Chapter 15 – Bound by a Deal

Lyra sat in the dim glow of her apartment, her mind racing.

Ethan Vaughn had played his move.

He had trapped her in his world, forcing her into a deal where he controlled everything.

And the worst part?

She had let him.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, staring at Red Phantom’s warning.

"He’s leading you into something you won’t escape from."

But she wasn’t naïve.

She knew exactly what Ethan Vaughn was doing.

The only question now was…

Could she outplay him before it was too late?

Lyra arrived at Vaughn Industries sharper, more guarded.

She had made a mistake last night.

But today, she wouldn’t let Ethan gain another inch of control over her.

She stepped into his office, her face unreadable.

Ethan was already at his desk, waiting.

His dark gaze swept over her slowly, as if studying a puzzle he hadn’t quite solved yet.

"Good morning, Miss Xian," he said smoothly.

Lyra tilted her head. "I assume you didn’t summon me here for small talk."

Ethan smirked, motioning toward the large screen behind him.

A list of names and encrypted files appeared.

"You want Red Phantom’s files?" he said, his tone calm, almost lazy. "Then let’s see if you can handle something first."

Lyra’s stomach tightened.

This was another test.

And it wasn’t just about the files.

It was about seeing how far she would go for them.

She exhaled slowly. "What do you need?"

Ethan leaned back, watching her carefully.

"I want you to expose someone for me," he said. "A man who has been stealing from Vaughn Industries."

Lyra’s fingers twitched.

"Expose him… how?"

Ethan’s smirk widened.

"However you see fit."

A challenge.

A warning.

He was giving her the power—but at the same time, he was seeing how dangerous she was willing to be.

Her lips curled slightly.

"You really don’t play fair, do you?"

Ethan’s eyes gleamed. "I never claimed to."

A pause.

Then, Lyra picked up the file.

"Fine," she said. "Let’s see who wins this round."

She turned and walked out, her pulse pounding.

Because for the first time…

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to beat him.

Or if she wanted to destroy him completely.

Lyra sat before her laptop, analyzing the files Ethan had given her.

The man in question was one of Vaughn Industries’ senior executives.

A thief. A liar. A man who had been secretly leaking classified information to rival corporations.

She should have felt something.

Maybe guilt. Maybe hesitation.

But instead, she felt nothing at all.

Because if this man was willing to betray Vaughn Industries…

Then she would destroy him before he could betray her first.

She typed in a series of commands, sending a virus through his system, wiping every trace of his stolen data.

Within seconds, his entire career was over.

She didn’t stop there.

She sent the files directly to the police.

Then, she sent one last message to Ethan Vaughn.

"It’s done."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at the message from Lyra.

His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smirk.

She had done exactly what he expected.

But what he hadn’t expected…

Was how ruthless she could be.

He had given her a test.

And she had passed with flying colors.

His fingers drummed against the desk.

This game was getting more interesting.

And for the first time in years, Ethan Vaughn wasn’t sure who was playing who anymore.

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End of Chapter 15

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