CHAPTER 14
Amara’s POV
“Are you admitting defeat. Amara? 1 should mark this moment on my
calendar.”
The smirk on Matteo‘ s face, as I stepped into his office, was enough to make me want to turn around and walk back out.
The man was seated behind his desk, one arm casually draped over the chair while the other held a glass of whiskey. He looked far too amused for my liking.
“Don’t start,” I said, closing the door firmly behind me. After hours of wrestling with the Syndicate‘ s locked system and enduring my own stubborn pride, I was not in the mood for his teasing.
“Start what?” Matteo‘ s smirk widened as he leaned back, clearly reveling in my irritation. “I did not say anything. Yet.”
I shot him a look, moving to the chair
COBOL 12/24
CHAPTER 14
across from his desk.
“I need your help,” I admitted and sighed, the words tasted bitter on my tongue. I never did surrender to an enemy, never to him, until today.
Matteo raised a brow, his smirk softening into something more genuine, though no less smug. “Say that again. Slower this
time.”
“Matteo,” I warned, but he chuckled, clearly enjoying this too much.
“All right, all right,” he said, setting his glass down and gesturing for me to continue. “Let’s hear it. What did you manage to do before the mighty Luca Moretti locked you out?”
Despite his tone, there was no malice in the question. If anything, it was laced with curiosity.
I pulled out a flash drive from my pocket and placed it on his desk. “Before he shut me out, I was able to pull some files –
#30% 12:24
2/5
12:24
28
CHAPTER 14
financial records, contracts, and a few communications. I also managed to
transfer out a small portion of funds from one of their accounts. It’s not much, but it’s something.”
Matteo leaned forward, picking up the flash drive and twirling it between his fingers. His gaze flicked back to me, assessing. “Impressive,” he admitted, though his tone carried a hint of surprise. “For someone who refuses help, you‘ ve done well.”
I crossed my arms, trying to ignore the slight warmth his praise brought. “I figured if I could not fix the access problem, I might as well make myself useful in other ways. Consider it my way of… appeasing you.
“Appeasing me?” Matteo repeated, his lips twitching as if holding back another grin. “Now, that‘ s a word I didn‘ t expect to hear from you.”
“You‘ re impossible,” I muttered,
90% 12:24
3/5
CHAPTER 14
though the corner of my mouth twitched upward despite myself.
“And yet, you’re here,” he shot back playfully. “Admitting defeat and asking for my help. What’s the world coming to?”
I rolled my eyes but could not help the slight laugh that escaped. Matteo had a way of disarming me, of turning my frustration into something lighter, even if he drove me insane in the process.
“Can you just focus on the task at hand?” I said, gesturing to the flash drive. “I need your I.T. team to help me break through Luca’s blocks. He has locked me out
completely, even to my assets that are under The Obsidian‘ s management.
Matteo‘ s expression grew serious, the playfulness fading as he set the flash drive. down. “You talked to him?” he asked.
“He called.”
“What did he say?”
30-
-30 12:24
4/5
CHAPTER 14
“He said that if I want my access back and
my assets under The Obsidian, I’d have to leave you and go back to him.
He narrowed his eyes at the news, and raised an eyebrow at me, “Which is not gonna happen, correct?”
And I nodded. I would not go back.
