'I Do' For Revenge-Chapter 85: Your Victory Won’t Last

~LAYLA~

"And how exactly did you know the data breach was faked?"

Her face went pale, then flushed red, as she realised what she had just said. "I... I didn’t say it was fake."

"Yes, you did. Just now. You said, ’fake a data breach.’ How would you know it was fake unless you were involved in planting it?"

She stammered, "I... It’s obvious. The way you recovered so quickly..."

"Or maybe you know it was fake because Daniel gave us that USB drive with the malware on it. The one you two cooked up together."

Cassandra’s eyes widened for a split second, her composure slipping before she recovered with a sneer. "Please, Layla. It’s obvious. Your little press conference was too polished. Plus, you’re not that good at playing victim."

"And you are..."

She tossed her hair, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "This isn’t over."

She turned on her heel and pushed her way through the growing crowd of onlookers who’d gathered, their phones out and recording. Every harsh word she said and every slip of her tongue had been captured for the world to see.

Axel watched her go; his expression was calm, but he looked satisfied. "She’s rattled. She knows she’s losing."

"Let’s get back upstairs," I said, my pulse still racing from the confrontation. "We can’t let her derail the night."

The elevator ride back was quiet, with only the sound of the machinery to fill the silence. My mind was racing with thoughts.

Cassandra had just confessed on camera to knowing the breach was fake. The media would pick up on that question; if they didn’t, a small anonymous tip would ensure they did.

And where was Erica in all this?

Back on the rooftop, the party was in full swing. Influencers were still streaming, their followers flooding our app with orders.

The count had climbed to seventy-five thousand and was still rising. Models circulated with fresh samples, and journalists scribbled notes, captivated by Maya Cullen’s glowing endorsement.

I forced a smile, rejoining the crowd, but my eyes kept darting to the edges of the room. Erica was still here, lingering near a display, her small bag clutched tightly against her side.

Her earlier glances at the crowd replayed in my mind. She was waiting for someone.

"Dance with me," Axel said suddenly, appearing at my side with two champagne flutes.

"What?"

"You’re wound tighter than a spring. Dance with me. Let’s enjoy this moment before the next crisis hits."

I accepted the glass, taking a sip before setting it down. "Fine. But just one."

He led me to the makeshift dance floor where a few couples were already swaying to the soft jazz playing through the speakers. His hand found the small of my back again, pulling me close, while his other hand clasped mine.

"We did well tonight," he murmured, his breath warm against my temple.

"We did."

"Cassandra’s slipping. Daniel’s hiding. And Eclipse Beauty is a massive success."

"Don’t jinx it," I said, but I was smiling.

"I’m not jinxing anything. I’m celebrating."

The music swelled, and we moved together, our bodies finding an easy rhythm.

For a moment, the tension of the evening melted away. It was just us, the city lights twinkling around the rooftop, the soft hum of success in the air.

His eyes caught mine, dark and intense. "Layla..."

Whatever he was about to say died on his lips as he leaned in, and suddenly he was kissing me. It was soft at first, tentative, but then deepened as his hand tightened on my waist and mine moved to the back of his neck.

Time seemed to stop. The party, the threats, everything faded until —

"Mr. O’Brien?"

We broke apart, both slightly breathless. A security guard stood at a respectful distance, looking apologetic.

"What is it?" Axel asked.

"Can I have a word, sir? It’s important."

Axel glanced at me. "I’ll be right back."

"Go. I’ll mingle."

He squeezed my hand once before following the guard to a quiet corner. I watched them confer in low voices, Axel’s expression growing darker with each word.

I needed a drink. A real one.

I made my way to the bar, ordering a gin and tonic. As I waited, Helena appeared beside me, looking radiant in a silver gown.

"Ma’am! This is absolutely spectacular. I’m so proud of you."

"Thank you, Helena. That means a lot."

"How are you holding up, ma? I saw the little scene downstairs. Well, everyone saw it. It’s already all over social media."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Someone posted the video, and it’s going viral. Her asking how you knew the breach was fake? People are connecting the dots."

I couldn’t help but smile. "Good. Let them connect away."

"Isn’t that a dangerous game?"

"Dangerous? No, dear. Maybe. But sometimes you have to fight fire with fire."

