Ava's mind raced.
Zhao had locked Lucas in. Tied him down with a contract he couldn't break. But the Lucas Bai she knew wasn't the kind of man who let himself stay caged.
"So." Ava leaned forward, voice sharp. "What's the loophole?"
Lucas grinned. "Knew you'd ask."
He drummed his fingers against the table, thoughtful.
"See, the contract stops me from directly moving against Zhao. No feeding enemies intel, no sabotage projects, not plotting with underlings."
His golden eyes gleamed.
"But it says nothing about what happens when the system collapses on its own."
Ava stilled.
Lucas chuckled, voice smooth. "I don't need to break the bunker. I just need to be the last one standing when it breaks itself."
Ava clenched her jaw. "So you're waiting."
Lucas tilted his head. "Waiting. Watching. Taking what I can before the foundation cracks."
Ava exhaled. "And when it does?"
Lucas's smirk sharpened.
