Page 52 of Ruins
“Of course,” the man replies smoothly, unfazed. “The six of us will work overnight if we have to.”
“Even on weekends,” another man chimes in.
“What have you tried so far?” Santo presses.
“We’ve attempted brute-force attacks, decryption algorithms, even rainbow tables, but nothing is working. The encryption is rock solid,” the first man explains.
“An encryption?” I echo under my breath, recalling the cybersecurity training I had during my summers at NovaRael.
Santo is about to respond, but an idea forms in my mind, and before I can stop myself, the words slip out.
“Have you tried a social engineering approach?” I suggest. “Sometimes it’s easier to exploit human error than to crack the encryption directly.”
A brief silence falls over the room. Six pairs of eyes swivel toward me. I can feel Santo’s gaze settle on me, sharper than before.
I shift in my seat. “Or… what about a zero-day exploit?” I add quickly, my confidence faltering under the weight of their scrutiny. “There might be a vulnerability that hasn’t been patched.”
Another pause.
Slowly, I lift my eyes to meet Santo’s. His expression is inscrutable, his gaze lingering, assessing.
My pulse rises.
Chapter 12
Santo
Myfuturewifeisa brilliant enigma. I muse silently, watching Vasilisa command the room with an ease she doesn’t appear to know she has. She speaks, and every man at the table hangs onto her words, drawn in without even realizing it.
Her words ignite a hunger to know more about her.
And then, I feel it—that quiet hum in my chest. Not jealousy. Something deeper.Possessiveness.
Around the table, brows furrow, and lips part in astonishment, their eyes fixed on Vasilisa as if she holds the key to some profound mystery. One man leans forward, eyes lingering longer than necessary. My grip tightens on the armrest.
She fidgets with the hem of her skirt, unaware of the effect she has, not just on them, but on me.
Fire licks at my throat.
It’s not anger. Not yet. Just the simple need to remindeveryonewho she belongs to.
Vasilisa’s shoulders stiffen slightly under the weight of their gaze. I reach for her hand, brushing my thumb over her knuckles, a silent tether, pulling her back to me. A warning to them.
“I believe we have a new strategy, gentlemen.” My voice is smooth but cuts sharp through the murmurs. It carries just enough edge to remind them exactly who’s speaking.
Marcus shifts in his seat. “Yes, yes, of course.” He adjusts his glasses, clearing his throat.
Good.
“Thank you for your invaluable input,” I continue, casting a glance at Vasilisa. Amusement tugs at the corner of my mouth, but the flicker of pride outweighs it. “I’ll let you all get back to work.”
Rising, I pull out her chair. My hand rests lightly at the small of her back as we step into the hall.
“You were incredible in there,” I tell her sincerely as we make our way down the hallway to my office.
Vasilisa looks up at me, her doubt evident in her eyes. “I just said what came to mind,” she replies modestly.
“And that’s exactly what we needed,” I assure her, my pride evident in my voice. “I’m proud to have you, Vasilisa.”
