Her phone vibrated again, the blue light of the screen catching my eye from across the small space.

Because of the angle of my bed, I could see the notifications clearly.

The messages were not coming from a bank or a corporate colleague.

They were coming from an encrypted application with a black and silver icon.

The sender’s name displayed on the lock screen was a name I recognized instantly: Edward Sterling.

Edward Sterling was the CEO of Sterling Holdings, the primary competitor of the Holloway Empire.

The preview of the message was brief, but the words burned themselves into my memory.

*”Is the freeze active? We are ready to move on the acquisition if his capital is locked.”*

My heart gave a sudden, violent thump, the monitor beside me accelerating its beep.

Vanessa reached down quickly and snatched her phone off the table, turning the screen away from me.

She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing as if trying to determine if I had seen.

I kept my face perfectly still, pretending to adjust my blanket with trembling hands.