Page 33 of Tempting My Nemesis

"How did it all go so wrong?"

The bitterness in my voice surprises me. My fingers hover over the keyboard, hesitating before diving in. This isn't just data; it's a painful trip down memory lane.

The files begin to reveal themselves—images, documents, code fragments. My mind is thrust back into the past. Sharp flashes of memory assault me: late nights spent coding with Kane, the adrenaline-fueled rush of our early hacks, the unspoken trust we shared. But one night stands out above all—the night everything fell apart.

I click on a video file—a grainy recording of that fateful night. The screen shows Kane and me in a dimly lit room, our faces illuminated only by the glow of our screens. We were in the middle of our most daring hack yet—a high-stakes operation that, if successful, would have cemented our status as legends in the hacker world.

I watch the video, my heart pounding as if I'm back in that moment. We were seconds away from breaching the final layer of our target's defenses—a multinational corporation with secrets that could shake the foundations of global markets. The excitement had been palpable; we were so close to victory.

"You take the left, I'll take the right," Kane says in the video, his voice confident, steady.

I see myself nod, trusting him completely. We split the work, each handling a different section of the code that would bring down the firewall and let us air out all that dirty laundry.

But then, just as we were about to break through, something went wrong. My screen flashed red, an alert that someone had tripped the system's security. Panic surges through me again as I relive the moment. I see myself look at Kane, disbelief etched on my face. He’s already packing up, disconnecting his equipment, his expression unreadable.

"Kane, what the hell are you doing?" I demand in the video, my voice rising with panic. But Kane doesn't answer.

Instead, he looks me in the eyes, a cold, almost regretful look, before saying, "I'm sorry, Caleb. This is bigger than us." And then he's gone, leaving me alone to face the fallout.

I watch myself grab my phone and call Dom, Nate, Liam, and Asher—the only people I could trust. The security footage ends there, but they guided me through the building's vent system, helping me evade the security forces closing in. Every second crawling through those narrow ducts felt like an eternity. The claustrophobia of the moment leaves my breathing ragged even now.

When I finally emerged outside, gasping for fresh air, I watched Kane being dragged away by security. The memory surprises me all over again—seeing Kane, the betrayer, captured. For a split second, I considered helping him, but his cold betrayal stopped me. He was willing to let me take the fall, so he could face the consequences of his choices.

I turn my back on him them, disappearing into the night. I escaped, but the scars of that night have stayed with me, shaping every decision I've made since.

I switch off the monitors, plunging the room into darkness. The sudden absence of its blue glow leaves me feeling exposed. My own words echo in the silence.

"This has to end."

I'm not just talking about Kane anymore. It's the turmoil inside me, the storm Zoe's stirred up without even knowing it. I run a hand through my hair, frustration and indecision tearing me apart. I can't let her in. But I can't let her go, either.

I know I need to make a choice before everything spirals out of control. But standing here in the shadows, the weight of that decision presses down on me like a physical force.

This isn't just about Kane or protecting my empire. It's about whether I can allow myself to be vulnerable, to let Zoe see all of me—the good and the bad.

I think of my friends, how they've found their other halves. Dom with Aria, Nate with Riley, Liam with Nova. I've seen the way they look at each other, the quiet understanding, theunwavering support. They seem... complete. Happy in a way I've never allowed myself to be.

And now, with Zoe, I find myself longing for that same connection. The way she looks at me, like she sees past all my defenses, makes me want to let her in. But something holds me back. A voice in my head whispers that I'm not worthy of her, of that kind of happiness. That I'm too damaged, too dangerous.

Opening myself up to Zoe means risking everything—my control, my empire, my heart. What if I let her in and she can't handle who I really am? What if I hurt her? The thought alone is enough to fill myself with dread.

My jaw clenches as resolve settles over me.

"I need a plan, and I need it now."

The realization that I might need Zoe in ways I never anticipated shakes me to my core. But I know I can't keep running, can't keep hiding. Whatever happens next, I have to face it head-on.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come. As I walk out of the lair, back into the penthouse, a flicker of hope ignites within me. Maybe I can find a way to let Zoe in without losing myself in the process. Maybe I can have what my friends have found—love, partnership, and a future that's brighter because it's shared.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ZOE

The tension between Caleb and me is unbearable. I walk around the penthouse, trying to distract myself by tidying up. My hands move mechanically, straightening pillows and organizing books on the coffee table. My mind is elsewhere, replaying our recent conversations.

“What are you hiding, Caleb?”I murmur to myself, barely audible in the quiet room.

The penthouse feels oppressive, the silence heavy with the knowledge that something is amiss. I pause and stare out the large windows that overlook the city. I’m reminded of one of the first events Caleb and I attended together, where I met Kane Holloway. I didn’t think much of his words at the time, but now they come back to me.

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