Chapter 5 - The Devil's Alliance
Elias Thorne’s office looked exactly like I expected: a chaotic mess of paper, empty coffee cups, and whiteboards covered in interconnected lines. He was a man in his late thirties with perpetually tired eyes and a cynical slouch.
When I walked in, he didn't even look up from his monitor. "We don't do walk-ins. Send an email."
"Even if the walk-in is Anastasia Harrington?"
His head snapped up. His eyes widened slightly as he took in my bruised cheek—the faint yellowing mark where Callan had struck me. He leaned back in his chair, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face.
"Well, well. The runaway bride. You've got a lot of nerve showing your face. There's a lynch mob out there looking for you."
"I have something you want," I said, cutting straight to the chase. I pulled the flash drive from my pocket and tossed it onto his desk. "You've been trying to take down Melissa Harrington for five years. I can give you the kill shot."
Elias picked up the drive, spinning it between his fingers. "I'm a journalist, Anastasia. Not a PR fixer. If this is just a sob story about how your husband was mean to you..."
"Plug it in."
He raised an eyebrow, but curiosity won. He plugged the drive into his laptop. I leaned over and clicked the file.
Elias watched in silence. He watched the premeditated conversation between Melissa and Brooklyn. He watched the setup. The spill. The slap. And my brutal retaliation.
When the video ended, the office was dead silent.
"Holy hell," Elias whispered. He replayed the audio of Melissa plotting to break me. "This... this is extortion, premeditated abuse, and evidence of a massive cover-up by the local PD. They told the press the camera was dead."
"I want them ruined, Elias. Not just legally. I want their social standing burned to the ground. I want them to feel the heat they tried to put on me."
Elias looked at me, a newfound respect in his gaze. "In two days, Melissa is hosting the 'Paradise Valley Charity Gala' at their flagship hotel. She announced this morning that Callan is going to make a 'brave public appearance' in his bandages to raise money for burn victims. It's going to be packed with every elite, politician, and media outlet in the state. It's her ultimate sympathy play."
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A dark, dangerous thrill raced down my spine. "Can you get us into the AV room?"
Elias grinned, showing teeth. "Anastasia, I've been banned from that hotel for three years. But I know a guy who runs the catering staff. We are going to blow the roof off that gala."
