Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 431: Chapter 431

"I thought that's what we were doing." Zoe settled into the couch like she owned the place.
Lance tried to play it cool with a nervous laugh. "Negotiating's just how business works, right? Nothing personal."
"Your brains on that wall, or you work for free. Choose," Zoe said, cold as winter but with murder in her eyes.
Lance's face twitched. He knew a death threat when he heard one. "Free work sounds perfect."
'Can't spend money if I'm dead,' he thought.
An invitation wasn't enough for Zoe and Shawn to get into that auction. They were ghosts, nobodies. They needed to make a splash, to build a reputation that would precede them.
Zoe's new mission for Lance was simple: build them a legend. He had one night to make them famous.
For a man like Lance, it was a simple task. His casino was the perfect stage. And by the end of the night, his casino was the talk of the entire criminal underworld.
Zoe cracked her eyes open to see gray dawn light creeping through the windows. Sun wasn't even up yet, but she was wide awake. She grabbed her phone and answered the call.
"Boss, caught the whole show." Medusa's voice crackled through the phone. "You and Shawn... Are you planning to take on the entire Merilunian underworld by yourselves?"
Zoe rubbed her temples. 'Are we that obvious?' she thought.
Zoe's silence just made Medusa more sure of herself. "Boss," Medusa pressed, "give me the green light. We'll bring the whole army and burn that whole rotten kingdom to the ground. You shouldn't have to get your own hands dirty."
Zoe knew Medusa wasn't bluffing, but going that route would be a bloodbath. It could probably spark some international incident.
That wasn't the goal. She wanted to take down the bad guys and save the innocents. And she definitely couldn't let anyone figure out who she really was.
"Sounds like you guys have too much free time on your hands," Zoe said. "I can fix that. I have a long-term assignment in mind. Some charmingly remote nation that could use your personal touch."
"Nope. We're good." Medusa backpedaled instantly. "Vacation is great. Seriously. But call if you need us.
"But if you need us, just call. Oh, and I sent you something. A little gift. Make sure you sign for it." The line went dead before Zoe could ask.
Zoe was still wondering what kind of gift Medusa had sent when someone knocked on her door. She opened it to find a bellhop with a box.
"Ms. Evans?" he asked politely. "Delivery for you."
'Oh, Medusa,' she thought, signing the tablet he offered. As the door clicked shut, Shawn rounded the corner, heading her way.
His gaze fell on the box. "A care package from a friend," Zoe explained before he could ask.
"Aren't you gonna open it and take a look?" Shawn suddenly got really curious about the package.
Zoe froze for a second. She thought, 'What if it's something that screams Firefox all over it? Medusa's a wild card—no way I'm risking it.'
"It's nothing," she said, forcing a casualness she didn't feel and tossing the package onto the bed. "Just some souvenirs from a friend."
The box hit with this dull, heavy thunk. Both their ears picked it up instantly. That wasn't the sound of souvenirs.
Pure instinct took over. Shawn moved without thinking, throwing a protective arm around Zoe and shoving them both toward the door.
A deafening explosion ripped through the room. Glass exploded everywhere, turning the place into a smoking crater.
But an explosion at a high-security building like the Universal Tower was more than just an attack. It was a declaration of war.
The boom sent panicked doors flying open up and down the corridor. The entire floor was exclusively occupied by the Clusian delegation.
They stumbled out to see Zoe's room spewing black smoke, faces twisted with guilt and suspicion. Some of them were plotting to kill her. And now, there was an explosion. The bomber was probably standing right there among them.