappeared?"

The room went deadly silent. Zane's face drained of color as he stared at his brother.

"That's right," Luca smiled. "You had a twin. Want to know what happened to her? Ask him." He pointed to Donovan. "He's kept her quite comfortable all these years."

Chaos erupted. Maya saw Zane lunge toward Donovan, saw security rushing in, and saw Isabella's triumphant smile. But what caught her attention was the woman who had appeared at the back of the room – slight, with long dark hair and Zane's silver eyes.

Their gazes met, and Maya knew. This was Elara.

Then a gunshot rang out, and everything went black.

The last thing Maya heard was Zane screaming her name.