Nobela ni Tamara Knox

ARIANAI answer the call. "Alaric.""Ariana." His voice is calm and precise. "I have the date for the settlement conference."My stomach tightens for an entirely different reason. I reach for a pen. "When?""Thursday morning, ten o'clock."I write it down. "Both sides?""Both parties and counsel." He confirms.I exhale slowly. "All right.""There is one more thing." He hesitates.I stop writing. "What?""Maxwell's counsel confirmed that he wants to participate personally."Of course he does. "Anything else?""Not from them, but I recommend that you don't discuss the substance of the case outside counsel.""I wasn't planning to," I assure him."Good." I hear him exhale on the other end.We exchange brief goodbyes, and I put the phone down. It rings again almost immediately, and this time the name on the screen makes me go still. It’s Maxwell.For a moment, I consider letting it ring. Then I answer. "Hello.""Hi." His voice is strangely casual. "How are you?"I almost laugh. "You served

ARIANAFor the next two days, Chris and I go through everything, and I mean everything. The contractor exists, the company is registered, the invoices are legitimate, and the work listed on them was actually performed. The payments went through the proper accounts. Nothing screams fraud, theft, or anything irregular at all, and that's exactly what bothers me.I sit across from Chris in my study, staring at three folders spread across my desk, and papers scattered on the floor. "This makes no sense."Chris rubs a hand over his face. "I know." Exhaustion and worry in his voice."You said you found the source."I look at him with irritation."I thought I did," he admits, giving me an apologetic look. "I found the point where the money starts behaving strangely, but I didn't realize how carefully it had been buried."I lean back. "Show me."Chris pulls his laptop closer and turns it toward me. "There." I see a series of transactions appear on the screen. "The contractor receives payment

ARIANAShe takes a big gulp of her coffee. "I need the distraction, plus he pays surprisingly well, with benefits."Her last word causes me to raise my brows. "That's exactly what worries me." I stare at Victor.Victor ignores us entirely, or pretends to, as he busies himself with the documents in front of him.Selene takes another sip. "I like working for him.""I imagine you would." The words come out sharper than I meant."He doesn't waste time." Selene smiles, her eyes holding my gaze without blinking."No." I glance toward Victor. "He prefers to waste other people's time."Victor doesn't even blink. "I heard that.""I intended you to." My gaze returns to Selene.The corner of Selene's mouth twitches as she studies me for a second. "So... you look tired."I stiffen. "I'm fine." Her remark feels unexpected."You look like someone who hasn't slept." She probes."I've been busy." My brain is wondering why she’s sounding familiar all of a sudden."So has everyone in the city." She say

ARIANAThere's a brief pause. "Regarding Mr. Cox?" His assistant asks."Yes. I want confirmation of where he is, who he's met, and whether there have been any incidents since he arrived.""I'll begin immediately.""Report directly to me.""Understood." He turns and leaves.And just like that, with no drama and no wasted motion, my Durrell problem is handed to someone capable of solving it. This somehow eases the tightness in my chest. "Thank you."He picks his coffee back up, unmoved by the gratitude. "Don't thank me yet.""You think they'll find him?" I ask, needing the reassurance more than the answer."I think if anyone in Donderdam knows where he is, someone I know knows someone who knows them."That's the closest Victor has ever come to admitting the reach of his network, and somehow, it's oddly comforting."I'll let you know the moment I hear anything."I nod. "I appreciate it."He looks at me over the rim of his cup, something almost paternal crossing his face. "In the meantime

ARIANAA knot begins tightening somewhere beneath my ribs, and before I can talk myself out of it, I'm scrolling until I find Victor's number.He answers on the second ring. "Ariana.""Are you busy?" I skip the greeting.There's a brief silence, then I hear him exhale on the other end. "That depends.""I'd like to see you.""What happened?" His voice stays flat, but I catch the slight pause before the question, like he's already running through possibilities in his head."I'll explain when I get there."Another pause, longer this time, as if he's weighing something before he answers. "I'm not at the office.""I guessed.""I'm at the penthouse." A beat passes. "I'll tell security you're expected."The line disconnects before I can respond.I set the phone down beside me and look through the windshield, my hand still gripping the wheel tighter than necessary. Three days without hearing from Durrell. Maybe it's nothing, but the quiet feels wrong, and I've learned not to ignore the thing

ARIANAIt's been three days since I last heard from Durrell.My last message to him was delivered but not read. I didn't think much of it at first. Yesterday was swallowed by meetings with Chris, another contractor problem at the Wolves, and two conference calls with Alaric's office over Maxwell's petition.By the time I got home, my head was pounding. I took another pill, ate half my dinner, and fell asleep before I could check my phone again.When I finally wake, sunlight is already pouring through the curtains. I reach for my phone on instinct.10:17 a.m.Too late. I groan and drag myself off the bed. Mrs. P must have taken the twins downstairs hours ago.My heart sinks before I even unlock the screen. No missed calls, and no new messages. My message is still sitting there, unread.For the first time since Durrell left, unease settles properly in my chest. It's not fear. It's just a feeling that something is wrong.Durrell isn't the kind of man who disappears. If he can't talk, he