Emilia's POVThe minute we stepped into the coffee shop, my senses went into overdrive.Most people don’t notice the details. They walk into a place and only see what’s directly in front of them, the counter, the menu, maybe a free table. But not me. I learned a long time ago that people miss the things that matter when they’re too focused on what’s obvious.I scanned the room casually, like someone just searching for a good seat. But inside, I was already mapping it all out.There were the couples near the window, laughing quietly and glued to their screens. Sudents, probably in college, sat hunched over their laptops. Their backpacks were slouched by their feet, and their headphones were plugged in. No threat there. They were too immersed in whatever assignment they were working on.Then there was the barista, humming under her breath, moving from the espresso machine to the counter with practiced rhythm. Nothing unusual.But then my eyes landed on him.The old man by the far corner
EmiliaI stared at Trevor as he spoke, his voice just barely above a whisper, like someone might be eavesdropping from across the street.“They’re good, Emilia,” he said, eyes flicking to the window again. “Really good. I mean… if they could plant fake money transfers into the Kane Group’s private internal system not just basic stuff, I’m talking deep-dive records, they could literally tear this company apart from the inside.”I held my coffee cup, fingers wrapped tightly around it, letting the warmth seep into my hands as I watched him.“So, they faked all those transactions, is that even possible?” I asked, my voice calm, but my pulse kicking up a notch.He nodded, biting his lower lip like it might hold his nerves together. “It’s not even just faking. They made it look like it had always been there. Same timestamps, same admin log IDs. I had to go way back in the system logs, like really dig, to even notice something was off.”“And no one else caught it?”Trevor shook his head. “N
Emilia's POVI watched him closely.Trevor Daniels.He looked like a man trying not to fall apart in public. His leg hadn’t stopped bouncing since we sat down, and his hands were clenched so tightly together they were turning white. I could tell he wanted to talk, something was clawing at him from the inside, but he was also terrified. That part was clear.“So...” I said, breaking the silence, “you work in IT. What does that have to do with all this?”He swallowed, then leaned forward a little. “Two days ago... I noticed something strange on the server.”My brows pulled together. “Strange how?”“There was an attempt. A breach attempt,” he said. “Someone tried to break into the system.”I rolled my eyes. “Someone tried to hack Kane Group? Wow, I didnt know...”He nodded quickly. “Yeah, but it’s not that unusual. I mean, we’re a massive company. People try to get in all the time. I get at least three false alarms a week. At first, I thought it was just another day. Another idiot trying
Emilia's POVI stormed out of the hallway, barely registering the people I passed. My fists were clenched, jaw tight, my eyes burning with frustration. I could still hear his voice echoing in my ears, that smug, self-righteous tone Jayden used like he was proud of what he said.“How can you even be sure the baby is Richard’s?”God, I wanted to scream."Move!" I snapped at two interns standing in the hallway who froze like deer in headlights. They quickly parted, and I kept moving, my heels clicking angrily on the floor. I didn’t care who saw me. I didn’t care what anyone thought. If Jayden wanted a reaction, he got one. He wanted to humiliate me, and maybe he did for a moment, but I wasn’t going to give him more.I turned the corner sharply, almost tripping over my own feet. My chest rose and fell fast, my breath shaky. I found a quiet spot near the emergency stairwell, no one around, and finally leaned back against the wall.I closed my eyes.My hands were trembling.What the hell is
Richard’s POVI stopped pacing and took a sharp turn, locking eyes with Agent Wallace."You know what this tells me?" I said slowly, voice steady. "If someone really planted that evidence, and you moved on it without verifying its authenticity, then it means your agency acted on bias. That’s not just unprofessional—it’s dangerous. And it could cost you your careers."Wallace didn’t flinch, but his jaw clenched. Agent Danvers let out a short laugh, leaning back in her chair."You think this is a game, Mr. Kane?" she asked. "You’re trying to spin this like we don’t know what we’re doing. Like we haven’t seen this a hundred times before. Men with power always think they’re untouchable until the walls close in."I walked over to the table, placing both palms flat on the surface. "And how many of those times were you wrong? How many times did you realize too late that you jumped the gun because someone with the right access made the wrong call?"Wallace slammed his pen down. "You’re not th
Richard’s POVI sat in that cold, gray room like I was a damn exhibit. The walls were bare. No clock, no decoration, just the sterile hum of the overhead lights. I could feel them behind the glass, agents, lawyers, maybe even analysts, watching me like I was some kind of animal in a cage. My wrists were free, but the weight in my chest made me feel shackled.It’s strange, really. One day you’re signing billion-dollar deals, and the next, the feds are escorting you out of your own home in front of your pregnant wife like you’re some criminal mastermind.I leaned back in the chair, stared straight at the glass. I wanted them to know I wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t going to break. But inside… inside I was boiling.How the hell did this happen?The accusations were insane, funding terrorists? Money laundering through Kane Group? None of it made sense. None of it was real. But someone made it look real. Someone was playing a dangerous game, and I was the one paying the price.The moment they tol