LOGINHayes was the first to break the silence.“How do you know about all these?”It was the perfect question.Dominic didn’t hesitate.“Because John told me.”Every sound inside the office disappeared.I stared at him.John…Told him?Hayes’ expression hardened immediately.“…Where is John?”Dominic didn’t answer.Not right away.Instead…He looked at me.His gaze lingered for only a second before he finally spoke.“Safe.”One word.Just one.But somehow…It created ten more questions.Hayes took a step forward.“You kidnapped him?”Dominic finally looked at him.“No.”His voice remained infuriatingly calm.“I’m making sure he doesn’t run away.”The tension inside the office became suffocating.Pierce frowned.“How did you even know about any of this?”He looked directly at Dominic.“How did you know you were supposed to trace John?”Dominic didn’t answer him.He looked at me instead.Every pair of eyes followed his.My throat suddenly felt dry.I swallowed.“…I called him.”The words cam
The silence inside my office had become unbearable.I hadn’t moved in what felt like forever.The files on my desk remained untouched.The investigators who had stormed into my company yesterday hadn’t contacted me.The police hadn’t contacted me.The media had somehow become even worse.Dominic hadn’t called.He hadn’t answered my calls either.Nothing.Absolutely nothing.I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.Was this how it ended?Not with a fight.Not with a dramatic collapse.Just…waiting.Waiting for everything to slip through my fingers while I sat here unable to stop it.The office door suddenly swung open.Hayes walked in first.Ford followed.Pierce closed the door behind them.The moment I saw their faces, I stood so quickly my chair rolled backward.Something inside me sparked.Hope.Fear.Desperation.All at once.Hayes didn’t waste time.“We’ve found something.”My heartbeat stumbled. “What?”He looked at me for a long second before speaking.“The c
I woke up with a throbbing ache behind my eyes.The whiskey hadn’t helped.If anything, it had only delayed the exhaustion waiting for me.For several seconds, I simply lay there, staring at the ceiling above my bed.It felt strangely empty.Cold.My hand reached for my phone on instinct.7:08 a.m.A few minutes past seven.I let my arm fall back onto the mattress.I didn’t want to get up.For the first time in years…I didn’t want to go to work.The thought of walking back into AURELIA made my chest tighten.I closed my eyes.Maybe I should stay here today.Just today.Just…No.The thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came.My employees would still go.Because that was their job.Because despite everything happening…They still believed they had a company to save.Some of them had children.Families.Bills waiting at home.If this investigation wasn’t resolved…Some of them would lose everything.The realization settled heavily inside me.They trusted me.And right now…I cou
The question hurt far more than I expected.Not because I didn’t know the answer.But because I suddenly understood why he was asking.He didn’t care what Hayes thought.Or Ford.Or Pierce.He wanted to know what I believed.I answered before another heartbeat passed.“No.”Not even a second of hesitation.“No.”I watched something change in his expression.It was subtle.Almost invisible.But I saw it.His shoulders eased.His jaw unclenched ever so slightly.He reached out.“Show me the invoices.”I unlocked my phone and handed it over.He studied the documents in complete silence.Five seconds.Ten.His thumb zoomed in.Then out.He looked at another page.Another.His brows drew together.Finally…He looked up.“Who showed you these invoices?”“John.”I frowned slightly.“My manager.”He looked back down at the phone.Another few seconds passed.Then he handed it back.Very quietly, he said,“Whoever did this wanted you to believe it was me.”The words settled heavily between us.
I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the screen.Dominic.It really was him.My lips parted.“It… what?”His voice remained calm. Almost unnervingly calm.“Come downstairs.”For a second, I forgot how to breathe.“…Okay.”The word barely left my lips. It came out as nothing more than a whisper, as though my voice had abandoned me somewhere between panic and disbelief.The line went dead.I remained frozen on the bed, my phone still pressed against my palm.Why…Why would he drive here at two in the morning?We could have talked over the phone.He didn’t have to come.He didn’t—I squeezed my eyes shut.No.Thinking wasn’t helping.I pushed the blanket away and climbed out of bed.The cold wooden floor met my bare feet as I crossed the room and entered my walk-in closet.I reached for the first cardigan I saw and slipped it over my pajamas, wrapping it tightly around myself.Only then did I quietly leave my room.The mansion was silent.Almost eerily so.Every step I took
Footsteps approached.Ford walked into the dining room just in time.“What did I miss?”“Apparently,” Pierce said, glaring at me, “she has no taste buds.”Ford pulled out the chair beside me.“Let me judge.”He stole a forkful from Pierce’s plate.Chewed thoughtfully.Then looked at me.Our eyes met.One look.One silent conversation.He understood immediately.Ford nodded seriously.“…Yeah.”He placed the fork down.“It tastes bad.”Pierce stared at both of us.“You motherfuckers.”The word had barely left his mouth before all four of us burst into laughter.The first genuine laughter I’d managed all day.For a few precious seconds…Everything felt normal again.Then the laughter faded.Silence returned.Everyone’s thoughts eventually drifted back to the same place.I couldn’t stay there any longer.I stood.“I’ll wash my plate.”Nobody stopped me.Inside the kitchen, cold water ran over my hands as I cleaned the dishes.When I finished, I walked back toward the dining room.“Goodnig
My stomach twisted suddenly, a wave of nausea rising so fast I had to press my hand against my lips.I didn’t know if it was the food I had forced myself to eat…or the way my whole life had just been turned upside down.The phone slipped slightly in my hand.For a second, I thought I could hold it
I picked up the tie from the drawer and held it up for a second, smoothing the fabric between my fingers.Navy blue with gold strips.It would go well with the suit Dominic had already brought out.I placed it carefully on the dressing table, making sure it lay straight, then turned to the watch ra
The drive to STERLINGS headquarters felt longer than usual.I sat in the backseat quietly, my fingers resting against my knee while London moved past the window in a blur of gray buildings and flashing traffic lights.Mia had insisted on following me at first. But I told her it was a personal meeti
Morning came easier than expected.Perhaps because I forced myself not to think too much before going to sleep.Maybe because exhaustion had finally won.Either way, by the time sunlight slipped through the curtains, my mind felt quieter than it had in the past few days.Routine helped.Routine alw







