Max's small apartment felt alien, claustrophobic—walls pressing in with every breath. He slumped into the worn leather couch, burying his face in his hands, replaying the humiliating scene over and over. The city lights flickered outside the window, indifferent to his crisis.
Hours passed in bitter silence before a sharp knock startled him from his misery. Max dragged himself to the door, half-expecting the police or a process server. Instead, he found Ellie, her expression a mix of worry and urgency.
"Ellie… what are you doing here?" he muttered, stepping aside to let her in.
She hurried inside, shutting the door quickly behind her. "Max, listen to me. You were set up. I've been digging around since you left, and something doesn't add up."
He blinked at her, exhaustion and despair clouding his thoughts. "Set up? By whom? Gregory?"
"Maybe, or someone higher," Ellie said, pulling out a thumb drive. "I pulled transaction logs from our servers before security locked everything down. These trades—they have timestamps and markers that don't match your usual patterns."
Max's heartbeat quickened, his eyes widening as he grasped the drive tightly. "You took a huge risk coming here, Ellie."
She shrugged, a determined glint in her eyes. "I won't let them destroy you. We built something amazing together. I know you're innocent."
Max moved swiftly to his desk, plugging the drive into his laptop. Data streamed across the screen, numbers and symbols aligning into a sinister pattern. Ellie stood quietly beside him, anxiously biting her lip.
"These aren't just random trades—they're strategic, calculated to appear sloppy enough to implicate me," Max observed. His anger ignited, sharp and purposeful. "Someone used my algorithm against me, exploiting vulnerabilities only a handful of people knew existed."
Ellie hesitated, her voice soft. "Who could've done it? Who would even know how?"
"Gregory, Samantha, maybe someone higher," Max growled. "This reeks of upper management. They're using me as their scapegoat."
"What will you do?" Ellie asked, uncertainty flickering across her face.
Max straightened, fire blazing in his eyes. "First, clear my name. Then, I make them pay."
Ellie exhaled slowly, nodding with newfound conviction. "I'm with you, whatever it takes."
For the first time since the disaster unfolded, hope and purpose returned to Max. He knew it wouldn't be easy; the enemies were powerful, ruthless. But with the truth on his side, he could face any challenge.
"It's time they see what happens when they cross me," Max said quietly, determination hardening his voice. The city outside, once indifferent, now seemed to pulse with anticipation, echoing his silent vow for justice.