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Chapter 9: The Ghost of Memory

Author: Frank J.P
last update Last Updated: 2025-06-06 04:12:31

The corporate offices of Reed International had turned into a silent battleground. What was once a pristine fortress of luxury and power now buzzed with paranoia, quiet urgency, and the ghosts of unraveling truths. Jason Reed, unshaven and haggard from sleepless nights, was no longer just CEO, he was a man possessed, digging through the past to uncover the rot at the core of his legacy.

Beside him, Bella Quinn moved with a quiet, efficient fire. She no longer felt like an outsider in the gilded halls she once walked away from—she was a woman on a mission. The betrayal that had broken her was no longer a wound; it was a weapon. With Ryan Cole acting as a strategic linchpin, the three of them sifted through decades of records, unraveling not only Veronica's elaborate embezzlement web but also the deeply entrenched manipulations of George Reed.

The nights were long, and the air between Jason and Bella thick with unspoken history. What had begun as forced proximity had begun to shift into
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  • Once my Wife   Chapter 30: The Storm Breaks

    The silence in Jason’s office was suffocating, broken only by the crackle of Mark Jenkins’s voice over the secure communication line, each word slicing through the tension like a blade.“First vehicle has breached the outer perimeter,” Jenkins reported, voice steady but clipped. “Three armed operatives exiting. Moving towards the east gate.”Jason and Bella stood motionless, eyes fixed on the surveillance feeds. Onscreen, figures in black moved with alarming precision calculated steps, fluid maneuvers. These weren’t amateurs. They were professionals. Silas Thorne’s merciless signature was unmistakable.“Our team is engaging,” Jenkins continued. “Non-lethal force authorized. But if they resist, neutralize the threat.”A silent flash burst across one of the monitors, followed by a dull thud then another. Bella gasped, clutching Jason’s arm so tightly her nails dug into the fabric of his suit. Her fear was palpable. Jason remained stoic, his expression carved in granite, but tension radi

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 29: The Unseen Battle

    The night before the predicted snatch-and-grab attempt on Lila was a blur of frantic activity and white-knuckle tension. Bella and Jason worked tirelessly, side-by-side, their personal feelings momentarily eclipsed by the all-consuming threat. Mark Jenkins and his highly trained security team were already deployed at the fortified estate with Bella playing with Lila who was not aware of all that was going on and Jason in one the safe house far from the penthouse where they were initially , establishing multiple layers of defense."We've set up infrared tripwires, motion sensors, and silent alarms," Jenkins reported to Jason via secure video link, his voice calm amidst the impending chaos. "Every approach is covered. We have snipers positioned. Any unauthorized vehicle entering the two-mile radius will be flagged immediately. And we have a rapid response unit on standby."Bella, watching the monitors, felt a sliver of hope, mixed with overwhelming fear. This wasn't just a corporate bat

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 28: The Race Against Time

    Dean’s frantic call confirmed their worst fears.George Reed wasn’t just playing a long game of sabotage, he was making a direct move. His cryptic promise of a "special surprise" in that Estate had been decoded: it was a snatch-and-grab. And it was happening within the next 24 to 48 hours.Jason didn’t blink. He ended the call, face hard as granite, and immediately dialed Mark Jenkins.“Mark, Dean just confirmed it. George is going after Lila. In Boston. It’s imminent. I need a full security status right now. Every available resource goes to the estate. No exceptions.”On the other end, Jenkins responded with his usual calm, but this time there was an edge in his voice. “Understood, Mr. Reed. We’re already on elevated alert. The estate is fortified thermal, motion, facial-recognition surveillance. We've doubled the night team since last week.”“Not enough,” Jason snapped. “Not with Silas Thorne involved.”Jenkins hesitated. “You’re right. Thorne’s system is built for infiltration. It’

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 27: The Dinner with the Devil

    The air in George Reed’s penthouse felt heavy. Not just because of the cigar smoke floating near the crystal chandelier, or the aged whiskey in cut-glass tumblers but because of the thick tension hiding behind every smile. It was the kind of atmosphere where words weren’t just spoken. They were weapons.Dean Carter adjusted his tie as he stepped into the dining room. The dining room was all gold trim and high ceilings, like something from a royal palace, but colder like the man who ruled it.George Reed sat at the head of the long, dark mahogany table. His suit was perfectly pressed, though he looked thinner than Dean remembered. Bones pushed under skin like a warning. But his eyes were sharp, and gleaming like it hadn’t aged a day. They watched everything.“Ah, Dean,” George said, his voice rough like gravel but still commanding. “I was beginning to think you’d gotten cold feet.”Olivia, seated beside George, giggled in a high, sweet voice that grated on Dean’s nerves, he could hardl

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 26: The Reckoning of Loyalty

    Dean Carter sat hunched in one of the leather chairs in Jason Reed’s office, his usually composed face pale, eyes sunken with the weight of revelation. Across from him, Bella’s fingers trembled slightly as she queued up the final piece of the damning presentation. Silence cloaked the room like a storm cloud ready to break.First came the audio grainy but unmistakable. George Reed’s deep voice slithered through the speakers, casually discussing contingency plans with Silas Thorne. "If Bella becomes unmanageable… eliminate the distraction. Silence her. Permanently." Then Veronica Pierce’s voice: polished, cruel, offering cold, calculated suggestions about framing Bella with financial threats and personal ruin.Dean’s eyes widened in horror.Next, Jason laid out the forensic accounting documents, a web of shell companies tracing back to George’s private holdings. The illicit transfers. The strategic leak to investors to devalue Reed International stock. Every line, every transaction, a b

  • Once my Wife   Chapter 25: The Conflicted Confidante

    Dean Carter’s distraught outburst, still echoing from his confrontation with George Reed, sent a ripple of tension through the room. Bella and Jason exchanged a grim look, this wasn’t just about lies anymore. It was about people they trusted being turned against them one by one.Jason’s voice was low, almost dangerous as he took a step closer to Dean. “He told you that?” he asked tightly. “That Bella is a distraction? That Lila is a burden?”Dean shifted uncomfortably under Jason’s gaze, his shoulders hunched. “He said you were both reckless. That you were losing control. And Bella… that she brought scandal and instability. He implied the little girl would jeopardize everything you built.”Bella inhaled sharply, as if struck. Dean’s words weren’t malicious, but hearing Lila referred to that way tore through her. Still, she steadied herself, reminding herself that Dean was a pawn in a much larger, more dangerous game.“Dean,” she said gently, but firmly, “George Reed paid my mother to

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