Narrator's POV
A cab pulled up in front of a bar, the door swinging open gently as a pair of slender legs emerged, revealing black high-heeled boots.
Sophie stepped out of the car, tightening her grip on her purse.
The cab sped off, and Sophie opened her purse, pulling out a piece of bubble gum which she popped into her mouth.
Striding confidently into the bar, she was met by a crowd of revelers, their chatter mingling with the clink of glasses.
Sophie paused, removed her dark shades, and scanned the room for her client.
Her phone beeped, and pulling it out, she saw a text from him.
"I'm at your 3 o'clock," the message read.
She looked in that direction and spotted a man seated apart from the crowd, his back to her. Despite the kaleidoscope of shifting lights, she could make out his shiny blonde hair.
Sophie strode over and slid into the seat beside him.
"Hope I'm not too late?" she said, flashing him a dazzling smile.
He barely glanced her way.
"You're the agent?" he asked, doubt lacing his voice.
"Wouldn't be any less right," Sophie replied, dropping her bag on the table.
She took a good look at him—and recognized him instantly. Alex Grey. The son, and allegedly the heir, to G Global Tech.
She smiled to herself. It wouldn't be the first time someone of his stature needed her services.
But they never came to meet her in person.
He didn't say anything at first. This time, he looked at her—really looked at her.
Of course, he hadn't expected "Agent" to be a woman, and certainly not someone so young.
Doubt crept across his face, a flicker in his eyes. He began to question his decision to hire her.
Sophie saw it all—clear as daylight—but she didn't say a word. No.
She believed in letting her work speak for itself. And she knew, without a shred of doubt, that before Alex Grey reached out to her, he must've heard the stories. Stories of how she delivers.
So she simply relaxed, chewing her strawberry-flavored bubble gum, watching him wrestle silently with his thoughts.
She glanced once at her watch—ticking.
Once his time was up, she'd leave. Appointment or not.
After a while, Alex exhaled, his shoulders loosening as tension eased from his frame.
"I'm Alex Grey, Vice Chairman of G Global Tech," he finally said, sliding a business card across the table.
But Sophie already knew exactly who he was.
"Well, you already know I'm Agent. Glad to meet you," she replied, flashing another smile.
"Agent," Alex repeated, almost to himself, as if turning the name over in his mind, wondering how someone could go with something so seemingly mundane.
"A drink wouldn't be so bad," Sophie said, glancing toward the bar.
"I'm not here to wine or dine," Alex replied curtly.
He pulled a photo from the inside of his jacket and placed it on the table. Sophie picked it up, studying the image of an imposing man with sharp green eyes and a rigid posture.
"That's your target. Ethan Petrov," Alex said, his voice low as he subtly scanned the room, ensuring no one was paying attention.
The name rang a bell, but the face didn't immediately click.
"He's the CEO of Petrov Innova—G Global Tech's biggest rival," Alex added.
Sophie instantly remembered where she'd heard the name—Ethan Petrov had been all over the news and social media the previous year.
Top pick for business magazines, interviews, headlines—his company was breaking records left and right.
Not that she particularly cared about all that.
She crossed her legs, eyes on the photo, wondering what exactly Alex wanted her to do to Ethan Petrov.
As if reading her thoughts, Alex continued.
"The job is straightforward. The state government is looking for a tech company to design a cutting-edge smart city infrastructure. Naturally, it's down to our two companies. I want you to dig up dirt on Ethan Petrov—something that'll knock him out of the race completely."
Sophie leaned back, a subtle spark in her eyes. Her blood hummed—this was the kind of job she lived for. A high-stakes war between two billionaires, and "she" would be the deciding factor.
She glanced at Ethan's photo again, a small smirk playing at her lips.
"Poor guy. If only he'd hired me first."
Now?
He was definitely not getting that contract—as far as Sophie was concerned.
Sophie shrugged. "Is that all?" she asked.
"Yes," Alex replied.
"Easy peasy," she thought. Digging up dirt on a billionaire? That was child's play for her.
"Consider it done," she said, grabbing her bag.
"So, what's the price?" Alex asked.
"I'll text you that later," she said casually, rising to her feet as her chair scraped softly against the tiled floor.
With a final smile, she slid the photo into her bag. Then, slipping her sunglasses back on, she turned and walked out of the bar. A few men turned to watch her, their expressions awestruck. She caught their eyes and flashed them a flirtatious smile as she passed.
Alex's gaze remained fixed on the spot where she'd just stood.
Her confidence was unmistakable—bordering on audacious—but that didn't ease the tension in his chest.
He wouldn't be able to relax until the job was done.
She had told him what she'd be wearing beforehand—that was the only reason he'd recognized her the moment she walked into the bar.
Alex beckoned to a waiter and ordered a whiskey on the rocks.
As he waited, his thoughts drifted.
"What exactly are you made of? Taking such foolish actions—how is the company supposed to recover from such a loss!"
His father's voice—Grey Miller—echoed in his head, harshly.
The memory from a week ago kept replaying like a bad loop he couldn't escape.
Alex had gone all in on a bold new project, ignoring the cautious advice from the board and even his father. It was supposed to be a game-changer.
But it had flopped. Badly.
The fallout had hit G Global Tech hard—financially and reputationally.
Grey Miller hadn't held back. He threatened to strip Alex of his position, even suggesting handing things over to his younger brother, Forger.
Alex had clenched his jaw so tightly then, it had nearly cracked.
That was when the smart city contract landed on the table. And he knew—this was his chance. His only chance.
To fix the damage.
To silence the critics.
To prove to his father he wasn't a failure.
And if it meant bringing down Petrov Inno
va in the process?
So be it.
He would burn it all if that's what it took to hold on to what was rightfully his.