Last chapter : "Are you?"

  And just like that, the game truly began.

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  Neither willing to let the other win.

  Enjoying the party?" he murmured.

  "Oh, immensely," she shot back. "But I think the host should be more careful where he keeps his valuables."

  "I assume you're referring to the necklace," he said lazily. "Shame it's already mine."

  Sia's eyes narrowed. "I'd love to see you try."

  Their game of words was cut short as masked guards moved closer. They both sensed the shift. Their time was running out.

  Viv's voice crackled in Damian's ear. "Boss, they're about to move the necklace to the vault."

  Eli's voice came through Sia's earpiece at the same time. "Sia, change of plans. The necklace is being relocated. You need to—"

  "I know." Sia released Damian's hand, twirling away, but he caught her wrist.

  "Try not to die, Royce. I'd hate to lose my favorite opponent."

  She yanked her hand free. "Likewise, Adler."

  Both turned, both headed for the same destination—the high-security vault room where the necklace was being kept.

  Sia slipped into the underground chamber, heels clicking softly against the polished floor. Before her, red laser beams crisscrossed the lobby in a deadly web. One wrong move, and she'd lose more than just the mission.

  Ian appeared beside her like a ghost. "Well, well. Fancy seeing you here."

  Sia didn't even flinch. "Oh, shut up."

  The hallway leading to the vault was filled with armed guards. Sia and Damian moved in eerie synchronization, eliminating obstacles with swift, brutal efficiency. A flick of her wrist—one guard down. A silent chokehold from Damian—another out cold.

  "You know, for someone who acts high and mighty, you sure fight dirty," she muttered.

  "Oh, sweetheart, if I fought clean, you'd already be dead."

  She rolled her eyes, launching herself over a railing as another wave of guards charged. Damian followed suit, their movements seamless despite being rivals.

  "Viv, status?" Damian snapped.

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  "Laser grid is live. Step wrong, and you're in pieces. No pressure, though."

  "Eli, don't let ONYX get ahead of us," Sia ordered.

  "On it, boss. But, uh, I'm kinda busy trying not to let your boyfriend steal our data."

  Sia nearly tripped. "He is NOT my boyfriend!"

  Damian smirked. "Careful, Royce. You almost sound offended."

  "I AM OFFENDED!"

  They reached the vault—a high-security room with a deadly maze of lasers. Damian and Sia exchanged a look before simultaneously rolling their shoulders.

  Ian smirked, eyeing Sia as she studied the security layout. "What's the matter, Royce? Getting nervous?"

  Sia didn't even glance at him. "Nervous? No. Just calculating how much of your ego will fit in this vault before it explodes."

  His chuckle was low, amused. "Feisty. I like it."

  "Less talking, more moving, Adler."

  "Now comes the fun part," Damian murmured.

  The laser room was a death trap.

  Sia smirked. "Hope you stretched, Adler. Would hate to see you lose a limb."

  Ian scoffed, voice low. "Worried about me already, Royce?"

  They both knew what came next. The room was only big enough for one winner

  "You go first," he offered.

  "Nice try. We go together."

  "If you insist. Try not to slow me down."

  Sia didn't dignify that with a response. They slipped through the lasers with practiced precision, ducking, twisting, slipping through gaps at the perfect moments. A few strands of Sia's hair nearly grazed the sensors, but she was too fast—too trained. Ian followed suit, just as effortless.

  Reaching the center of the vault, Sia's eyes locked onto their prize. A small black case, displayed on a pedestal behind a final security measure—motion-detection sensors.

  Viv's voice crackled in their earpieces. "You've got sixty seconds before more guards storm in. Get the damn thing and get out."

  Eli scoffed from the other end. "Yeah, yeah, if you'd hurry up with hacking the cameras, we wouldn't have this problem, would we, Viv?"

  "Oh, shut it, Mercer! At least I'm not a human calculator who can't fight."

  Ian sighed, rubbing his temple. "Children, please."

  Ignoring the background chaos, Sia reached into her belt, pulling out a small EMP device. A flick of her fingers, and the sensors short-circuited. The case was hers.

  But the second she nearly reached it—

  Alarms blared.

  "Oh, for fu—"

  "MOVE."

  Chaos erupted. The vault doors slammed shut. Sia lunged for the necklace. Ian lunged at the same time. Their hands met. Their eyes locked.

  The real fight began.

  "Let. go, Adler," Sienna growled under her breath, both their hands gripping the necklace.

  "ladies first, Royce." tightening his grip.

  Oh, how chivalrous of you." She twisted, using his own momentum to shove him back. He barely stumbled before regaining balance, his smirk widening.

  "I like you, Royce. You're infuriating."

  "Feeling's mutual, Adler."

  "You are insufferable."

  "And you are wasting time," he countered. "Do you want to leave with all your limbs intact or—"

  A sudden flicker of movement outside the glass walls caught their attention. Guards.

  Sienna and Damian cursed in unison.

  The lasers suddenly deactivated.

  "Took you long enough, Eli!" Sia barked.

  "Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. Now, MOVE!"

  Meanwhile, outside, Eli and Viv were at war.

  "Are you even TRYING, Mercer?!" Viv snapped as she hacked into the security system.

  "I don't see you doing much better, Cross!"

  "Because I don't need to try, genius."

  "Oh, SHUT UP and disable the damn alarm!"

  Damian and Sia sprinted out of the vault, alarms blaring behind them. More guards. More chaos. More adrenaline.

  "Well," Ian said dryly. "That was subtle."

  Sia grit her teeth. "We have company."

  Footsteps thundered in the hallway outside. No time for an exit plan.

  Ian yanked her wrist. "Balcony. Move."

  They sprinted out of the vault, dodging the first wave of guards as bullets whizzed past. Ian shot over his shoulder, dropping two men before they could react.

  As they reached the ballroom's exit, Damian leaned in. "How about a deal?"

  "I don't make deals with ONYX."

  "Then let's just call it temporary cooperation."

  She hesitated. Then, with a sharp exhale, extended her hand.

  "Fine. Just this once."

  Their fingers clasped.

  Game on.

  . That was chaotic in the best way possible. Sia and Damian’s rivalry is only getting messier—and let’s be real, Eli and Viv are just adding fuel to the fire.

  really won this round? (Because we know neither of them will admit defeat.) Drop your theories, favorite moments, and let me know if you’re Team Sia, Team Damian, or just here for the chaos.

  Stay tuned. ??

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