CHAPTER 27

The drive back to Darwin’s penthouse felt agonizingly slow, even though his driver navigated the streets with urgency. Fiona sat rigidly in her seat, clutching her phone in a vice grip. Her thoughts raced. Thalassa was more than a best friend—she was family, her unwavering ally in the storm of chaos that had become Fiona’s life. If William was targeting her, it meant he had crossed a line that even his conniving games hadn’t breached before.

Darwin sat beside her, his jaw clenched in silent anger. He reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll protect her, Fiona. Whatever he’s planning, we’ll stop it.”

His words were comforting, but the pit in her stomach didn’t ease. “I can’t lose her, Darwin,” she whispered.

“You won’t.”

---

When they arrived, Marcus was waiting in the penthouse, his face grim. “Thalassa called,” he said without preamble. “She said she’s fine for now but wanted you to know someone’s been following her for the past two days.”

Fiona’s heart leapt into her throat. “What do you mean ‘following her’? Why didn’t she tell me earlier?”

Marcus gestured toward the couch. “She didn’t want to alarm you. She thought it might’ve been a coincidence, but now she’s certain. Whoever it is, they’re not trying to be subtle anymore.”

Fiona sank into the nearest chair, her mind spinning. “She’s at her apartment now?”

“Yes,” Marcus confirmed.

Darwin turned to him. “Increase security around her building. I don’t want anyone getting near her.”

“Already done,” Marcus replied. “I’ve stationed two guards outside her door and one in the lobby. But we need to figure out what William’s endgame is.”

Darwin nodded, his expression dark. “He’s trying to destabilize us. If he can isolate Fiona by going after the people she trusts, he thinks he can control the narrative.”

Fiona looked up sharply. “We need to get Thalassa out of there. If William knows where she lives, she’s not safe.”

Marcus hesitated. “That’s easier said than done. Moving her now could draw more attention.”

“She’s not staying there,” Fiona said firmly, her voice trembling with emotion. “She’s coming here.”

Darwin exchanged a glance with Marcus. “It’s a risk,” he said, “but she might be safer under our watch.”

Marcus nodded reluctantly. “I’ll arrange it.”

---

An hour later, Fiona paced the living room, waiting anxiously for Thalassa to arrive. Darwin sat nearby, his phone in hand as he coordinated additional security measures. The tension in the room was palpable.

Finally, the elevator dinged, and Thalassa stepped out, flanked by two of Darwin’s guards. Fiona rushed forward, pulling her friend into a tight embrace.

“You scared me,” Fiona said, her voice cracking.

Thalassa pulled back, her expression apologetic but resolute. “I didn’t want to worry you, Fi. I thought I could handle it.”

“Well, you don’t have to handle it alone,” Fiona replied.

Darwin approached, his tone calm but authoritative. “You’ll stay here for now. We’ve already reinforced the security around the building. If William or his people try anything, we’ll be ready.”

Thalassa glanced at him, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Thanks, Mr. CEO. Looks like you’ve got a heart after all.”

Darwin’s mouth twitched in what might’ve been a smile, but his focus remained sharp. “This isn’t over. William’s next move will be bigger, especially now that he knows we’re countering him.”

Thalassa folded her arms. “Let him come. I’m not afraid of some overgrown man-child with a vendetta.”

Fiona managed a small laugh despite the tension. “That’s the Thalassa I know.”

---

As the hours stretched into the evening, the penthouse buzzed with quiet activity. Marcus and his team worked tirelessly to track William’s movements, while Fiona, Thalassa, and Darwin strategized over dinner.

“This isn’t just about me anymore,” Fiona said, pushing her plate aside. “He’s dragging everyone I care about into this, and I won’t let him. We need to go on the offensive.”

Darwin looked at her thoughtfully. “What do you have in mind?”

Fiona hesitated, then spoke with determination. “We expose him. Not just the lies he’s telling about me, but everything he’s done—the manipulation, the sabotage, the deals he’s underhandedly destroyed. We show the world who he really is.”

Thalassa nodded in agreement. “I like it. Hit him where it hurts—his reputation.”

Darwin leaned back in his chair, considering. “It’s a good idea, but it’ll take time. William has been careful to cover his tracks. We’ll need solid evidence if we’re going to make anything stick.”

“Then we start digging,” Fiona said.

---

As the night deepened, Marcus entered the room with a grave expression. “We’ve got a problem,” he announced.

Darwin stood immediately. “What is it?”

Marcus handed him a tablet. “William’s made his first move. He’s leaked a story to the press—one claiming Fiona forged documents to secure her position at the Atlas Group.”

Fiona’s heart sank as she read the headline on the screen: “Exposed: The Woman Behind the Atlas Scandal.”

“This is just the beginning,” Marcus said grimly. “He’s planting seeds of doubt. By the time he’s done, it won’t matter if it’s true or not—the damage to Fiona’s reputation will be irreversible.”

Darwin’s expression hardened. “Then we don’t give him the chance. Marcus, release the preliminary findings on William’s offshore accounts. Make it clear he’s not the clean businessman he pretends to be.”

Marcus hesitated. “That could provoke him further.”

“Good,” Darwin said coldly. “Let him make a mistake.”

---

The next morning, the story was everywhere. News outlets ran with the headline, and social media was ablaze with speculation. Fiona stayed off her phone, unable to face the tidal wave of negativity.

But Darwin, true to his word, fought back. By midday, reports had surfaced linking William to shady financial dealings, shifting the narrative and forcing him to go on the defensive.

As Fiona watched the news unfold from the safety of the penthouse, she felt a glimmer of hope. For the first time, they weren’t just reacting—they were fighting back.

But just as she allowed herself a moment of relief, Marcus entered the room with a phone in hand.

“You need to see this,” he said, his tone ominous.

He handed the phone to Darwin, who played the video on the screen. Fiona and Thalassa leaned in to watch.

It was a recording of Fiona and Darwin at the café, their conversation with Eleanor Grayson captured in startling clarity.

“How did he—?” Fiona began, but her words faltered.

Darwin’s face was a mask of fury. “He’s been watching us. This wasn’t just a coincidence—he planned this.”

As the video ended, a voiceover began, narrating William’s twisted version of events.

Fiona’s stomach dropped. The battle wasn’t just escalating—it was turning into an all-out war.