ANMELDENKAREN.For a second, I considered asking my assistant to take the call instead or to ask the investigators to drop a message, but something urged me to answer."Karen Andrews speaking."A calm female voice answered immediately."Ms. Andrews, good afternoon. My name is Agent Carla Webb with the federal investigative task force handling the Victor Hale case."I nodded. “Good afternoon, Agent Webb.”"Yes. I apologize for contacting you without prior notice, but there have been significant developments, and I thought you'd prefer hearing them directly."I slowly sat back down."I'm listening."There was a brief pause before she continued."Thomas Reef has agreed to cooperate fully."I closed my eyes for a moment.Thomas Reef.The trusted executive who had spent years quietly embedded inside A.A. Biotech."What did he say?" I asked."Quite a lot," Webb replied. "He confirmed that Victor Hale placed him inside A.A. Biotech several years ago. Mr. Reef wasn't simply gathering information. He
KARENI sat behind my desk with my laptop open, several reports spread across the polished wood surface, and a cup of coffee that had long gone cold beside me, but my eyes kept drifting back to the folded letter lying near my hand.Lena's letter.No matter how many times I read it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was holding something much bigger than a simple confession or warning. Every sentence seemed heavier now, carrying meanings I hadn't noticed the first time. It felt like a thread sticking out from an expensive sweater, one careful tug away from unraveling everything.I leaned back in my chair and exhaled slowly.No.This wasn't something I should sit on alone.If there was even a small chance that Lena had uncovered something connected to Hale's case, then I needed someone who understood the legal implications better than I did.I picked up my phone and grabbed my handbag.Almost thirty minutes later, I walked into the offices of our legal director."Karen?" My attorney s
KARENThe air at the office had felt quieter when I arrived that morning.The past few weeks had been calmer than I expected, which should have been a good thing, but instead it made me uneasy. After months of court appearances, investigations, media attacks, and rebuilding the reputation of the company, silence felt unnatural. It was like standing in the middle of a field after a storm had passed and wondering if another one was gathering somewhere beyond the horizon.My assistant followed me inside carrying a stack of documents."These need your signature before noon," she said, placing them neatly on my desk. "And this arrived with the regular mail."She handed me a plain white envelope.There was no stamp from a company, no logo, and no return address. Only my name was written across the front in neat handwriting.I frowned."Who delivered it?""It came through the postal service. That's all I know.""Alright. Thank you."She nodded and quietly left, closing the door behind her.F
RICHARDI woke earlier than I normally did that morning, though I couldn't honestly say I had slept particularly well. The past few weeks had left a lingering restlessness in me that seemed to follow me into bed every night and wake up with me every morning, making sleep feel less like rest and more like a temporary escape that never lasted long enough.For a while, I remained stretched out beneath the covers, staring absently at the pale ceiling above me while the first traces of daylight slipped through the gaps in the curtains. Seattle was slowly waking up outside my apartment, and I could already hear the distant murmur of traffic beginning to build beneath my windows.Eventually, I reached for my phone on the nightstand and unlocked it, intending to skim through my emails before getting out of bed. There were the usual notifications waiting for me—market summaries, messages from colleagues, and updates from financial newsletters I barely remembered subscribing to—but one headline
KARENI hadn't realized how quiet the living room had become until the sound of the clock ticking on the wall suddenly seemed louder than everything else.The cheerful atmosphere from dinner had slowly faded into something softer and calmer, as against how nervous I felt within me and I sat beside Jason on the couch, trying not to fidget beneath Diane's steady gaze.She had been watching us for the past few minutes. Not in a cold or judgmental way. More like she was studying a painting she had finally decided to understand.Then she turned toward Jason."I actually wasn't prepared for this," she said quietly.Jason glanced at her. "Prepared for what?"Diane smiled faintly, but there was something close to sadness hidden in it."To see you being a father to someone else's child."The room grew silent again.Jason didn't answer. He simply sat back against the couch, his hands clasped loosely together as he listened.Diane let out a small breath."When I first heard the news, I refused t
KARENThe doorbell rang a third time, louder now, as if whoever stood on the other side had decided they had already waited long enough.Jason reluctantly loosened his hold around my waist and looked toward the front door."Well," he said, exhaling softly. "This person's got to be really persistent."I laughed nervously, trying to shake off the strange feeling that had settled inside me ever since the first ring."Go see who it is."He nodded and brushed his fingers lightly against my arm before walking out of the kitchen.I followed behind him a few seconds later, though I stopped near the entrance to the living room instead of going all the way to the door. I wasn't sure why I had suddenly become hesitant, but I found myself standing there quietly, arms folded loosely across my chest, waiting for Jason to answer.I heard the lock click. The door opened, then I heard Jason speak."Mom?"Every muscle in my body stiffened. My eyes widened immediately.His mom was here? Today? Without w
KARENThe following morning, I woke up with a strange lack of motivation that settled over me like a heavy blanket, making the thought of getting dressed and heading to the office feel far more exhausting than it should have.For several moments, I remained where I was, staring at the ceiling while
KAREN.The call came when I was halfway through reviewing the newest compliance reports for A.A. Biotech, although “reviewing” felt generous considering my attention had barely stayed on the pages for more than a few seconds at a time.My office sat in complete silence except for the quiet hum of t
JASONMornings at hospitals usually came with noise, movement, and the kind of endless interruptions that made it impossible to sit still for longer than ten minutes, but that morning had somehow unfolded differently, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I found myself with absolutely
JASONI hadn’t expected booking a wedding venue to feel this strangely overwhelming.I thought I would sit down with my laptop, compare dates, make a payment, close the tab, and move on with my day without giving it too much thought. Instead, I found myself sitting completely still at the kitchen i







