Page 40 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

Dominic’s gaze snaps to mine, his blue eyes blazing with resolve. “Then that’s where we’re going.”

I nod, swallowing hard. The fight isn’t over—not by a long shot. But as I meet Dominic’s gaze, I realize something has shifted between us. We’re not just partners in this anymore. We’re allies. And no matter what comes next, we’re in it together.

For better or worse.

12

_________

Dominic

The office feels colder than usual, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling around me. My phone vibrates with a relentless stream of notifications—board members demanding answers, legal advisors scrambling to assess the damage, and news outlets sniffing blood in the water.

The breach hit harder than I expected. Sensitive financial data from Kane Enterprises—accounts, transactions, internal memos—has been leaked. Worse, it’s been manipulated to make me look like the center of a fraudulent scheme. Offshore accounts. Misappropriated funds. Bribes to government officials.

It’s a calculated strike, designed to ruin me in every conceivable way.

“Mr. Kane,” Adrian’s voice slices through the fog of my thoughts as he enters the office, his expression grim. “The press is alreadyrunning with it. Three major outlets are citing anonymous sources claiming the data implicates you directly.”

I rake a hand through my hair, the pressure in my chest building. “Of course, they are. That’s exactly what the bastards want.”

“There’s more,” Adrian says, hesitating for a fraction of a second. “The timing of the leak—it coincides with the pre-launch of our new security software.”

I freeze, my mind racing. The software has been in development for years, a project meant to revolutionize corporate cybersecurity. Its success would solidify Kane Enterprises as an unshakable force in the tech world. But now, with my reputation under attack, the product is dead in the water.

“They’ve been planning this for months,” I mutter, pacing the length of my office. “Every move calculated, every piece of this designed to dismantle everything we’ve built.”

Adrian nods grimly. “It’s not just about the company anymore. This is personal.”

Before I can respond, the door swings open, and Eva strides in. Her expression is a mix of determination and fire, and she doesn’t even bother with pleasantries as she drops a stack of printed pages onto my desk.

“I found something,” she announces.

I glance at the papers, my patience already fraying. “I’m in the middle of something, Eva.”

“This is about the breach,” she says, undeterred. “I’ve been digging into the timing, and it’s not a coincidence. They dropped this data right before your product launch for a reason.”

Her words hit like a gut punch, but I don’t let it show. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying they wanted maximum impact,” she continues, her green eyes blazing with urgency. “This wasn’t just about sabotaging your reputation—it was about killing your product before it even had a chance. If they can make you look corrupt, no one will trust your software to protect their data.”

Her insight is sharp, too sharp, cutting through the haze of my anger like a scalpel. She’s right, and I hate that I didn’t see it myself.

“What do you propose I do about it?” I snap, my voice harsher than I intend. “You think pointing out the obvious is going to fix this?”

She flinches but doesn’t back down. “I’m trying to help you, Dominic. You’re not the only one with something to lose here.”

Her defiance draws me in despite myself. “You think you understand what’s at stake? You have no idea what it’s like to have an empire on the line, to know that one wrong move could destroy everything you’ve built.”

Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t lash out. Instead, her voice steadies, and she squares her shoulders. “You’re right—I don’t have an empire. But I know what it’s like to fight for survival, to claw my way back from nothing. And I’m not about to let some hacker take that away from me again.”

The weight of her words settles over the room, sharp and unrelenting. She’s right—this isn’t just my battle anymore. It’s hers too.

Before I can respond, Adrian’s phone buzzes. He answers quickly, his expression shifting as he listens. “What? When?” His eyes dart to me, urgency etched into his features. “Understood. We’ll handle it.”

He ends the call and turns to me, his face grim. “The hacker’s expanded the attack.”

“What do you mean?” I demand.

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