LOGINEmily's gaze was fixed on the picture till she realized that the person that took that picture, was not very far from them. They were standing close enough to know everything that happened around.
Emily turned and looked at everybody in the cafe, people carried on with their normal lives, talking and chattering as cars passed by outside.
Everything seemed normal. But in a way, someone seemed to know her every move.
“Do you know when this picture was taken?” Sophia asked Emily.
“It was taken earlier today, when I was seeing Damian off.” Emily replied.
Lucas took the phone from Emily and zoomed in. “You need to see this. Look at this black vehicle that is packed behind.” Lucas said, as he pointed at the exact spot the vehicle was parked.
“I think the person who took the picture, parked this car and went to look for somewhere they would get a better angle.” Lucas added.
“Someone could be watching us right now. They could have even taken pictures of us.” Sophia said.
“Were you able to track the number? What did you see?” Emily asked Lucas.
“I was unable to get the exact location.” He answered.
“Since we now know that the man's name is Daniel Brooks, please use your connection to get more information about him. Anything you can find out about him will be useful.” Emily said.
“I will try to get more information about him. But if it is true that he works for Victor Knight, then he might be difficult to find because Victor is highly connected.” Lucas responded.
Immediately Emily's phone buzzed as a message from Damian had been sent to her. Damian sent her a message requesting to see her later in the night. The message made her heart jump because it was unexpected. Sophia noticed it and demanded to know what it was. Lucas decided that Sophia and Emily needed the moment, so he turned and looked away.
“I think you should go and see him,“ Sophia said with a low voice. Low enough for Lucas not to overhear.
“Why do you think it is a good idea to meet with him?” Emily asked curiously.
“He told you earlier that he had discovered some information about Daniel Brooks, and you still need that information, don't you?”
Emily hesitated to answer Sophia's question. She had told herself that she would not fall quickly into the arms of another man, after everything that transpired in her marriage with Ryan.
But Ryan came and broke all her defenses. The reason is not that Damian is of a high status, not even because of his influence. There is this feeling of safety whenever she is around Damian.
She was beginning to have a soft spot for Damian. When she realized it, she instantly brushed off the thought.
“This is not about passion,” she said.
“Who said anything about passion?” Sophia responded
Emily did not say anything else to Sophia about it.
“Please keep trying to get more information about Vanessa." Emily said to Lucas.
“I won't stop,” He replied.
“I still care about Vanessa, even after everything that she did to me. I don't want any evil to happen to her. I still need to make sure that she is out of danger,” Lucas said.
In a way, Emily trusted that he was telling the truth. Vanessa betrayed Lucas by sleeping with someone else. He is supposed be angry at her, but he didn't let his anger overshadow his goodness. He still wants to do everything to make sure she is not in danger.
That act alone showed Emily kind of man Lucas is; he is a kind and loving man.
When they were done with the meeting, Emily and Sophia walked out of the cafè while Lucas decided to stay behind to continue with his investigation.
As Emily walked to the car with Sophia, she remembered that someone could be watching her. And she thought maybe someone was taking pictures of them.
Instantly, her phone rang and it was not Damian nor was it Ryan. It was a message from an unknown number.
I asked you to leave the past alone.
She read the message and gave it to Sophia.
Another message entered her phone.
Ask Damian To Explain What Happened To His Dad.
Emily found that second message disturbing, because she had heard rumors about Damian's family. She heard that Damian's father was embarrassed publicly and humiliated before he died. She did not know Damian well enough enough to ask him about it.
Instantly, her phone beeped. It was a phone call from Damian. She picked up the call instantly.
“I am aware about the message that was sent to you,” Damian said. He went straight to the point.
“How did you know I received a message?” Emily asked me as she was still surprised.
“I know because I also received the same message,” Damian said in a softer tone.
Immediately he said that Emily's heart jumped. She asked him what he said but Damian hesitated before he answered.
“Please don't come to me this night as I told you via text,” he said with a slightly different voice.
“What could be the reason for your change of plans?” She asked.
“I have found out who is watching you.” He said and ended the call instantly.
Emily was curious to know who was monitoring her. She wanted to call back Damian before Sophia saw a movement just across the street. It was a black car; apparently, it had been there since they walked out of the cafè.
Suddenly it drove off.
