Two months has passed and this time Samantha moved alone.
For the first time since everything began
She wasn't watching Esther.
She was watching someone else.
Leo Green.
His name alone had already raised too many questions. His presence, his words, his connection to Esther.
Nothing about him felt normal.
Samantha sat quietly in a corner of the campus café, laptop open, eyes focused.
Security records.
Company data.
Public appearances.
Everything she could access.
"Too clean… just like Esther's " she murmured.
There were no real gaps.
No obvious secrets.
No scandals.
Which made it worse.
Because people like Leo Green didn't have perfect records.
They had hidden ones.
Meanwhile…
Alex was doing the same thing.
Different location.
Same goal.
His laptop screen reflected in his eyes as lines of encrypted data moved rapidly.
He wasn't just searching.
He was digging.
"Strategic…" he muttered under his breath.
His father's words echoed in his head.
Nothing about this was coincidence.
Back on campus…
Chloe followed Esther.
No hesitation.
No patience.
Just instinct.
Esther sensed something was off and moved calmly across the quiet side of campus, her steps steady, controlled.
But Chloe could tell
She knew.
"Yeah," Chloe muttered under her breath. "You're not slick."
Esther turned a corner.
Chloe followed.
Empty pathway.
No students.
No noise.
Perfect.
"Alright," Chloe said, stepping out. "That's far enough."
Esther stopped.
Slowly turned.
"…I was wondering when you'd catch up."
Chloe frowned.
"So you knew."
Esther smiled faintly.
"You're not exactly subtle."
Chloe stepped closer.
"I don't care about subtle."
A pause.
"I care about answers."
Esther tilted her head slightly.
"You won't like them."
Chloe cracked her knuckles.
"Try me."
Silence.
Then
Esther moved.
Fast.
A sharp kick aimed straight for Chloe's side
But Chloe blocked it instantly.
Impact.
The sound echoed.
Chloe didn't step back.
She stepped forward.
A punch
Clean.
Direct.
Esther dodged, twisting her body smoothly, countering with a palm strike.
Chloe caught her wrist mid-motion.
"…You're trained," Chloe said.
Esther smiled.
"…So are you."
Then the real fight began.
Chloe moved aggressively.
Fast.
Powerful.
Karate precision.
Taekwondo speed.
Wing Chun control.
Every strike had intent.
Esther adapted quickly.
Her movements were fluid.
Calculated.
Not just defense
Prediction.
She slipped past a kick, spun low, aiming to sweep Chloe's legs
Chloe jumped.
Landed.
Countered with a sharp elbow.
Contact.
Esther staggered back slightly.
Chloe didn't stop.
She closed the distance
Relentless.
Punch.
Kick.
Strike.
Esther blocked but barely.
For the first time
She was on the defensive.
Chloe grabbed her collar
Twisted
And slammed her against the wall.
Impact echoed.
Chloe's grip tightened.
Her eyes sharp.
Dangerous.
"Enough games," she said coldly. "Who are you really?"
Esther didn't struggle.
Didn't panic.
She smiled.
That was wrong.
"…You shouldn't have done that," Esther said quietly.
Chloe frowned.
"Done what?"
Esther leaned slightly closer.
"Win."
Something in her tone shifted.
Cold.
"If you expose me…"
She paused.
"…Nathan dies I will kill him right in front of you Chloe."
Silence.
Chloe's grip tightened instinctively.
"…What?"
Esther's eyes locked onto hers.
No bluff.
No hesitation.
"I'm not alone," she continued calmly.
"I have people watching. People ready."
Chloe's expression hardened.
"You're lying."
Esther shook her head slowly.
"Try me."
A pause.
Then softer but More dangerous
"If anything happens to me…"
"… either I kill him or they kill him and because I know you can't kill me you can only to report me to the authories and there won't hold me for long."
Chloe's breath slowed.
Rage.
Confusion.
Conflict.
All at once.
"…Why Nathan?" she asked.
Esther smiled faintly.
"You don't need to know that."
Chloe's grip loosened slightly.
Just enough.
And that was all Esther needed.
She twisted free.
Stepped back.
Not running.
Just… leaving.
"Make the right choice," she said calmly.
Then she turned
And walked away.
Chloe didn't follow.
For the first time
She hesitated.
Her fists clenched tightly.
"…Damn it."
Across campus…
Samantha stared at her screen.
A name had just appeared.
Not public.
Not accessible.
But real.
Connected to Leo Green.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Phantom."
Elsewhere…
Alex leaned back slowly.
Same conclusion.
Different path.
"…What are you involved in, Dad?"
And far away
A pair of unseen eyes watched everything unfold.
Not interfering.
Just observing.
Waiting.
Because now
The pieces were finally starting to move.