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Chapter 7 - The Poisoned Trap

The trap sprang on a snowy Tuesday evening.

Dominic was stuck across town dealing with a sudden, violent turf war at the northern shipping docks—a coordinated attack on his freight lines that felt suspiciously well-informed.

Inside the penthouse, Layla sat reading a book by the fireplace in her suite. The wind howled outside the thick glass windows, rattling the high-rises along the river.

A soft knock sounded at her door.

“Come in,” Layla called out, assuming it was Maria, the elderly housekeeper who usually brought her evening tea.

The door clicked open. But it wasn't Maria.

A young male security guard whom Layla didn't recognize stepped into the room, keeping his head bowed. He carried a small silver tray holding a steaming mug and a sealed white envelope.

“Mrs. Gallow,” the guard said, his voice unusually strained. “Mr. Gallow asked me to deliver this urgent file and your evening tea. He said you need to read it immediately.”

Layla frowned, setting her book aside. “Dominic is across town. Why didn't he call me?”

“His phone battery died during the dock skirmish, ma'am. Please, just check the papers.”

The guard placed the tray on the side table and hurried out of the room before Layla could ask another question.

Uneasy, Layla picked up the envelope. She broke the wax seal and pulled out several sheets of paper.

As her eyes scanned the top page, the blood drained entirely from her face.

It was a detailed, highly confidential shipping manifest outlining the exact smuggling routes, illegal dock numbers, and financial wire transfers linked directly to Gallow Enterprise’s underground syndicates.

And right at the bottom, stamped with a forged signature, was a receipt of transfer to an offshore bank account bearing Layla Bennett’s name, along with a handwritten note addressed to the Russian syndicate: “Information delivered as requested. Half the payment received. Awaiting final transfer upon completion.”

Layla dropped the papers as if they were burning hot.

“No,” she whispered, backing away from the table. “This isn't mine. I didn't do this.”

Suddenly, the heavy oak double doors to her suite swung open with a violent crash.

Dominic stood in the doorway. His overcoat was soaked with melting snow, his tie ripped off, his face pale and dark with a rage so terrifying it made the air in the room freeze. Behind him stood four armed security men, their weapons holstered but their hands hovering close.

Dominic walked slowly into the room. His eyes weren't filled with love or concern anymore. They were cold, black, bottomless pits of betrayal.

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He looked down at the papers scattered across the floor, then raised his eyes to meet Layla’s terrified gaze.

“You,” Dominic whispered, his voice dangerously, unnervingly quiet. “All this time... you played me.”

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