The penthouse felt colder than ever.
Ava sat quietly, trying to process everything.
A traitor.
Someone from inside.
Mihir stood near the window, his expression unreadable.
"I trusted them," he said quietly.
Ava looked up.
"Who?"
Mihir didn't answer immediately.
Finally—
"My assistant."
Ava blinked in shock.
"Your assistant?"
Mihir nodded.
"She had access to everything."
Ava's chest tightened.
"So she helped Arman?"
Mihir's voice hardened.
"Yes."
Ava stood up slowly.
"That means… she knows everything about us."
Mihir turned toward her.
"Which means we can't trust anyone."
Ava felt a wave of fear.
But also anger.
"She put my life at risk," Ava said.
Mihir's eyes darkened.
"And she'll pay for it."
Just then—
Mihir's phone buzzed again.
A message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
A video.
Ava stepped closer.
"What is it?"
Mihir pressed play.
The screen showed a woman.
Elegant.
Confident.
Smiling.
Mihir's assistant.
She looked directly at the camera.
"Hello, Mihir."
Her voice was calm.
"You always thought you were in control."
Ava's heart started racing.
"But you made one mistake," the woman continued.
"You let her into your life."
She smiled slightly.
And then said—
"Now watch everything fall apart."
The video ended.
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Ava looked at Mihir.
"This is getting worse."
Mihir's voice was cold.
"No."
"This is just the beginning."
He looked at her.
His eyes intense.
"From now on… we don't just defend."
Ava's breath caught.
"Then what do we do?"
Mihir stepped closer.
His voice low.
Deadly.
"We fight back."
Snow fell outside the window.
But inside—
A war had officially begun.
End of Chapter 20 – Cliffhanger