The Contract Ex-Husband of Wealthy Widow

Chapter 18: Project Chimera

"Project Chimera. Target: Julianna Vance. We have to move fast," Raka sent the message to Elena, his fingers trembling over the burner phone. Every word felt like a dagger he was plunging into himself—not just into the Architects, but into his own heart. Did he really have to drag that woman into this hell?

A moment later, the phone rang, its harsh ringtone shattering the silence of the cold apartment. Elena. Her voice sounded like crushed gravel, devoid of emotion, yet carrying an unusual urgency. "I already know, Raka. Lena already reported it to me. This Project Chimera is indeed their latest move."

"Latest? What do you mean?" Raka snorted, standing up and pacing back and forth. "You’ve known all along that they don't just destroy individuals, but entire corporations, haven't you? Why didn't you ever tell me the true scale of their crimes?"

"I told you they control destinies, that they manipulate markets," Elena countered, her voice remaining flat. "What else did you expect? A PowerPoint presentation on human depravity? Raka, the Architects see the world as a giant chessboard. Individuals, assets, even a company the size of VanceTech—they are all just pawns they can sacrifice."

Raka felt his stomach churn. Pawns. That word always stung him. "But Julianna Vance isn't just some ordinary pawn, Elena. She’s a genius. She has a vision. They just want to plunder her innovation, don't they?"

"Exactly. They take over companies with massive potential, let others do the building, and then swoop in to take everything once it's ripe," Elena explained, a faint hint of bitterness in her tone. "It’s how they expand their empire without drawing too much attention. They make a company look like it’s collapsing naturally, then they swallow it whole."

Raka stopped in front of the window, staring out at the towering skyscrapers. What if Julianna was in one of those buildings right now, unaware of the abyss opening beneath her feet? Julianna’s face flashed in his mind: golden hair, sharp eyes full of curiosity, and that thin smile he once found charming. Now, that smile felt melancholic—a memory from a night at the gallery that felt like another life. I can't let her be destroyed.

"So, what’s our plan?" Raka asked, his voice now filled with determination. "We have to warn her. We have to stop this."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Warn her?" Elena scoffed. "Raka, the Architects aren't a street gang. They won't just back down because of an anonymous warning. They will strike back. And Julianna will become an even bigger target than before."

"I already know that," Raka shot back. The fear was still there, but anger had overtaken it. "I’ve seen Darma. I know what the risks are. But I can't just stand by. I’ve seen what happened to Bianca, to Mrs. Anya. I won't let that happen again."

"Listen, Raka," Elena’s voice was calmer now, as if trying to soothe a wild horse. "Your involvement with Julianna could jeopardize our entire operation. She isn't part of the network. She is the target. We have to be extremely careful."

"That’s exactly the point!" Raka exclaimed. "She is the target, Elena! An innocent person is going to be ruined. We have time, we have the data from the tap at Chronos, and we have the brilliant Lena behind the scenes. We can save her."

"You know, for a man who was so terrified at the start, you’ve grown to be quite reckless," Elena chuckled softly. There was a hint of dark humor in her voice, a tone that, for some reason, made Raka feel slightly at ease. The tension in his shoulders relaxed a fraction. She wasn't angry. That was progress, wasn't it?

"Reckless or not, it doesn't change the facts," Raka replied, trying to regain his professional tone. "VanceTech will be the next ruin. Julianna will be the next 'widow.' I can't let that happen."

"Alright, alright," Elena conceded with a slight sigh. "But we can't just walk in and say, 'Hey, Julianna, your company is about to be destroyed by a secret consortium that controls the world.' She’ll think you’re insane. Or a henchman for the Architects."

"So, what’s your idea?" Raka asked. He knew Elena must have already thought of something. The woman was always one step ahead.

"Julianna is a smart woman, Raka. She’s a visionary. There must be something that can move her," Elena began, her voice shifting back into analytical mode. "We can't just give her all that raw information at once. It’s too much. We have to give her clues. Something that will plant a seed of doubt, something that will make her find out for herself."

