Mia walked into Ethan's office, her heart racing. Sophia gave her a reassuring smile and gestured for her to take a seat.
Ethan looked up from his desk, piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. "Mia. Thanks for coming."
Mia sat down, trying to compose herself. "What did you want to talk about?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair. "I wanted to discuss your... unique situation."
Mia's heart skipped a beat. Did he know about the texts? About Luna?
Ethan's expression turned thoughtful. "You're a brilliant journalist, Mia. I've seen your work. I'd like to offer you a... proposition."
Mia raised an eyebrow. "What kind of proposition?"
Ethan's eyes seemed to gleam with intrigue. "I want you to work on a special project for me. A story that could change everything."
Mia's curiosity piqued. "What kind of story?"
Ethan leaned forward, his voice low. "A story about Ryder Enterprises. Secrets, deals, the works. I want you to dig deep."
Mia's mind was racing. This was huge. "Why me?"
Ethan's smile was calculated. "You're the best, Mia. And I think you're hungry for a big break."
Mia hesitated, weighing the risks. What secrets was Ethan hiding? And what would she uncover?
Mia's hesitation hung in the air for a moment before she asked, "What's in it for me?"
Ethan's smile widened, confident. "A byline on the story. Exclusive access to Ryder Enterprises. And... a significant boost to your career."
Mia's eyes narrowed. "What's the catch?"
Ethan leaned back, steepling his fingers. "I'll give you full control over the story. But you have to promise me one thing: you can't stop until it's done."
Mia's heart was racing. This could be her big break... or a huge mistake
Mia leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's the story about, Ethan? What's really going on at Ryder?"
Ethan's gaze intensified. "That's for you to find out. Are you in?"
Mia's mind was spinning. She glanced around the sleek office, the city visible through the glass walls. This was her shot... but at what cost?
Mia's mind was a whirlwind of pros and cons as she weighed Ethan's offer. She thought about her student debt, her stagnant career, and the thrill of uncovering a real scoop. She glanced at Ethan, his piercing blue eyes seeming to bore into her soul.
"I'm listening," she said finally, her voice firm.
Ethan's smile was a slow, satisfied curve. "I knew you'd see things my way," he said, leaning forward. "Here's the deal. I want you to dig deep, find out what's really going on at Ryder Enterprises. I want to know about the deals, the players, the secrets. And I want it all, Mia. No holding back."
Mia's heart was racing, but she kept her cool. "That's a lot to ask. What's in it for you?"
Ethan's gaze never wavered. "Let's just say I have a... vested interest in seeing Ryder Enterprises taken down a peg. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen."
Mia's instincts were screaming at her. This was a huge story, maybe the biggest of her career. But was she willing to risk everything for it? She thought about Luna, about her mom, about her own doubts and fears.
"Okay," she said finally, the word tumbling out of her mouth like a confession. "I'm in."
Ethan's smile was a flash of triumph, but Mia barely noticed. She was already thinking about the next step, the next lead, the next question.
"Great," Ethan said, standing up. "I'll send over the files. Meet me at the usual place tomorrow night, 8 PM. Come alone."
Mia nodded, her mind racing. The usual place? What was that supposed to mean? And what had she just gotten herself into?
As she stood up to leave, Ethan's voice stopped her. "One more thing, Mia. Be careful. You're playing with fire here."
Mia's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't look back. She just nodded and walked out of the office, into the unknown.
Mia's phone buzzed in her pocket as she walked out of the office building. It was Luna. "Hey, what's up?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Just checking in," Luna said. "How was the meeting with Ethan?"
Mia hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "It's... complicated," she said finally. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow, okay?"
Luna's voice was laced with concern. "Be careful, Mia. You're getting in deep."
Mia smiled, feeling a rush of gratitude. "I will. Love you, Lu."
As she hung up, Mia's mind was racing. What had she just gotten herself into? And what secrets was Ethan hiding? The game was on, and Mia was all in.
Mia hailed a taxi and gave the driver her apartment address, her mind still reeling from the meeting with Ethan. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was in over her head. Ryder Enterprises was a massive conglomerate with connections to some of the most powerful people in the city. What secrets was Ethan hiding, and what had she just agreed to uncover?
As the taxi pulled up to her apartment building, Mia's phone buzzed again. This time it was an email from Ethan, with a single attachment labeled "Ryder Files". Mia's heart skipped a beat as she opened the email and downloaded the attachment.
The files were encrypted, but Ethan had included a password. Mia's fingers flew across her keyboard as she entered the password and unlocked the files. What she saw took her breath away – financial records, internal memos, emails... it was a treasure trove of information on Ryder Enterprises.
Mia's phone buzzed once more, a text from an unknown number. "Tomorrow night. Don't be late. And don't tell anyone." Mia's heart skipped a beat. Who was this? And how did they know about the meeting?
Suddenly, Mia's apartment felt too quiet, too dark. She got up and checked her locks, feeling a shiver run down her spine. What had she gotten herself into?
Mia's eyes scanned the dimly lit room, her senses on high alert. She quickly shut down the files on her laptop and grabbed her phone, wondering if she should call someone – Luna, maybe? But the text said "don't tell anyone". Who could she trust?
She paced around her small apartment, trying to process everything. Ryder Enterprises was huge; who would be sending her cryptic texts? And what did they want?
Mia's phone buzzed again. Same unknown number. "Look out your window."
Mia's heart raced. She slowly walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and looked out. A black car was parked across the street, engine running. The window rolled down, and a figure in a hoodie glanced up, locking eyes with Mia for a split second.
Mia's breath caught. What did they want?
The figure in the hoodie didn't linger. The window rolled back up, and the black car pulled away into the night, leaving Mia frozen at her window.
What was that? A warning? A message?
Mia's phone buzzed once more – same number. "Tomorrow night. The old warehouse on 5th and Main. Come alone."
Mia's mind was spinning. Who was orchestrating this? And what did they want with her? She thought back to Ethan's words: "Be careful. You're playing with fire."
Mia's instincts were screaming at her – danger, curiosity, excitement, all mixed up. She thought about ignoring the message, but her gut told her this was connected to Ryder Enterprises, to Ethan's offer.
She grabbed her phone and typed out a text to the unknown number. "Who is this? What do you want?"
The response came seconds later. "Tomorrow night. Warehouse. Come alone. Don't tell Ethan."
Mia's eyes narrowed. So this was about Ethan. About the story.