THE HEIRESS VOW - Chapter 56

The Mole Revealed
The command center buzzed with frantic energy as Ava paced, her mind racing through the possible suspects. The screens around her flashed with data from their various international locations, but her focus was on identifying the mole.

“Team, we need to narrow down the list,” Ava said, her voice cutting through the noise. “Cross-reference all personnel with access to the compromised data. We can’t miss anything.”

Liam stood by her side, his expression mirroring her determination. “I’ve got the logs from the past month,” he said, tapping away at his laptop. “Let’s start there.”

Ava glanced at him, her trust in him unshaken despite the tension. “Keep me updated. We can’t afford any more slip-ups.”

As Liam worked, Ava’s thoughts drifted to the people she trusted most. Her team was like family to her, and the idea of betrayal gnawed at her. She pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. There would be time for emotions later.

Suddenly, Liam’s phone buzzed. He picked it up, his face tightening as he read the message. “Ava, we need to talk. Privately.”

Ava’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it, Liam?”

Liam led her to a quieter corner of the room, his voice low. “I think I’ve found something. There’s a pattern in the data logs. It points to someone we wouldn’t suspect.”

Ava’s stomach churned. “Who?”

Liam hesitated, then handed her the phone. “It’s Eric.”

Ava stared at the screen, disbelief washing over her. “Eric? Are you sure?”

“The data doesn’t lie,” Liam said softly. “He’s been accessing restricted files and communicating with outside parties.”

Ava’s mind raced. Eric had been a trusted ally, someone she relied on. The betrayal cut deep. “We need to confront him.”

Eric’s shoulders slumped, his eyes filled with guilt. “They threatened my family. I didn’t have a choice.”

Ava’s anger flared. “You should have come to me. We could have helped you.”

“I was scared,” Eric admitted. “They knew everything about me, my family. I thought I could handle it on my own.”

Ava shook her head, her disappointment palpable. “You’ve jeopardized everything we’ve worked for. Do you realize the damage you’ve done?”

Eric’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Ava. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”

Ava’s voice softened slightly. “We need to contain the situation. You’re coming with me. We’ll figure out a way to fix this.”

As Ava led Eric out, Liam approached, his eyes scanning Eric with a mix of anger and pity. “What now?”

“We isolate him,” Ava said firmly. “He can’t do any more damage.”

But as they moved to secure Eric, an alarm blared through the estate. Ava’s heart raced as she turned to the nearest monitor. A catastrophic event was unfolding at one of their key locations.

“Liam, what’s happening?” Ava shouted over the chaos.

Liam’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “It’s an attack. They’ve breached our defenses in New York. The timing—this can’t be a coincidence.”

Ava’s mind spun. Eric’s betrayal had set off a chain reaction. “We need to mobilize all our resources. Get everyone on high alert.”

As the team scrambled to respond, Ava felt a heavy weight settle on her shoulders. The mole’s last act had put them all in danger, and now they were racing against time to contain the fallout.

Liam nodded. “But we have to be careful. If he realizes we’re onto him, he could do more damage.”

Ava took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I’ll handle it. Get the team ready for anything. We don’t know what he’s capable of.”

Ava found Eric in the main hall, his eyes glued to a monitor. “Eric, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Eric looked up, surprise flickering in his eyes. “Of course, Ava. What’s up?”

Ava led him to a side room, her heart pounding. She turned to face him, her expression hardening. “Eric, we’ve discovered some troubling information. You’ve been accessing restricted files and communicating with outside parties. Care to explain?”

Eric’s face paled, but he quickly masked his shock. “Ava, you must be mistaken. I would never—”

“Don’t lie to me, Eric,” Ava interrupted, her voice cold. “We have the evidence. Why did you do it?”

“Liam, get me a secure line to New York,” Ava commanded. “We need to coordinate our response.”

Liam nodded, quickly patching her through. “You’re on, Ava.”

Ava took a deep breath, steadying herself. “This is Ava. What’s the situation on the ground?”

The voice on the other end crackled with tension. “We’ve been hit hard. They knew exactly where to strike. We’re trying to hold them off, but we need reinforcements.”

“Hold your position,” Ava instructed. “We’re sending support. Stay strong.”

As the call ended, Ava turned to her team. “We need to split our focus. Secure all locations and ensure our communications are locked down. We can’t let them gain any more ground.”

Liam stepped closer, his voice low. “Ava, we need to talk about the mole. Eric isn’t the only one. There’s someone else feeding them information.”

Ava’s eyes widened. “Who?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Liam admitted. “But I’ve found traces of another infiltrator. We need to root them out before it’s too late.”

Ava’s mind whirled with the implications. “Double-check all personnel. Look for anything suspicious. We can’t afford any more betrayals.”

As Liam moved to carry out her orders, Ava felt a pang of sorrow. Trust had been a cornerstone of their team, and now it was shattered. She couldn’t let this destroy them.

Hours passed in a blur of frantic activity. Reports came in from around the globe, each one a mix of successes and setbacks. Ava coordinated the efforts with precision, her voice steady and authoritative. But beneath the surface, anxiety churned. The threat was immense, and the mole within their ranks added a layer of complexity she hadn’t anticipated.

“Liam, status update,” Ava demanded, her eyes fixed on the main screen.

“We’ve fortified our positions, but we’re stretched thin,” Liam replied. “And I’ve found more evidence of the second mole. It’s someone close.”