"What kind of clues?"

"She’s a CEO. She has an ego. She’s proud of her innovations. She knows her company is in trouble, doesn't she?" Elena asked. "She must be frustrated, wondering why all of this is happening when she knows her company's vision is strong. We have to give her a reason to believe there is something rotten behind it all."

"Are you saying we should bait her?"

"Exactly," Elena answered. "We have to make her come looking for us, Raka. Not the other way around."

Raka thought about Julianna. That woman wouldn't be easily fooled. She was surely surrounded by consultants and legal advisors. How could they penetrate all of that without being detected by Darma? He was surely watching Julianna too.

"What about Darma?" Raka asked, the image of the cold-faced man piercing his mind again. "He must be watching Julianna. If we approach her, Darma will know."

"That is the risk we have to take, Raka," Elena replied, her voice turning cold and uncompromising again. "But we have an advantage. They don't know how much we already know. They don't know about Ghost."

"Lena," Raka murmured. "She can help us here. She knows the digital loopholes."

"Of course," Elena agreed. "I’ll contact her. But this time, Raka, you are the one who has to approach Julianna. You’ve already spoken to her at the gallery. There was some kind of connection, wasn't there?"

Raka fell silent. A connection? Yes, there was something strange. A sincere conversation in the middle of a staged performance. A rare moment of humanity. Raka felt his heart race. Warning Julianna in person? That meant putting himself in far greater danger. But it also meant he could see her again. There was a strange urge he couldn't deny. A desire to protect, to be there.

"And you want me to... what? Give her a business card and say, 'I know the Architects are going to destroy you'?" Raka tried to find some humor, just a little, to ease the tension between them.

Elena let out a small laugh—a sound Raka rarely heard. It sounded like breaking glass, but also slightly... pleasant. "Very funny, Raka. No. We are going to plant a seed. Something that will nag at her mind, something that will keep her awake at night. Something that will move her heart, not just her logic."

"Her heart?" Raka repeated, feeling slightly confused.

"The Architects never understand the human heart, Raka. That is their weakness," Elena explained. "They see everything as numbers, as assets. We will use that. Julianna Vance—she has a passion for innovation. That can be her strength, or her weakness. We will plant doubt about her future, about her legacy."

Raka thought. The sensitive report Ms. Thorne was going to give him tomorrow morning. That could be an opportunity. Or a trap. But if it contained information about VanceTech, it could be a weapon.

"Ms. Thorne gave me an extra task for tomorrow," Raka told Elena. "A sensitive report. Eight in the morning at her office."

There was another brief pause. "Interesting," Elena said. "Perhaps the Architects are testing you. Or maybe they want you to find something they overlooked. Whatever it is, you must be ready. This could be your chance, Raka. A chance to get something more than just data. Something that could catch Julianna’s attention personally."

"Something personal?" Raka frowned. What else was Elena hiding?

"Yes," Elena replied. "Remember, Raka. Julianna won't save herself. She has to want to save herself and her company. We have to give her that push."

"I understand," Raka said, his voice heavy. He now felt the weight of the impending disaster truly resting on his shoulders. He didn't just have to save himself; he had to save Julianna. This was no longer just a mission; it was a race against time, against Darma, and against the Architects. He thought of Julianna’s thin smile at the gallery. She didn't deserve this.

"I’ll prepare everything for you. Lena will keep an eye on you. Remember, Raka. Every step you take matters," Elena said. "And be careful. Darma now knows you are more than just a compliant pawn. He is a hunter who will not stop."

The call disconnected. Raka stood in the middle of his apartment, feeling the cold pierce his bones. Julianna Vance. The name echoed in his mind, mixed with the image of Darma and Ms. Thorne’s cold smile. He had to save that woman. He didn't know how, but he knew he couldn't let history repeat itself. How do you make a brilliant, reclusive CEO believe in an invisible threat? Raka closed his eyes, thinking of Julianna’s face. There was something in her that made him want to believe, want to fight. He knew it was crazy, but he had to try.