The morning after the storm that Aria had set into motion, her office was buzzing with activity. The media frenzy had already begun, and while it was true that Logan's financial ties to Whitmore were exposed, it wasn't enough. Not yet. Logan Hale had a way of wriggling out of these things, using his charm, his network, his carefully crafted image. Aria knew that.
She was sitting at her desk, going over the latest developments, when Julie entered the room with a fresh stack of reports. Her expression was cautious, but she held the papers with purpose.
"We've been digging into Logan's other ventures. There's more beneath the surface than anyone knows," Julie said, setting the reports down with a deliberate thud. "This isn't about Whitmore anymore."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "What do you have?"
Julie hesitated, flipping through the papers before looking up. "It seems Logan's involvement with some high-profile, off-the-record ventures goes deeper than we thought. He's been secretly funding—well, let's just say—some very... controversial projects. The kind of projects that would make even the most seasoned investors raise an eyebrow."
Aria leaned forward, her interest piqued. "Tell me everything."
Julie didn't hold back. "Logan's name has been linked to a series of private investments in companies that are not only under investigation for environmental violations but also for unethical labor practices. These aren't just small-time operations—these are multi-million-dollar projects with global implications. But he's been keeping everything under the radar, using shell companies to launder the investments and keep his involvement hidden."
Aria's lips curled into a slow, calculating smile. This was it—the Achilles' heel she'd been looking for. Not just the typical financial scandal, but something much darker.
"Where do we start?"
Julie already had a plan in mind. "We have proof of Logan's connections to at least three of these companies. If we release the documents showing his investments in these environmental disasters and human rights violations, it will not only ruin his image—it will cripple his ability to recover. No one will want to back him after that."
Aria stood up, walking over to the window and looking out at the city below. "The media may be focused on the financial scandal, but this—this will change everything. This won't just be a hit to his reputation. This will expose him for who he truly is."
Julie nodded. "Exactly. We'll make sure it's impossible for him to escape this one."
Aria turned back, her eyes hard with determination. "I want it all out there—every detail. No stone left unturned. If Logan wants to fight dirty, he won't know what hit him."
As the day wore on, Aria's team worked relentlessly. They dug through more and more of Logan's financial records, cross-referencing data, finding more links to shady investments, environmental disasters, and workers exploited in the name of profit. But what caught Aria's attention was something that could destroy Logan more effectively than anything else.
Logan's name was tied to a secretive construction project in a remote part of the world. The project was supposed to be a 'clean energy' initiative, but Aria's team uncovered that the project had been built on illegally seized land. Not only that, but local communities had been displaced, and the workers were subjected to horrific conditions. This wasn't just a corporate misstep—it was a full-blown human rights violation.
"This is the one," Aria murmured to herself, staring at the screen. "If we release this, it won't just be his financial empire that crumbles. It will be his entire image—everything he's built up. The investors won't just pull out; they'll sue him for every penny."
She turned to Julie, who was waiting for her command. "Prepare the package. We're going live in two hours."
----
Meanwhile, Logan was seated in his office, staring at his phone screen with growing frustration. The media was relentless, reporting on the latest round of allegations. He had spent the last few hours trying to keep damage control in place, but something about Aria's silence unnerved him. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
His phone buzzed. It was a message from one of his most trusted allies in the media.
"Logan, we've got a problem. It's bigger than we thought. There's a leak—someone's about to expose your involvement with the environmental projects in Africa. The ones that were supposed to be 'clean energy.' We're trying to contain it, but it's out of your control now."
Logan felt his blood run cold. The clean energy projects had always been his pride. He had invested millions in them, believing they would be his legacy. But now, they were going to be his downfall.
"No," Logan muttered, gripping the phone in his hand. "This can't happen."
He slammed the phone down on his desk, his mind racing. Aria had known about the project. She had found a way to expose it. And now, everything he had worked for was on the verge of collapsing.
But Logan Hale wasn't someone who crumbled easily. He immediately called his legal team and his media contacts. He had to stop this leak before it reached the public. If it went live, there would be no coming back from it.
----
Aria's finger hovered over the 'send' button. She was ready—everything was set. The leak had been timed perfectly, and the press had been prepped. She could already imagine the headlines:
*Logan Hale: Billionaire Investor Behind Unethical 'Clean Energy' Project In Africa.*
"Let's see how you handle this, Logan," she whispered to herself as she pressed the button.
The story broke within seconds. News outlets were scrambling to cover the explosive revelations. The details flooded social media, with footage of the workers, interviews from displaced locals, and reports from environmental experts condemning Logan's actions.
Logan's legal team was already in crisis mode, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
Aria stood up from her desk, watching the chaos unfold from her office window. She wasn't just playing the game anymore. She was the one in control.
And Logan Hale, for all his wealth and power, was about to learn the hard way that no one could escape the truth—especially when Aria Vance was the one pulling the strings.