Ryan asked Emily to conceal the truth when it had barely come to light.She saw him standing by the elevator with his coat buttoned and his expression purposefully blank as she exited Sophia's office. Seeing him rekindled the all-too-common need to resolve issues before an argument could even begin. Emily gave in to that impulse.Ryan murmured, "Emily." "We need to talk, it is about our marriage."Emily said, "There's nothing more I can say regarding our marriage.""Then just listen. Please," he said.Sophia came out and stood close to her and said, "If this is about the divorce, Ryan, you can talk to me.""It is Emily I want to talk to," Ryan said, his gaze locked on her. "I need her to postpone the proceedings.""Are you asking me to put off the divorce?" Emily asked as she stared at him.Ryan said, "Only until the merger is finished in a few weeks."Searching for the justification for the request, she scrutinized his features. She had discovered that Ryan's pain wasn't always a sig
Ryan Carter had based his existence on the idea that losing control was a tragedy, but losing money was a hardship.Both were slipping through his fingers that morning.Ryan's financial director was across the office desk, holding a report he'd been putting off for weeks. The statistics were ruthless. His only remaining chance was the merger that was supposed to save Carter Holdings after reckless investments had depleted the company's funds and creditors were demanding repayment.The director said that "the merger committee may retreat if they understand how serious our position is."Ryan loosened his tie. "They will not hear it from us," he said."They have already requested updated financial information. And there's another issue. Legal benefits tied to your marriage are part of the arrangement. If your divorce becomes public before the merger closes, those benefits might vanish," the financial director said.Ryan looked at him for a while.Emily had applied for a divorce after fin
Everyone had been fooled by Ryan Carter's smile that covered the fact that his empire was falling apart—except the guys who wanted their money back.By nine o'clock that morning, two investors had threatened legal action, three creditors had already called and his chief financial officer had placed a folder on his desk that was so thick that it could bury the last of his confidence. Ryan hardly gave it a look."How much longer can we keep them away?" Ryan asked his financial officer."Not long enough," his financial officer replied. "Our reserves have been depleted by the investments you authorized. We won't have the liquidity to fulfill our commitments if the merger fails," he added.Through the glass wall, Ryan stared at the city below. He had thought for years that money could solve any issue as long as he moved quickly enough. All of his secretly made choices were now having an impact.“The merger will proceed,” he said."And the divorce?" asked the financial officer carefully. "T
The living room was quiet after Sophia's phone call, so quiet that not even the ticking wall clock could break it.Emily sat still, staring at the instructions on the table. Her parents' residence had no guard because someone had made arrangements for it. Someone else had made sure that any effort to get in touch with the police would be reported.And before her parents could divulge what they had found, they passed away."Is the investigator able to find the other signature?" Emily asked.Sophia put her phone down and said, "Not yet. He claims the paper is being authenticated, but Ryan's father is already connected to the removal of the guards in the first authorization. In the records that go along with it, Victor's approval is evident."As he stood by the window, Damian's expression became more stern. "Then we have enough to demand Victor's answers. There's no need to spend another week chasing papers while he controls the narrative," he said."What if he refutes everything?" Emily
Even after Emily had read that sentence three times, it remained just as terrifying.Make sure there are no guards at the Carter residence by midnight.When that command was written, her parents were still alive. Beneath the order was Margaret Carter's signature, and someone had made sure they wouldn't be protected."Tell me they've checked it," Emily requested.Sophia's voice remained cautious. “They have validated the signature, but they are still looking into the document's origin. We are unable to ascertain whether Margaret was aware of your parents' impending deaths,” she said.Emily put her hand on the side of the table. The quietness felt unbearably heavy, and the flat seemed too warm all of a sudden. Margaret took her in after the first guardian because incapable of taking care of her, managed her fortune, and decided what she should learn about her family.Emily had years of protection from someone who could have aided in destroying if the document was real."Could you give m
Even long after the boardroom door had closed, Victor's parting remarks remained with Damian.Your father wasn't the only one who signed someone's future away.Damian remained motionless in the hall, considering the threat. For a long time, Victor had used his brother's notoriety to protect his own position. His confidence began to crack as the board questioned the statement's authenticity.The appearance in Victor's eyes, however, was not that of a defeated guy.It had been the gaze of a guy getting ready to destroy the evidence before it could destroy him.Emily noticed the change in Damian's expression. She had witnessed his anger, withdrawal, and great uncertainty regarding their connection. This was different. He appeared to be a guy who had eventually understood the extent to which his uncle would go.Damian's eyes remained on the closed doors, even as she stretched for his hand.She paused for a second, wondering if he had perceived something in Victor's caution that he was not







