Chapter 17: Theo's Mole in the Agency

The black car pulled away into the night, leaving Elena and Damian standing on the gala sidewalk with the new USB drive heavy in Damian’s pocket. The press still shouted questions behind the security line, but they ignored every voice and walked straight to their waiting SUV.

Inside the car, Elena finally let out the breath she had been holding. “Marcus Vale just handed us the one thing Theo thought he controlled. The real tape.”

Damian nodded, but his eyes stayed sharp. “We still have to get ahead of whatever he releases next. Theo does not give up easily.”

His phone lit up with a message from Lila.

'Lila: Sarah just logged into the agency server from inside the office. She is downloading every Horizon file. I locked her out of the main drive but she already copied three folders.'

Elena read the message aloud. “Sarah is moving fast.”

Damian’s jaw tightened. “Theo planted her for this exact reason. She is not just a mole. She is the blade.”

The SUV turned toward the penthouse. Mia was safe upstairs, but the agency was wide open. Elena’s phone rang. It was Lila again, this time on a call.

“Elena, she is still inside the building,” Lila said, voice tight. “I can see her through the glass wall. She is packing a USB drive into her bag right now. Theo just texted her. I saw the notification pop up on her screen.”

“Stay out of sight,” Elena replied. “We are ten minutes away. Do not confront her alone.”

Lila’s voice dropped. “Too late. She just looked straight at me and smiled like she already won.”

The call ended.

Damian leaned forward and spoke to the driver. “Change of plans. Take us to the agency first.”

The car turned sharply. Elena’s heart raced. “If Sarah gets those files to Theo tonight, he can twist the entire Horizon campaign before the board meets again tomorrow.”

Damian’s hand found hers. “We stop her now.”

They reached the agency building in seven minutes. The lobby lights were still on. Lila waited just inside the glass doors, arms crossed.

“She is in the back conference room,” Lila whispered as they entered. “Pretending to pack up like she is leaving for the night.”

Damian moved first. Elena and Lila followed close behind. They pushed open the conference room door without knocking.

Sarah stood at the table, USB drive in hand, mid-zip on her bag. She looked up without surprise.

“Well,” she said smoothly. “The happy couple returns. Come to say goodbye?”

Damian stepped forward. “Hand over the drive.”

Sarah smiled. “This? Just some personal files. Nothing you need to worry about.”

Elena moved beside Damian. “We know Theo sent you here. We know about the payments. We know you ordered the black roses.”

Sarah’s smile faltered for half a second, then returned sharper. “You think you have it all figured out. But you still do not know the best part.”

She tossed the USB drive onto the table between them.

“Go ahead. Open it.”

Damian picked it up and plugged it into the laptop on the table. The screen filled with a folder labeled “Horizon – Final Creative.”

Inside were dozens of files. But every single one had been altered. The campaign visuals now carried subtle watermarks that linked back to Sterling Creative. The budget sheets showed inflated numbers that made Reyes & Reyes look incompetent.

Sarah leaned against the table. “Theo wanted insurance. These files are already backed up on his server. By morning the board will see proof that your little agency sabotaged the biggest deal Vanguard has ever signed.”

Elena felt cold. “You changed them tonight.”

“Of course I did.” Sarah’s voice stayed calm. “While you were busy playing family on the red carpet, I was working. Theo paid me double to make sure this happened.”

Lila stepped forward. “You are done here.”

Sarah laughed softly. “Am I? The police are already on their way. Theo made sure they received an anonymous tip about stolen funds from this office. Guess whose name is on the paperwork now?”

Damian’s phone rang. Detective Ramirez.

He answered on speaker.

“Mr Holt, we just received a formal complaint against Elena Reyes for embezzlement. The tip came from inside Vanguard. We have to follow up.”

Damian’s voice stayed even. “The complaint is false. We have proof Sarah planted everything.”

Ramirez sighed. “Bring the evidence to the station. Until then, I have to ask Ms Reyes to stay available for questioning.”

The call ended.

Sarah picked up her bag. “See? Game over. Theo wins. You lose. And your perfect little family story is about to get very expensive legal fees.”

She walked toward the door.

Damian blocked her path. “You are not leaving with that.”

Sarah stopped. For the first time her confidence slipped. “Touch me and I scream. The press is still outside.”

Elena spoke quietly. “We do not need to touch you. We have Marcus Vale’s tape. The real one. The one that shows you helped Victoria pay the courier for the black roses.”

Sarah’s face went white.

Damian stepped aside. “Leave. But know this. Tomorrow morning every board member gets the full file. Including the part where you and Theo planned to sacrifice Victoria.”

Sarah walked out without another word. The door clicked shut behind her.

Lila exhaled. “She is going straight to Theo.”

“Let her,” Damian said. “We are ready.”

He turned to Elena. “We take the real tape and your mother’s letter to the board first thing tomorrow. Tonight we go home to Mia.”

Elena nodded. But her phone vibrated one last time.

A new message from the same unknown number.

‘Sarah just delivered the altered files. The board will see them at 9 a.m. sharp. But the real surprise is what Marcus Vale left out of his little confession. Check the second folder on the drive he gave you.’

Elena opened the new folder on the laptop.

Inside was one file.

A single photo.

It showed Marcus Vale standing beside Victoria in the Vegas hotel hallway the morning after the night with Damian.

Both of them were smiling.

And Victoria held a copy of Mia’s birth certificate in her hand.

Elena felt the air leave her lungs.

Damian looked at the photo and spoke quietly.

“Marcus Vale did not just film us that night. He helped Victoria plan the entire thing from the beginning.”

That son of a bitch

The agency lights suddenly felt too bright.

The tape they thought would save them had just become the trap.

And the real game was on.