All Chapters of The Betrayal Within: Chapter 31 - Chapter 37

Matilda was hunched over her desk, two monitors open, one AirPod in, and a giant cup of cold brew sweating beside her keyboard. Her long braids were looped into a messy bun on top of her head, and she was muttering at an email when Olivia walked in.“You’re lucky I like you,” Olivia said dryly, “because I just betrayed every fiber of my feminist code to get what we need.”Matilda didn’t even look up. “That better mean Lucas signed.”Olivia dropped the folder onto her desk like a brick.Matilda pulled out her AirPod, finally glancing up. “You did not.”“I did.”“You’re lying.”Olivia raised her brows. “Am I?”Matilda ripped the folder open and flipped to the last page. Her eyes scanned the page. Her mouth dropped open slightly.“Oh… my… goodness,” She clapped her hand over her mouth, then yanked it away. “You actually got him to sign?”“I did.”“But he walked out!” Matilda hissed. “Danika texted me five minutes after he left, she said he was stonewalling. That he wasn’t budging.”Olivi

The apartment was quiet when Olivia and Matilda stepped through the door that night. Their heels clicked softly on the marble floor as they made their way inside. Olivia let her purse slide from her shoulder and land on the entryway table with a tired sigh.“You sure you’re okay?” Matilda asked, slipping off her shoes and walking toward the kitchen.“I’m fine,” Olivia murmured, tugging off her blazer.“You look like you’re carrying the sins of a small country on your back.”“I might be,” Olivia muttered, running her fingers through her hair. “Just… need a shower.”Matilda nodded. “I’ll make something light to eat. You better not come down and lie to me about being ‘too full from air.’”“I make no promises,” Olivia called over her shoulder.She walked upstairs to her room. She pulled her clothes, and straight to the bathroom. She turned on the light, and shut the door. A moment later, the gentle rush of water filled the space as steam curled against the glass.She stepped under the st

The moment Maddie hit the floor, time froze.A sharp gasp cut through the studio like a blade. Her palms slapped against the polished wood, her knee grazing slightly as she caught herself, but the fall wasn’t what made everyone go still.It was Clara’s expression, her eyes widened and her lips parted, voice bubbling over with apologies.“Oh my God! Maddie, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to! Are you okay?” Clara rushed forward, hands fluttering near Maddie’s shoulders but not quite touching.Maddie scowled, brushing her off. “I’m fine.”“No, seriously, I didn’t even see you there,my turn was too fast…”“You pushed me,” Maddie snapped.Clara blinked, letting her voice crack just enough. “No! No, I, God, it must’ve looked like that, but I swear it wasn’t intentional!”Olivia stayed back, arms crossed. Her face was unreadable, but her eyes flicked toward Clara in secret amusement.Maddie pushed up to stand, her movements tense. “Just keep your hands to yourself next time.”“Of course,” Clara

The sun had barely dipped beneath the skyline when Olivia walked briskly into the parking lot, high heels clicking with purpose. Her mind spun from what she had just seen on Maddie’s phone.At first, the message had seemed like a desperate, almost romantic plea. But something nagged at her now.As she stood beside her car, Olivia unlocked her own phone and opened the screenshot again. Her eyes scanned the message again and again, and there it was. A small line of text beneath the main message that she’d completely overlooked in the heat of the moment.“Bei Interesse treffen wir uns um 19:30 Uhr auf dem Delancey Rooftop”She frowned.German?Her brows furrowed as she copied the text into a translator.Her blood ran cold. “If you are interested, we will meet at 7:30 pm on the Delancey Rooftop.”She quickly searched for The Delancey Rooftop, and within seconds, images of a stylish club-bar with dim lighting, loud music, and panoramic views of the city skyline filled her screen.“So that’