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CHAPTER 28 - THE PHOTO AND THE MATCHA Sarah Velt headed out of Imani’s office with her bucket in one hand and her phone in the other — and the photos of the project on her phone. She had managed to take a picture of it. Two quick clicks while her back was turned to the door and thankfully, Imani didn’t notice it. She had it all. The credentials and the patent filing and it’s enough to sink Imani Tech, or enough to make herself valuable again. Her hands were shaking — not from guilt, from adrenaline. She tucked the phone into her apron pocket and pushed the mop bucket forward, trying to look normal, trying to look like someone who had done a great job That’s when Luke Anderson saw her coming out of Imani’s office. He was standing by the coffee machine, holding two lattes — one for him, one for Imani, the way he always did now, like a boyfriend, like glue — and he was shocked. “Sarah?” he said, his eyebrows shooting up. “Why are you— what are you doing coming out of Imani’s office? With a— with a mop?” Sarah froze for half a second, then recovered. Her face hardened. “None of your business, Luke,” she said, her voice low, so the assistants in the open space wouldn’t hear. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your mouth shut.” Luke frowned. “Keep my mouth shut about what? You’re not even supposed to be in there. After what you did to Imani! Are you trying to ruin hee??” Sarah stepped closer to him, so close he could smell the Windex on her hands. “So you’re supporting your Ex wife now? Why? Has her love finally gotten to you after all these years?” She asked but Luke face hardened. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Luke insisted. “I said keep your mouth shut, Luke,” she whispered, her eyes cold. “You’re already hanging by a thread in this company. Don’t make me cut it.” She walked away, pushing her bucket, leaving a wet trail on the expensive carpet. Luke stood at the door of Imani’s office, confused, holding the two lattes. He watched Sarah disappear into the service elevator, then looked down at Imani’s office — the door slightly ajar, Imani was already in. He looked at her hair flipping over her face, her plump lips painted in red looked so pretty from where he stood. For a second, Luke gushed over Imani. Then what Sarah said few minutes ago started to make sense to him. “Have I really come to love Imani?” He sighed and was about to walk in when a message popped into his phone. BUZZ. A text from a number saved as “T - Private.” He opened the message. The message said: T: Found it. House you asked about. 11 Walker St, Penthouse A. Tribeca. T: Owner: Killian Morgan. A tech guru. Below the text was a photo. A grainy security camera photo from Killian’s building lobby and he recognizes the coat…it was the one Imani wore to office that day he tracked her location. Luke’s hand tightened around the lattes. The paper cups crumpled. Hot coffee burned his fingers, but he didn’t feel it. “Killian’s,” he whispered to himself. “She was at Killian’s.” He muttered to himself. “Seems Killan is going to be an obstacle. He’s getting too much attention than me.” --- IMANI TECH LOBBY - 9:15 AM Roi Morgan was just entering the company when he bumped into someone. He was in his new navy suit, his new Imani Tech badge swinging — HEAD OF RESEARCH - ROI MORGAN — feeling good, feeling powerful, about to take his little brother’s girl and his little brother’s company in one move. He was looking at his phone, texting their father: I’m in. He wasn’t looking where he was going. The lady wasn’t looking either. She was carrying two iced matcha lattes in a cardboard holder, rushing toward the elevator, late for her own work as well. They collided full speed and boom, a SPLASH. Bright green matcha tea exploded all over Roi’s entire suit. All over his white shirt. All over his navy pants. All over his expensive new shoes. Roi got angry. His face twisted. “What the hell—!” he shouted, looking down at his ruined suit. “Are you blind? Do you know how much this suit costs? This is an expensive suit! A fucking Tom Ford!” He yelled. He looked at the person. A young lady in her 20s. Maybe 21, 22. Caramel skin, natural hair in a puff, wearing a blazer that was too big for her, holding a badge that said “IMANI TECH - EMILY.” Her own shirt was also stained green. Her eyes were wide, pleading with her eyes, her hands shaking. “I—I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, sir! I didn’t see you, I was— I’m so sorry, I’ll clean it, I’ll—” Roi rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to hear it. “Sorry doesn’t pay for Tom Ford, sweetheart,” he spat. “Watch where you’re going next time.” He walked away angrily, leaving her standing in the middle of the lobby. He walked into the restroom to cleanup. While he was walking out, he met the lady still standing outside. “I’m really sorry, please let me pay for your laundry,” She asked while Roi rolled his eyes. “No need. I didn’t need you to ruin my day again,” he said and was moving away when the lady grabbed his sleeve. “Allow me—” He yank his hands away making the lady fell to the floor, spraining her ankle. “Huh? EMILY???” Someone interrupted, they both turned and Imani appeared behind them.CHAPTER 34Killian drove them back home, the reporters were gone and no one was stalling in front of her house anymore. Jaden was half-asleep on her shoulder, she pat his hair. “Thank you,” Imani said to Killian in the car, her voice quiet. “For today. For Jaden. For — for everything.”Killian looked at her, his hands still on the wheel. “You don‘t have to thank me.”“I do,” she said. “For a while, I forgot my worries and it was possible because you were there,” Imani muttered.“…I don‘t know who saved my company, but I know it wasn‘t luck.” She mumbled getting off the car. Killan came out of the driver seat, “Tomorrow is going to be a great one. Have a goodnight rest,” He waved and Jaden lifted his head on Imani shoulder. Jaden woke up just enough to wave, he got down from Imani’s arms, “Bye, Daddy!” He giggled and ran inside the house Imani froze, her face burned. “I‘m sorry, he — he keeps saying —”“It‘s okay,” Killian said softly. “Goodnight, Imani.”She watch him get back i
