Alina Carter was not the kind of girl who let strange things slide, either ignore them or accept them, but she wasn't doing anything like that. Not after everything she had gone through today. A random deliveryman showing up with a "lucky coupon" gift… A phone that didn't look like any phone she had ever seen in stores… If life wanted to play games with her, fine. But she wasn't going to play quietly, at least not now, not this time.
She stared at the mysterious new phone lying on her hand. The metallic shine, the weight, the engraved *A* at the back, everything about it screamed that it did not belong in her kind of world. Something inside her chest tightened.
After lots of research, turning the pages of magazines, watching the YouTube videos at 1.80x playback speed, scrolling down the whole Google, she finally found the name: AUREUM GRAND TECHNOLOGIES.
One of the richest, most secretive tech companies on Earth. A brand that didn't advertise. Didn't sell in stores. Didn't even exist for normal people. Her eyes widened. "What the hell…"
The website was minimal, featuring an all-black design with gold font and a single contact button. She checked her reflection on the blank TV screen across the room. Her cheeks were still blotchy from crying, her eyes swollen, and her hair uncombed.
"Not the face of a secret agent," she muttered.
But that didn't matter. Her anger, her exhaustion, her confusion, it all melted into one sharp instinct: Find out the truth. She inhaled deeply, wiped her palms on her jeans, squared her shoulders, and let her expression harden into something cold and controlled.
"Mission mode, Alina. Let's go." She pressed call. The line rang once, twice. Then:
"Thank you for calling AUREUM Grand Technologies. How may I assist you today?" a calm, professional male voice said.
Alina's spine straightened automatically. Her voice dropped an octave. Calm. Flat. Secretive.
"Listen, I need some information," Alina said, her tone serious and direct. "I am handling an undercover operation, and in it, I found something weird. It's regarding a compromised device your company delivered."
The representative hesitated. "…Pardon, ma'am?"
Alina didn't blink. "The last phone your company delivered was to a woman named Alina Carter." She paused just long enough to create tension. "My team has discovered something inside her unit that could be dangerous. We are investigating it right now."
A sharp inhale came through the speaker. Exactly what she wanted. "M–ma'am, our devices do not contain—"
"Stop." Her voice dropped into a deadly whisper.
"Do not lie to me."
The man went silent. Alina continued, leaning forward as if the person could see her seriousness through the phone.
"We found irregularity signatures inside the unit. This is a potential threat to a civilian's life. My job is to assess if this device was intentionally modified or if your company's manufacturing process has been compromised."
"M–ma'am… irregular— what—?"
"Do not repeat my words. Just listen." Her confidence shocked even herself. It felt natural, like she had slipped into a character she was born to play.
"I want to know how many clients have purchased this model just to check if it happened with everyone else"
The man coughed, stumbling.
"Ma'am, that information is highly con—"
"And so is mine," she cut in smoothly. "But here we are, talking." He was rattled. She could hear him shifting, typing nervously.
"Look," she said, tone low but firm. "Every second wasted puts a civilian at risk. This can reach the media. And if the media discovers that AUREUM Grand Technologies distributed a device capable of harming users—"
"Ma'am, no! No, please— there must be some misunderstanding—"
"Then cooperate."
He swallowed audibly. "Ma'am… may I ask how you know the last delivered unit was registered to… Ms Carter?"
Alina smirked. Perfect. "That information is classified," she said. "But the fact that you did not deny it confirms I am correct." The representative froze
"Now," Alina said, voice steady. "Tell me how many people have purchased the custom model with the initial engraving system."
"Ma'am… I… I need the serial number of the unit."
Alina grabbed the mysterious phone, turning it over. Her fingers trembled slightly, fear, adrenaline, or excitement, she didn't know, but her voice remained perfectly steady.
"Serial number: AGT-S09A-11XX."
There was a pause. A deep, heavy pause. Then—
"Ma'am…"
"Yes?"
"One moment… I will need to confirm this with upper management."
Her heartbeat stumbled. Upper management!? She froze for one second, her stomach dropping, fear prickling her skin. What if they traced her? What if they realised she wasn't an agent? What if someone came to her door?
Her foot tapped rapidly against the floor. Her throat felt dry. Her eyes kept darting toward the door, half expecting someone in a suit to burst in. But she forced a breath out. Straightened her back. Held her voice steady. This was a performance. Alina Carter could act when she needed to. She held her breath until the man returned.
"Ma'am? Are you still on the line?"
"Yes," she answered, voice ice-smooth with no hesitation. "Continue."
The representative exhaled shakily. "This unit… the one you just described… belongs to our *A-Series Supreme line*."
Alina's eyebrows rose slightly. Supreme? The man continued: "Only four clients in the entire world have ever purchased this device."
Alina blinked. "Four?" she repeated, staying in character.
"Y–yes. Only four devices were ordered. They are hand-made, hand-forged, and delivered privately under strict protocols."
She leaned back, processing. Four people on earth. And one of those phones was in her hand. Suspicious.
"Name and address." Her voice didn't shake.
"I'm sorry, ma'am… identities are strictly confidential"
"You have five seconds," she said slowly, each word sharp like a blade. "Before I report that AUREUM is distributing potentially harmful classified devices under civilian disguise."
"M–ma'am PLEASE—" She stayed silent. Let him panic.
"We cannot reveal names cause we don't have any data related to that, it's with the director, but… I can confirm the count… and one more detail."
"Speak," she commanded.
"We have produced *six phones* total."
Alina frowned. "You said four buyers."
"That's correct. The other two devices are… a couple of phones. Companion units. Ordered as sets. They are engraved with matching initials on the back."
Alina glanced at the shining *A* on her phone. Her pulse stumbled. "So… if a phone has an 'A' engraved… its partner phone would have the complementary initial?"
"Yes," he whispered. "If joined side-by-side, the initials form a complete name."
Her mind raced. A matching phone? A couple of phones? Someone out there had the second half to her *A*? Her heart pounded so loudly she could hear it in her ears. She forced her voice to remain flat.
"Fine. You've cooperated enough for now."
"Ma'am, if the device is truly compromised—"
"I'll contact you if I require further information."
She hung up. Not giving him another second. Not giving herself a second to think. She placed the phone down on the sofa and stared at it, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her acting had been perfect. Her tone was flawless. Her authority was convincing enough to shake a representative of a billion-dollar tech company.
She let her head fall back against the sofa. Then— A slow smile spread across her lips. A dangerous, excited, proud smile. Not because she had fooled them. But because she discovered the truth. A truth no ordinary girl should ever stumble into:
**Only four people on earth bought this phone.
And two of those four bought a couple of sets.**
Which meant...Somewhere out there, someone had the matching half of her phone. Someone who ordered the most expensive, custom-made phone in existence. Someone whose identity was hidden at a level she couldn't even peek into. Her breathing slowed as realisation hit her fully.
She looked at the golden *A* again. Her phone wasn't a mistake. Not a coupon. Not luck. Someone powerful, wealthy, and secretive had sent this to her. Someone she shouldn't be connected to. Her fingers brushed the engraved letter.
"A…" she whispered. A name that starts with A. Or a name that completes A. Whatever it was… It felt like she was holding something she wasn't meant to touch. But instead of fear… Something else rose inside her. A spark. A thrill. A boldness she didn't usually let out.
Today, after everything… She felt powerful. She felt dangerous. She felt capable of taking on the entire world. If someone wanted to play a mystery with her? Fine. She smirked the kind of smirk a detective gives right before breaking a case. "Game on."
She grabbed her purse, her eyes sharp, her mind running faster than her heartbeat. This wasn't over. This was only the beginning. And Alina Carter was ready for war.