Chapter 4

By then, the gossip around what had happened with the anonymous file had already spread through the industry.

The intelligence company tried to send its boss to my office to apologize.

I didn't see him.

Their panic wasn't my problem.

Later, a friend from inside that same firm called me, nearly in tears.

"You have no idea what kind of mess you made. Marcus Holt's side is trying to pay anything to make this disappear."

"Then let him come talk to me himself."

Not through assistants.

Not through money.

Him.

He sent his executive assistant in the end.

The message was polished, professional, and empty.

Marcus hoped to speak with me in person and explain the misunderstanding.

I replied with two words.

**Not available.**

When they tried again the following week, I had my own assistant respond.

**Miss Blake hopes Mr. Holt can learn to respect both commercial rules and her boundaries.**

After that, everything finally went quiet.

Too quiet, really.

I told myself I had won.

I had used his own methods against him and pinned him to the board.

So why did it feel like throwing a punch into cotton?

Like nothing had landed at all.