Page 113 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

“Reyes’ main server,” I explain. “Adrian believes it’s somewhere inside the estate. If we can access it, we’ll pull the data he’s stolen—and everything he’s planning.”

“And Reyes?” she asks, her voice steady despite the tension thrumming between us.

“If we find him, we take him down,” I reply, my tone cold and resolute.

Eva exhales slowly, her fingers tightening on the tablet. “Let’s go.”

The hallway is dark, the faint hum of electricity vibrating through the air. Eva and I move quickly but carefully, keeping close to the walls as we navigate deeper into the estate. I count each turn, each door, replaying Adrian’s schematics in my head like a mantra.

We find the server room faster than I expect—an unmarked door tucked into the corner of the east wing. I test the handle. Locked.

“Stand back,” I whisper, pulling a small tool from my pocket. The lock clicks open within seconds.

The room beyond is small but state-of-the-art. Servers line the walls, their blinking lights casting faint glows across the metal panels. Eva slips inside, moving to the central terminal.

“Can you access it?” I ask, my voice low.

She nods, already plugging in a flash drive Adrian gave us. “Give me a minute.”

I keep watch in the hallway, my senses on high alert. Every sound seems amplified in the silence. The air feels wrong—too still, too heavy—and a prickling sensation creeps up the back of my neck.

“Dominic,” Eva whispers.

I turn, my stomach twisting at the look on her face. “What is it?”

“It’s too easy,” she says, her voice tinged with unease. “The system isn’t encrypted the way it should be. Reyes is smart—there’s no way he’d leave this server unprotected.”

Before I can respond, the lights flicker, then cut out entirely. A piercing alarm blares, deafening in the small space. Red emergency lights flood the room, casting everything in an eerie glow.

“Trap,” I growl, grabbing Eva’s arm. “Move!”

We sprint down the hallway, the alarm echoing behind us. I hear footsteps—guards closing in fast. Adrenaline surges through me as I pull Eva toward the nearest exit. But as we round the corner, we’re stopped cold.

Reyes stands in the center of the hallway, his smirk chilling and his confidence unnerving.

“Going somewhere?” he drawls, his voice oozing condescension.

I step forward instinctively, positioning myself between Eva and Reyes. “This ends now.”

Reyes chuckles, slow and deliberate. “Oh, Dominic. Always so predictable.”

He lifts his hand, revealing a small remote. My stomach sinks.

“You want your data back?” Reyes taunts. “I’ll give you a choice: walk away with your precious files, or save your little journalist.”

Before I can respond, the hidden door to the left opens, and two of Reyes’ men appear. One of them grabs Eva, a gun pressed to her side.

“Dominic!” Eva gasps, struggling against the guard’s grip.

My chest tightens as Reyes’ smirk widens. “Tick-tock, Dominic. Time’s running out.”

His ultimatum is brutal in its simplicity—Eva or my empire.

“You’ve underestimated me,” I say, my voice cold and steady.

Reyes tilts his head, his smirk faltering. “Have I?”

I move fast, slamming into him with all my weight. The remote clatters to the ground as I drive him back against the wall.

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