The Contract Ex-Husband of Wealthy Widow

Chapter 22: The Counterattack

"This isn't just a plan, Elena. This is mass suicide!" Raka rubbed his jaw, which was still aching; the mark from Darma’s punch felt swollen.

The words spilled out, not from fear, but from being fed up with the risks they were facing. He stood in Elena’s safe room, staring at the digital map of the city projected onto the wall, where Chronos Holdings glowed bright red as their primary target. In the corner of the room, Elena’s phone blinked, showing a video call from Lena; her face looked serious, yet her eyes hinted at a strange cheerfulness.

"Darma knows who you are, Raka. We aren't hiding anymore. We’re going to draw them out of their nest, where the public eye can see them," Elena answered calmly, her voice remaining emotionless, but her gaze piercing. "And why should we die slowly in the shadows if we can go down while lighting up the entire city?"

Lena nodded from the phone screen. "Elena is right. Darma is a hunter who won't stop. He’s like a virus; if we don’t purge him from the system, he’ll infect everything. Including Julianna Vance." Her voice sounded soft, but there was a firmness there.

Hearing Julianna’s name, Raka’s heart fluttered. He felt a powerful surge of protectiveness. She couldn't become another victim. He wouldn't allow it.

"Fine, I agree we have to move forward," Raka said, his voice now steady. "But how are we going to expose them? The Architects won't just sit still. They’ll twist the facts and manipulate the media."

"That’s exactly what we want," Elena smiled thinly. "They’ll be forced to react, to make mistakes. Lena, explain what you have."

Lena shifted on the screen, highlighting several graphs and diagrams on the wall projection. "Chronos Holdings is Cerberus’s biggest facade. They use it to launder money, manipulate stocks, and most importantly, run Project Chimera." Her finger pointed to a complex graph. "The intel from your tap, Raka, is incredible. I found several major vulnerabilities in their security system—gaps they thought were closed."

"What gaps?" Raka asked, feeling the adrenaline begin to creep in. He was starting to think strategically, not just as a pawn.

"Chronos has a layered firewall system, but their internal archive system, where old reports are stored, has a very old and forgotten backdoor. I can get in there," Lena explained. "From there, I can access every Project Chimera report they’ve ever run, and the ones yet to come."

"Including the one about Julianna Vance?" Raka interrupted quickly.

"Of course," Lena nodded. "And more than that. I found several documents showing the Architects' methods for damage control. They’ll flood the media with fake news, target the personal weaknesses of whistleblowers, and use their legal power to silence anyone who speaks out."

"That’s disgusting," Raka snorted. "They even have protocols for that."

"Naturally," Elena replied. "They aren't amateurs. However, Lena has an idea of how we can turn that to our advantage."

Lena nodded, her expression shifting into a mischievous smile. "We’re going to use their own methods against them. We’re going to give the right investigative journalist—one who can’t be bought—information so detailed and verified that it will be impossible for the Architects to deny it."

"An investigative journalist?" Raka frowned. "Can’t they be bought too? Or threatened?"

"Not this one," Elena said, now looking at Raka. There was trust in her eyes. "Her name is Karina. She tried to expose the Architects years ago, before they became this powerful. She almost lost everything. But she’s resilient, and she hates them."

"She needs unassailable proof," Lena added. "The data from your tap, Raka, plus the log files I found in the Chronos archives, are enough for that. But it’s not enough to bring them down forever. We need something more personal, something that can shake the foundation of public trust."

"What is it?" Raka asked, feeling his heart rate quicken.

Lena projected a photo of Julianna Vance on the screen; her face looked serious during a press conference. "Julianna Vance. She is the next victim of Project Chimera. She is also a leader. If she is willing to speak, her testimony will be more powerful than thousands of digital documents."

Raka felt his stomach churn. Asking Julianna to testify publicly? That would put her in unimaginable danger. Darma would come for her, and perhaps she wouldn't be as lucky as Raka was when Lena saved him.

"That’s too dangerous for Julianna," Raka exclaimed, his voice full of concern. "She’s already faced enough. We can’t ask her to risk her life."

Lena smiled thinly on the screen. "You care about her, Raka? Interesting. But sometimes, being a victim is the only way to become a hero. We won’t force her. We’ll give her a choice. A choice to fight, or to be destroyed."

Elena stepped closer, touching Raka’s arm. Her touch was cold, yet gentle. "Raka, I know you care. But the Architects won't stop at one victim. Julianna will still be destroyed, even if we don’t involve her. The question is, will she be destroyed in silence, or will she go down while taking the Architects with her?"

Raka looked at Elena, then at Lena’s face on the screen, then back at Julianna’s photo. What should I do? The moral weight crushed him. He liked Julianna. More than just the mission. There was an undeniable attraction to that brilliant woman. Making Julianna bait, even with a choice, felt like a betrayal. However, Elena was right; Julianna was already a target. If he did nothing, Julianna would be destroyed anyway.

"How if Darma intercepts our attempt?" Raka asked, his voice low. "He knows I’m after Julianna."

"Lena will handle Darma’s surveillance network. She’ll keep us hidden, or at least buy us time," Elena explained. "And Lena will also ensure that this journalist is safe. She has a small team on the ground, like digital spies."

"I’ve already set up a secure communication channel for Karina. Once we send the data, we can’t take it back," Lena said, her tone firm. "This is the final act. There is no turning back."

Raka stared at the data on the screen, then at Elena. This was crazy. Yet, in the midst of that madness, there was a terrifying sense of clarity. This was the only way. He couldn't back down. For Bianca, for Mrs. Anya, and for Julianna. He had to end the Architects' game.

"Alright," Raka exhaled deeply, "let’s do this. But I want Julianna to have a choice, Elena. A real choice."

"Of course," Elena nodded. "I’ll contact her after we send the initial data to Karina. We’ll give her the undeniable proof, and then we’ll give her the choice to join us or remain in danger."

"This is going to be a massive mess," Lena said, a strange excitement in her voice. "The world is going to turn upside down."

"And the Architects will emerge from the shadows," Elena added. "They will be furious."

Raka looked out the window at the city that was still asleep. He imagined the chaos that would ensue: the media storm, the fall of Chronos Holdings, and the terrified Architects. He imagined Darma, with a burning rage, hunting them down. But he also imagined Julianna Vance, her sharp eyes full of determination, standing beside him, facing the Architects. It was an image that made him feel a strange surge between fear and hope.

"Raka, I’ve prepared the final draft message for Karina. Once you click send, there’s no going back," Lena said, her voice now sounding more serious. "Are you ready?"

Raka looked at Lena on the screen, then at Elena beside him. He could feel their determination, their grudges, and their hope. He was a part of this, a part of something bigger than himself. I’m ready. I’ve been a pawn for far too long.

He took his burner phone, opened the secure messaging app, and saw the draft message Lena had prepared. It was a digital time bomb, containing all the evidence regarding Chronos Holdings, the Cerberus Initiative, and Project Chimera. His fingers hovered over the send button, feeling the weight of this decision. This was no longer just about himself. This was for all of them.

Raka pressed the send button.

The phone screen flickered, showing the message had been sent. A silence blanketed the room, broken only by the soft hum of the AC. Their world had just changed. Raka closed his eyes, feeling a cold shiver down his spine. Darma, the Architects—they would all know. The game had changed. From the shadows to the light. From defense to attack. But the biggest question was, how would the Architects retaliate against this sudden strike? And more personally, would Julianna accept the fate he had just offered her?