CHAPTER 13
Amara’s POV
The line went dead before I could say more. I threw the phone onto the desk, and faced the computer again, trying whatever I could to break through.
The knock on my door took my attention, and before I could respond, Matteo stepped inside.
“How was it?” he asked, his eyes
immediately landing on the frozen screen.
I exhaled sharply. “I’ve been locked out of the Syndicate‘ s database. They noticed my activity and blocked my access.”
Matteo’s dark brows furrowed as he stepped closer, and scanned the error message. “Blocked? By whom?”
“Luca,” I replied bitterly. My fingers flew over the keyboard, trying another backdoor access point.
30% 12:24
1/4
CHAPTER 13
“Can you bypass it?” Matteo asked, his arms crossed as he observed me.
“I’m trying,” I snapped as frustration bled into my voice. “Just… let me focus.‘
Matteo wasn’t the type to hover, yet I felt his presence looming behind me, watching my every move. My fingers danced over the keyboard, entering commands and rerouting through alternate servers I knew from my time as Donna. But with every attempt, the system shut me out further.
“Damn it!” I hissed, slamming my palms against the desk.
“You‘ re skilled,” Matteo remarked evenly. “But this isn’t your area of expertise.”
“I don’t need your critique right now,” I bit back, glaring at him. “I know what I’m doing.
“Do you?” he countered. “Because from where I’m standing, you are wasting time trying to fight a system you can’t beat
30% 12 24
12-24
214
CHAPTER 13
alone.”
He was right, but I refused to acknowledge. it. “I’ve dealt with this before, Matteo. I know their systems. I’ll get through.”
He shook his head, stepping closer.
“You‘ re being stubborn. Let me call in my I.T. team. They can hack into whatever firewall Luca’s put up and-”
“No,” I interrupted sharply.
His brows lifted, surprised by my defiance.
“This is personal,” I said firmly. “I don’t want anyone else involved. I don’t trust anyone else to handle this.”
Matteo studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “Your pride is going to cost us time, Amara.”
“I don’t care,” I shot back. “I‘ ll
handle it.”
He did not argue further, though his disapproval was evident in the way his jaw clenched. Instead, he stepped back, giving
30% 12:24
3/4
CHAPTER 13
alone.”
He was right, but I refused to acknowledge it. “I’ve dealt with this before, Matteo. I know their systems. I’ll get through.”
He shook his head, stepping closer.
“You‘ re being stubborn. Let me call in my I.T. team. They can hack into whatever firewall Luca’s put up and-”
“No,” I interrupted sharply.
His brows lifted, surprised by my defiance.
“This is personal,” I said firmly. “I don’t want anyone else involved. I don‘ t trust anyone else to handle this.”
Matteo studied me for a long moment, hist expression unreadable. “Your pride is going to cost us time, Amara.”
“I don’t care,” I shot back. “I‘ 11 handle it.”
He did not argue further, though his disapproval was evident in the way his jaw clenched. Instead, he stepped back, giving,
30% 12:24
3/4
CHAPTER 13
me space.
I refocused on the screen, pulling up another program. If I couldn’t brute force.
my way in, I would have to get creative. I accessed an old software tool, one that skirted the line between legal and illegal,
and began running a series of tests to probe the defenses.
Minutes turned into hours as I fought against the system‘ s barriers. My palms. were sweaty, my head pounding from the strain of concentration. Matteo had left the room at some point, and when the screen flashed another denial, I let out a frustrated groan, gripping the mouse too tight that it tempted me to smash it against the wall.
Matteo returned and saw my frustration.
He pulled out his phone and typed something quickly as he spoke. “I’ll have my team on standby. When you‘ re ready to admit you need help, you know where to find me.”
