Alexander didn't go home that night.
Neither did Elena.
The moment they stepped into Hale Group headquarters, the warmth from the banquet vanished. The building was lit like daylight despite the late hour. Staff rushed through corridors. Phones rang nonstop. Screens flashed with breaking news headlines.
HALE GROUP STOCKS PLUMMET AFTER DATA LEAK.
Elena's chest tightened.
This wasn't just a scandal.
It was an attack.
Alexander's expression shifted completely — no longer the vulnerable husband from earlier, but the ruthless billionaire CEO the world feared.
"Get me the IT director," he ordered sharply. "Now."
Inside the executive conference room, tension hung thick in the air.
The head of cybersecurity swallowed nervously. "Mr. Hale… the breach didn't originate from Vivian's account directly."
Alexander's eyes darkened. "Explain."
"It was routed through her credentials. But the access trail is… layered. Almost professional."
Elena's heart skipped.
"So she was used?" she asked quietly.
The director hesitated. "It's possible."
Alexander leaned back slowly.
"If someone wanted to destroy Hale Group, framing Vivian would be convenient. She already had motive."
A heavy silence followed.
Elena's mind raced. "Who benefits from this?"
Alexander didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Victor."
The name landed heavily.
Elena stiffened. "Victor Lang?"
Alexander nodded once.
Victor Lang.
His former business partner. The man who left Hale Group two years ago after a brutal internal dispute. The only person who knew every structural weakness in the company.
"He swore he would take everything from me," Alexander said calmly.
And suddenly, Elena remembered something.
Two weeks before the accident…
Alexander had received a threatening call.
She had overheard part of it.
"You won't know when I strike."
Her blood ran cold.
"Alexander… what if this didn't start now?" she whispered. "What if it started before your accident?"
His gaze snapped to hers.
"You think the crash wasn't random."
She hesitated.
"I don't know. But you don't just lose memory from nowhere. And now your company is under attack."
The possibility settled heavily between them.
Alexander stood abruptly. "Pull up the accident report."
Within minutes, the large screen displayed old footage from that night.
Rain. A black sedan. Headlights. Impact.
Elena's fingers curled into fists.
"Zoom in on the truck," Alexander ordered.
The image sharpened.
The license plate was partially visible.
The IT director froze.
"That truck… was registered to a logistics company owned by Lang Enterprises."
The room went silent.
Elena's heart pounded violently.
"It was never investigated?" she asked.
"It was ruled as brake failure," the director replied weakly.
Alexander's jaw tightened.
"So Victor tries to kill me," he said evenly. "Fails. Then waits. And now he attacks the company."
Elena felt suddenly dizzy.
This wasn't jealousy. This wasn't romance rivalry.
This was war.
Alexander turned to her.
"You should go home."
"No," she said immediately.
His eyes softened slightly. "Elena."
"I've been pushed aside enough. If someone tried to kill you, that involves me too."
He studied her carefully.
And for the first time, he didn't argue.
"Fine," he said quietly. "But you stay close."
Hours later, evidence continued stacking up.
Shell companies. Hidden transactions. Anonymous transfers tied back to Lang Enterprises.
Victor wasn't just attacking.
He was dismantling.
At 3:17 AM—
Alexander's private line rang.
Unknown number.
The room stilled.
He answered.
"Victor."
A low chuckle echoed through the speaker.
"Alexander Hale. Took you long enough."
Elena's breath caught.
"You're sloppy," Alexander said calmly. "Framing a jealous woman? Amateur."
"Oh, Vivian?" Victor laughed. "She was simply emotional. I just… nudged her."
Elena's stomach dropped.
"You nearly killed me," Alexander said coldly.
There was a pause.
"Nearly," Victor replied.
The word chilled the entire room.
"You've always been lucky, Alexander. But luck runs out."
"What do you want?"
"Everything you took from me."
"You lost because you betrayed the company."
"No," Victor's voice turned sharp. "I lost because you chose profits over loyalty."
Alexander's expression hardened.
"Then come face me directly."
Another chuckle.
"Oh, I will."
The line went dead.
Silence suffocated the room.
Elena realized her hands were shaking.
"This isn't over," she whispered.
"No," Alexander agreed. "It's just beginning."
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
Then went out.
The entire floor plunged into darkness.
Gasps filled the room.
Emergency lights glowed dimly red.
Phones buzzed at once.
"Sir!" the IT director shouted. "Our system is being wiped remotely!"
Alexander's voice cut sharply through the panic.
"Disconnect the main server manually!"
Staff rushed out.
Elena felt her pulse pounding in her ears.
This was bigger than they thought.
This wasn't revenge.
This was annihilation.
In the dim red glow, Alexander reached for her hand instinctively.
She squeezed back.
"We'll fight," she whispered.
He looked down at her.
"This time… I won't lose what's mine."
But neither of them noticed—
From a building across the street, someone stood watching the blackout with quiet satisfaction.
And in his hand—
Was a photo of Elena.
With a red line drawn across her face.