As the night grew quiet, Layla's mind raced inside the poorly-lit safe house. At this juncture, everything was ready for execution. She possessed enough evidence to blow open Kamal's empire and dismantle the Raven Project, Irfan's unwavering loyalty set her on one side, while unease settled over her like a heavy fog.
Aidan threw those plans out of the window. No matter what happened, she had to face him. Aidan was a secondary character in this tangled web of lies and betrayal, but not worthy enough to simply dismiss. His ties to Kamal, his puppet strings tied around her ankles, and his concealed motives... It was time to pull the curtains off.
She dressed to match the occasion. The final touches in the mirror revealed a woman in her modest but dark attire. Layla had always prepared for a fight, but this time felt different. Tonight, she was going head-to-head against Aidan, and she couldn't be sure whether this was Aidan's plan or Kamal's conquer.
"Don't worry, just stay calm," she muttered with a practiced voice to her reflection.
Irfan had already departed to attend to his part of the plan. Layla made sure he avoided Aidan and the confrontation altogether. She couldn't afford to escalate his perilous situation any further. This was her battle now.
As she exited the safe house, the bone-chilling air of the evening wrapped around her. Now, she was on her way to the pre-defined meeting point—a nondescript office tower in the city's heart. Outwardly, it appeared completely mundane, but inside lay the potential for a confrontation that, should it unfold, would alter every other's expectations. But Layla was acutely aware.
With each step through the faintly illuminated streets, she was reminded of everything that had transpired until this point in time. The myriad moments of misplaced faith in Aidan, the deceitful promises, the countless manipulations. The betrayed trust. And her stunning epiphany—the reality had dawned upon her where she was no more than an expendable piece on his chessboard. It's fair to say that now, she is no longer beholden to anyone's whims.
As the elevator doors opened, gentle chimes welcomed her. She felt a moment's pause that instantly weighed heavy on her chest. This was it. Now, she could confront the man who deceived her and used her for his selfish purposes. It wasn't just readiness for confrontation; she had every intention of making him pay for all of his actions.
Once she was done reflecting the doors opened to her next level. A sliding door revealed sanitised perfection and a palette of dark colors sprinkled with abstract art. The spiralling effect cast a soft warm glow onto stark cold lighting present creating a layer of warmth that turned the room into the perfect setting for shady deals.
Aidan was already there standing by the large window, his back turned towards her. Elapsed time seemed irrelevant, for every second felt like an eternity. His presence was nearly visceral and she felt like he was already face to face with her. When he turned around, for the first time out of all their meetings, she noted that there is no impenetrable wall of coldness that overshone his seriousness. She felt an impending sense of danger with currently lingering thickness in the air between the two.
"Aidan," Layla said, keeping her voice steady even as her heart raced. Expecting some form of anger, rage, even betrayal, she came across something puzzling; the amusement shimmering vibrantly in his eyes.
"They actually arrived," Aidan said with a soft chuckle, his voice darkly sarcastic. "I knew you would. You always believed you could outsmart me."
Layla remained unfazed. "I'm done with your games, Aidan. I'm here to finish this…"
Aidan raised an eyebrow in amusement and admiration. "You 'end' it? Layla, you're still not in control here. You never were."
Layla felt her temper rising. This was the last straw. "Aidan, I trusted and thought we were on the same side. But in the end, you just wanted power. You used me. You used my family."
He narrowed his gaze as he took a step forward. "You really think I was using you? Layla, you were never a victim. You always knew what you were getting into. I gave you the tools to take Kamal down. Do you really think you could've accomplished this without me?"
With each word, her breath grew heavy, shaking hands trembling beyond her control. "I didn't need you, Aidan. And I certainly don't need you now."
Aidan's laugh was bitter as he coldly responded, "Are you serious? Because Layer, right now, you're on your way to make the most regrettable decision ever."
Aidan's phone buzzed on the table and before she could respond, all eyes turned towards Aidan.
He looked at the screen and a brief wave of annoyance seemed to cross over his eyes.
"Those are Kamal's people," he said while turning away from her. Getting back to the matter at hand, he continued. "You wouldn't dare think I was unaware of the tricks you were trying to pull, did you? You really think you could just come here and usurp everything I have built?"
A cold feeling formed in Layla's stomach. "What do you mean? What have you done?"
"Oh, don't give me that look. That smug look on your face. The one that greatly annoys me no end." He chuckled. "I have a deep sense of admiration for your gullibility. Although, allow me to clear the air. Everything I just said, including this laugh, is completely true. You were never designed to take down Kamal by yourself. You've been walking directly into my trap. Everything you've put your mind to, every action you've done thus far, is my handiwork."
Realization struck like a bolt in the back of her mind. "You've been working with Kamal the entire time?"
Aidan lowered his voice but remained composed. "Not working with him, but I had an idea about his intentions. There was no way he could remain in the picture for you, so I used you to get rid of him. And now, you are the one poised to tumble."
Tears filled Layla's eyes as she clenched her fists in anger and disbelief. "I thought all along you told me a semi-truthful story. God I can't believe it. And you have been using me like a puppet throughout. You disguised yourself as an ally while it was simply a way to take advantage of my inexperience."
The man standing before her was unbearably overconfident. "This is an unfortunate turn of events but still you cannot shake the fact that this was bound to happen to you honestly. You just could not come to terms with reality and were always dispensable. Layla."
Without warning, Aidan revealed a gun stashed behind his waist and pointed the muzzle towards her head.
"I will give you one opportunity, Layla. Leave now and I will let you go. If you choose to stay… Intense speculation is welcome on the outcome of this."