The drive back from the marina felt tight.
Not silent.
Not calm.
Tight.
Like something had already started before they even arrived.
Shemmy sat beside Daevyd, watching him.
His grip on the steering wheel was firm. His jaw set. His eyes focused in a way she hadn't seen before.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Control.
But barely.
"If Emeka is right…" she said quietly, "what exactly are we walking into?"
Daevyd didn't answer immediately.
Then he said,
"It means this didn't come from outside."
Shemmy's chest tightened.
"It came from inside."
TechWave headquarters was still alive when they arrived.
Lights everywhere.
People moving fast.
Phones ringing.
Voices overlapping.
The usual calm energy was gone.
This wasn't a normal night.
As soon as Daevyd stepped in, one of his engineers rushed toward him.
"Sir… we have a situation."
"I can see that," Daevyd replied. "Talk to me."
The engineer glanced at Shemmy briefly, then back at him.
"It wasn't an external breach."
Daevyd's expression didn't change.
"Say it clearly."
The engineer swallowed.
"Someone accessed the system from inside the building."
Shemmy felt it instantly.
That same cold weight from the marina.
Daevyd nodded once.
"Where?"
The answer came fast.
"Executive floor."
Silence.
That floor wasn't for staff.
That was his circle.
People he trusted.
People he built everything with.
Shemmy looked at him.
"You thought Adrian was the problem before."
"I did."
"And now?"
Daevyd's voice dropped slightly.
"Now I know he wasn't the only one."
They moved quickly.
Down the hallway.
Up the stairs.
Shemmy kept up with him, her heart beating harder with every step.
The building felt different.
Like something had shifted.
When they reached the executive floor—
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
No movement.
No voices.
Shemmy slowed.
"I don't like this."
Daevyd didn't respond.
His eyes were already locked on the boardroom door.
Slightly open.
Waiting.
He pushed it.
The door creaked open slowly.
Inside—
Someone sat at the head of the table.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Like this was normal.
Shemmy stepped in—
And stopped.
Her breath caught.
"Mr. Akinwale…"
One of the board members.
The same man who had challenged Daevyd.
The same man who voted for him to step down.
Akinwale smiled slightly.
"Good evening."
Daevyd didn't move at first.
Then he stepped in slowly.
Every step heavy.
"You."
Akinwale leaned back in his chair.
"You came quickly."
Shemmy looked between them.
"What is going on?"
Daevyd's voice was low.
"You opened the system."
Akinwale didn't deny it.
"Yes."
The answer was too easy.
Too calm.
Shemmy felt anger rise immediately.
"Why would you do that?"
Akinwale glanced at her briefly.
Then back to Daevyd.
"Because this company needs better direction."
That was enough.
In one sharp movement—
Daevyd grabbed him by the collar.
Pulled him up from the chair.
The chair scraped loudly across the floor.
"Watch your mouth," Daevyd said, voice low and tight.
Shemmy froze.
She had never seen him like this.
Not this close to losing control.
Akinwale didn't fight back.
He just looked at him calmly.
"You still think this is about ego."
Daevyd tightened his grip.
"This is about betrayal."
"No."
Akinwale's tone didn't change.
"This is about survival."
Shemmy stepped closer.
"What are you talking about?"
Akinwale finally looked at her.
"You're standing inside a company that is already being targeted."
"We know that," she said.
"No," he replied calmly.
"You don't."
Daevyd pushed him back slightly but didn't release him.
"What did you give them?"
Akinwale adjusted his collar lightly under Daevyd's grip.
"Enough to make them stop attacking blindly."
Shemmy frowned.
"That makes no sense."
"It does," Akinwale said.
"If you understand how Astra operates."
Silence.
That name again.
Heavy.
Real.
"You're working with them," she said.
Akinwale didn't deny it.
"I'm working with the future."
Daevyd's grip loosened slightly, but the anger didn't leave his face.
"You sold my company."
"I positioned it."
"For what?"
Akinwale looked directly at him.
"To be acquired."
The words dropped hard.
Shemmy's heart skipped.
"Acquired?"
Daevyd's eyes darkened.
"You're handing TechWave over."
"I'm securing it."
"You're destroying it."
Akinwale shook his head slowly.
"You built something powerful."
"Yes."
"But you don't think far enough."
Daevyd stepped closer again.
"I built this company from nothing."
"And that's exactly the problem."
Silence.
Shemmy felt the shift.
This wasn't just betrayal.
This was ideology.
Control.
Power.
Akinwale continued,
"You built it with passion."
"Yes."
"I'm rebuilding it with structure."
Daevyd released him.
But his voice dropped even lower.
"You don't get to decide that."
Akinwale straightened his suit.
"I already did."
Shemmy looked between them.
"When did this even start?"
Akinwale glanced at her.
"Long before the first attack."
That hit harder than anything else.
"So all of this…" she whispered.
"…was planned?"
"Yes."
Daevyd's hands clenched slightly.
"You sat in front of me…"
"…and played along."
Akinwale met his gaze.
"That's how business works at this level."
Shemmy shook her head.
"No. That's not business. That's betrayal."
Akinwale didn't argue.
He simply picked up his phone.
"They're already moving."
Daevyd's voice sharpened.
"What does that mean?"
Akinwale looked at him one last time.
"It means you're already late."
Shemmy's chest tightened.
"Late for what?"
Akinwale's voice dropped slightly.
"The takeover."
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Then he added, almost casually,
"You should start preparing your resignation."
That was the final blow.
Daevyd didn't move.
Didn't react immediately.
But something shifted in him.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Something colder.
More dangerous.
"This isn't over," he said quietly.
Akinwale smiled faintly.
"No."
He stepped toward the door.
"It's just beginning."
He paused beside Shemmy.
Looked at her.
And said softly,
"You should decide early."
Her chest tightened.
"Decide what?"
Akinwale's voice stayed calm.
"Whether you want to fall with him…"
"…or survive what's coming."
Then he walked out.
Just like that.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Like everything was already in motion.
The door closed.
The room fell silent.
Shemmy turned to Daevyd.
He hadn't moved.
His breathing steady again.
But his eyes…
Different.
Colder.
Sharper.
More focused than ever.
"Daevyd…"
He finally spoke.
Low.
Controlled.
Dead serious.
"He thinks this is over."
A pause.
Then he looked at her.
"And that's his first mistake."