Helena nodded and smiled. "Just be careful, ma’am." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Before I could respond, Henry Porter appeared, looking dapper in a navy suit. "Layla! Congratulations on tonight. It’s turned out better than I could have imagined."

"Thank you, Henry. I appreciate you coming."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this. Eclipse Beauty is going to change the industry."

Helena smiled at us both. "I’ll leave you two to talk business. If you need me ma’am..."

"I know hoe to find you," I finished."

She gave a small nod and glided away.

"Seriously though," Henry continued, "the buzz around your products is incredible. I’ve already had three people ask me how they can get distribution rights for their regions."

"That’s amazing. We’ll have to sit down next week and discuss expansion opportunities."

"Absolutely. I think we could..."

Axel rejoined us, slipping his arm around my waist. His expression was pleasant, but I could feel the tension in his body.

"Henry, good to see you. Thanks for supporting Eclipse Beauty."

"My pleasure, Axel. You two make quite the team."

"We do indeed." Axel’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Henry, would you excuse us for just a moment?"

"Of course. I’ll go network. Congratulations again, Layla."

As soon as Henry was out of earshot, Axel leaned in, his voice low. "Security just reported Daniel was spotted outside ten minutes ago, circling the block. He didn’t try to get in, but he’s watching."

My jaw tightened. "He’s checking if Cassandra got through. Or worse, coordinating with Erica." I nodded toward her, now chatting with someone but still scanning the room. "She’s up to something. That bag that she’s been holding it like it’s a lifeline."

"Let’s keep her in sight," Axel said. "If she makes a move, we’ll catch it."

"Agreed."

The event pressed on, a dazzling success by any measure. Product demos sparkled under the lights, influencers posted rave reviews in real-time, and orders surged past ninety thousand. The energy was electric, intoxicating.

As the night wound down, a reporter from Beauty Insider cornered me near the exit.

"Mrs. O’Brien, one more question about the data breach. Some are calling it suspicious, how did you recover so quickly?"

I kept my tone steady, mirroring how I’ve seen Axel do. "Crises test character. We had robust security protocols in place, and we acted swiftly. We’re stronger than ever. Eclipse Beauty is proof of that."

The crowd nearby cheered, phones capturing the moment. But my focus was on Erica, who was slipping toward the exit, her bag still clutched in her hand.

"Axel," I murmured, touching his arm.

"I see her. Let her go. Security will follow."

The event rounded up about two hours later. Guests trickled out, thanking us, promising future collaborations.

Maya Cullen gave me an air kiss and promised to post about Eclipse Beauty all week. Sarah looked exhausted but triumphant as she showed me the final numbers.

"Ninety-seven thousand orders and still climbing. The servers are holding. Ma’am, this is historic."

"You did amazing work, Sarah. Thank you."

In the car on the way home, I finally let myself relax into the leather seat. Axel drove, one hand on the wheel, the other finding mine.

"You were incredible tonight," he said.

"We both were."

His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out at a red light. "Security sent a footage from tonight."

"Let me see."

He pulled up the video and handed me the phone. The timestamp showed it was from about halfway through the event.

The footage showed Erica ducking into a side alley near the building, passing her bag to a man whose build matched Daniel’s. A hood obscured his face, but the way he moved, I’d know that nervous energy anywhere.

My stomach churned. "They’re working together. That bag... what was in it?"

"No idea yet. But we’ve got the upper hand for now; orders are through the roof, and the press loves us. But we need to know what was in that bag and who else Erica’s talking to."

My voice wavered slightly. "But they’re not done. What’s their next move?"

Axel turned off the engine, looking at me in the dim light. "Do you think you should confront Erica about this?"

"I don’t know. If I tip her off that we know, she’ll go to ground."

"But if we don’t, she keeps feeding information to Cassandra."

"Let me think about it. Maybe we can..."

My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. I opened it, and my blood ran cold: You think you’re clever. Enjoy your little victory. It won’t last.

Attached was a grainy photo of me on the rooftop, mid-speech during my toast. And there, centred perfectly on my chest, was a red laser dot.

My hands started shaking. "Axel..."

"What?"

I showed him the phone, my voice barely above a whisper. "Is that a sniper?"