CHAPTER 33 - A Soft and warm sun shine through Killan loft windows, Imani blinked, her eyes opening up. Her eyes were swollen, Her throat was dry. She remembered how much she has cried last night, she must have cried her sleep to bed — her cheeks still had dried tears, her eyelashes stuck together. Her hands ran over her mouth, She didn‘t know when she slept there. In Killan’s room? Last thing she remembered was crying in front of Killian, After that — nothing. She must have passed out from exhaustion. She sat up fast, looking around. Facepalming herself in embarrassment, she looked at his mother‘s frame on the nightstand thenlooked over the couch, Her red blazer folded neatly on the chair. But Killian wasn‘t in bed. “Killian?” she called. “Killian?” No one responded. Which got her worried. She swung her legs off the bed — she was still in yesterday‘s inner clothes — and walked barefoot toward the stairs. Until she walked down the stairs and her nostril hit with a delic
CHAPTER 32 - BREATHEImani got into Killian's car, she slid in and went quiet. She saw Emily diverting the reporter away from Killan’s car. Killian got in the driver's seat, locked the doors, and pulled out of Imani tech garage, past the cameras, past the whole chaos.The whole street of New York as loud but suprisingly, inside the car it was silent.Imani rested her head against the window, series of questions ran through her mind, loud and messy.“Did I know? Did I ignore the signs about Luke?” “How long has be been a threat?” “Did I ruin everything by setting that trap?”She stared out the window, hands clenched in her lap, breathing shallow.Killian didn't ask her to talk. He just reached over and pressed a button on the console.He helped her open the car roof — the panoramic sunroof sliding back, allowing her to receive fresh air.Cold breeze touched Imani face distracting her from all what she has been thinking, she looked at Killian who only focused on driving. "Breathe,"
CHAPTER 31 The room froze after hearing what Sarah had just uttered, Imani frowned. “What? What the hell are you talking about?”Sarah laughed, even as the guards pulled her. “You trapped me with a fake file? Cute. But your precious Luke tortured a few of the shareholders! He almost killed them! Just so he could become partners with you! He wanted your company, not you!” Luke stood up so fast that his chair fell. “She’s lying! She’s insane! Don’t listen to her, Imani—” he defended and looked over at the guards. “Guards! Take her out,” Luke yelled and they kept pulling Sarah out but she only laughed like a maniac. Then just as she was being dragged away, messages, videos, news flew through everyone’s phone, gasped followed. Emily who has received a message as well,ran towards Imani with a dark and pale face, holding an iPad with trembling hands, “Ms Shawn... you need to see this.”On the screen — a video. Shaky, taken in a dark steakhouse. Luke Anderson sitting with two of Imani
30Morning came faster than anything else, the office homepage on social media filled with claims of theft. Suprisingly someone has leaked the project from Imani’s office. Not in the news but on the company’s page where everyone had access to. At 9:03 AM, an anonymous email was forwarded to the entire Imani Tech board, to all department heads, to Legal, to PR. The subject line:RE: PROJECT ECHO - STOLEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?Inside was Sarah Velt’s photo of the credentials file. And a note:> “As a concerned employee and eye witness, I have reason to believe that PROJECT ECHO is not an original project. This is a stolen project from another tech company. Credentials show it was copied from a popular Tech’s internal archive. Imani Shawn is putting Imani Tech at risk of a massive lawsuit and theft! - A Loyal Employee”Sarah sent it from a burner email, but she stood by the coffee machine like an eyewitness, like a hero.“It’s true!” she told anyone who would listen, her voice shaki
29Roi was now in Imani’s office, his suit jacket had been taken away to clean it properly. He was in his white shirt, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, sitting like he owned her office. His badge — IMANI TECH - HEAD OF RESEARCH - ROI MORGAN — sat on her desk.Imani stood by the window, arms crossed, looking at him.Now she understood why the new Head Researcher’s name sounds so familiar.“Are you Killian’s brother?” Imani asked directly. No hello, no welcome.Roi smiled. That same Morgan smile, but colder than Killian’s. “Took you long enough. I was wondering when you’d notice. We are alike, aren’t we?”“We are not—” Imani stopped herself. They were. Same jawline. Same height. Same dark hair. But Killian’s eyes were always tired, always carrying something. Roi’s eyes were empty and amused.“What brings you to my company? I checked your résumé and I saw your great works which made me wonder why you left them and came here?,” Imani said quietly Roi touched the back of his head unconsc
11.The Next morning. “What are we doing here? Isn't this your father's house?” Luke asked immediately the car stopped at Sarah's family house. Sarah held a very beautiful and hopeful smile.“Yes.” She answered.“So…he’s our solution? The one you mentioned?” Luke asked, dragging his last words. Sa
THREEImani took the mic, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Thank you, everyone. I'm thrilled to be here tonight, supporting such a great cause. And I'd like to give a special shoutout to our cleaning staff, who worked tirelessly to make this event possible –” She stopped on her words then gl
TWO.2 years later.“Kindly fasten your seatbelt, the airplane is about to take off,” The air hotess announced and immediately Imani fastened her seatbelt, her eyes on the window frame. “Tsk, I'm coming back into this goddamn city!” Her thoughts rang out with a suck on her teeth.For some reason be
CHAPTER ONE.“Divorce?” Imani was shocked. Her hands were trembling as she stared down at the divorce paper with her.Luke rolled his eyes, “Yes. I'm divorcing you! I hate your face! Everything about you!” He added and Imani bat back her tears.“Is this your own way of sorting things out after you







