LOGIN**Leylie’s POV**I needed to talk to Hayes so badly my chest actually hurt. I had to remind him of my plan—the one where I acted like the dumb, desperate ex-wife so I could get close enough to destroy Finnian. He had to understand why I had asked him to leave instead of Finn.I crawled across the floor to the coffee table because my legs felt too weak to stand. My hand shook as I grabbed my phone, scrolled until I saw his name, pressed call, and held it to my ear, whispering, please, please, please, under my breath.It rang, and rang again, and again.No response.I stared at the screen, my face twisting into a frown so deep it made my forehead ache. Was he driving? Or was he sitting somewhere, looking at my name flashing on his phone and choosing not to answer because the sight of me in Finnian’s arms had finally broken something in him? I prayed it was the first. Hayes wasn’t the type to play games, but I’d seen the look in his eyes. That kind of hurt could change anybody.The whole
**Leylie’s POV**The silence pressed down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake off. Hayes stood there in my doorway, staring at Finnian’s hand resting on my waist, and I swear I felt every second of it carving into him. Hayes looked at me, and I felt like I was being sliced open. I knew he was hurting. I knew that seeing Finnian’s hand on my waist was like a knife to his heart, but I was trapped. If I pushed Finnian away now, all the work I had done—the bug, the flash drive, the fake forgiveness—would be for nothing.“Tell him to leave, Ley,” Finnian murmured close to my ear, his voice slick and sure, like he already owned me. His fingers pressed a little harder into my side, pulling me against him just enough to make his point.I looked at Hayes. His eyes were dark, almost black, with a mix of fury and heartbreak. He wasn't just mad at Finnian; he was mad at me. He had rushed here to see me, only to find me standing in the arms of the man who had abused me.“Is this what you want, L
**Leylie’s POV**I was still in my pink silk dress, the fabric feeling tight and suffocating against my skin. I sat on the couch, my mind spinning from everything I had heard in Finnian’s office. The confession about the tax fraud was still echoing in my ears, a weapon I finally held in my hands.Then, the doorbell rang.I jerked my head toward the clock. 7:15 PM. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t expecting anyone.My pulse kicked up hard. I snatched the flash drive I hadn’t checked yet from the coffee table, shoved it deep into the side pocket of my purse, and zipped it shut. Then I stood, smoothing my hands down the dress even though it didn’t help.I walked to the door on legs that didn’t feel steady, pressed my eye to the peephole, and froze."What the—"I pulled the door open, my mouth parting in extreme shock."Hello, Ley."Finnian leaned against the frame like he owned the hallway, one shoulder relaxed, the other angled toward me. His eyes dragged down the length of my dress an
**Hayes’ POV**The drive to Matthew’s house was a blur. I wasn't just angry; I felt sick. How could my best friend, the man I called a brother, threaten Leylie like that? He knew I liked her. He knew I was looking for her. And he tried to use her secret to get her into bed.I gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. My heart was thumping against my ribs from pure rage. I drove into his compound and parked the car roughly, not even caring if I hit the curb as I stormed into his house. The living room was empty and quiet."Matt!" I shouted, my voice loud and sharp.There was no answer."Matt!" I called out again, even louder this time.I heard a light footstep behind me and turned around. A young woman with red hair stood there, wearing very little clothing and staring at me with a frown."Where’s Matt?" I snapped."He’s in the shower." She looked me up and down. "And who are you exactly?"I didn't answer her. I didn't have the patience for small talk. I pushed past
**Leylie’s POV**I pushed the door open and let it slam shut behind me, the sound echoing through my quiet apartment as I collapsed on the couch the second I reached it. Ugh! Finally, I winced as I rubbed my legs, my calves absolutely killing me after a whole day in six-inch heels.My head was throbbing badly. I felt guilty, really guilty as I thought about Hayes. I kept seeing his face from earlier, the way his eyes had searched mine when I suddenly mentioned I needed to leave. I should have told him about Matthew before then. After everything that happened with Melissa and all those secrets that nearly broke him, I hated hiding anything from him. But telling him about Matthew meant risking the one friendship that had held him together for years. I didn't want to be the woman who tore apart a lifelong friendship unless I absolutely had to.One month. Just one month to find something real on Finnian. That was all I had. I just hoped the bug under his desk and the data on my flash
**Hayes’ POV**What the hell just happened?The door clicked shut behind Leylie, but the tension she left in the room still hung thick in the air. She’d been fine, in fact more than fine, until Matt walked in. Then she shut down completely, grabbed her bag, and practically ran out like she couldn’t get away fast enough. I turned my gaze to Matthew. He dropped into the leather armchair across from my desk, legs stretched out, scrolling through his phone as if nothing had happened. The casual act didn’t fool me for a second. “What was that all about?” I asked, leaning back in my chair and raising one brow. “Hmm?” He didn’t even look up. “Matt. Stop. You know exactly what I mean. Leylie bolted the second you stepped through that door. She looked at you like you were poisonous.” He finally lifted his eyes, forehead creased in confusion. “I don’t know, man. Maybe she remembered she had somewhere to be. You know how women get sometimes.” I stared at him hard. We’d known each oth
**Leylie’s POV** The morning of Valentine’s Day broke soft and golden through the curtains, the kind of light that should have felt romantic and hopeful, like the start of something beautiful. Instead, it felt cruel, as if the world were mocking me with its promise of love. I hadn’t slept. My bod
**Leylie’s POV**I didn’t think. The second I saw her small body jerking in that tub, everything else, the mission, Finnian’s threats, the weight of Maya’s future hanging over me, simply vanished. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in my brain, and the only thing left was this terrified litt
**Leylie’s POV**The rain didn’t let up; each drop felt like a needle against my bare skin as I walked away from the only life I had known for four years. My bare feet slapped against the cold, rough pavement, each step sending sharp pain up my legs. I kept my arms wrapped around myself, trying to
**Leylie’s POV** My mind reeled, scrambling to find a less terrible meaning in his words. “So… you want me to talk to him? Convince him to sign something? To back off?” He let out a low chuckle that made my stomach twist. “I need you to sleep with him. I need you to take explicit photos and videos







