Partners in Crime

Cleopatra's POV

By the time I walked into Walton Global the next morning, the air on the executive floor felt thick with tension. Employees fell silent as I walked past, their eyes darting to me with renewed suspicion.

Claire met me near the elevator, her expression deeply troubled. "Mr. Walton wants to see you in his office immediately."

"Is there an issue with today's schedule?" I asked, frowning.

"Just... go straight in, Cleo," she murmured.

My chest tightened as I walked down the quiet hallway and knocked on Desmond’s door.

"Enter," his voice called out.

Desmond was standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the city skyline. His posture was rigid, imposing. When he turned around, his gray eyes were unreadable.

"Close the door and sit down, Miss Sander," he said flatly.

I closed the door but remained standing. "I'd rather stand. What's going on?"

Desmond slid a thin black folder across his desk. "I need you to explain this."

I walked forward, opened the folder, and scanned the printed paper inside. It was an internal security audit log showing restricted corporate files being accessed from my desktop terminal at two o'clock yesterday.

I looked up, stunned. "I don't know what this is."

"Those are restricted financial records," Desmond said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, low register. "They were accessed using your employee login right after I left the floor."

A cold shock washed over me, followed quickly by a wave of furious disbelief. "You think I stole internal files? After one day?"

"The digital footprint leads directly to your desk, Cleopatra," he said sternly. "Give me a reason not to believe the evidence."

"Because it's a setup!" I yelled, slamming the folder shut. "I was in the copy room at two o'clock! Ask Claire!"

"Claire left at five-thirty," Desmond countered, stepping around his desk. "I want to believe you, but I operate on facts. Chris manipulated me for years because I ignored red flags. I will not make that mistake again."

I stared at him, hurt slicing deeper than I cared to admit. "So that's what this is. You brought me here under the guise of an opportunity, but you never actually trusted me. You just wanted to keep your enemy close."

"I brought you here because I believed you were innocent!" Desmond argued, his calm demeanor finally cracking.

"No, you brought me here because it satisfied your ego!" I snapped, stepping closer to his desk, my voice trembling with anger. "You spent months investigating Chris, but the moment something looks suspicious on my end, you jump straight to execution! You are doing the exact same thing you did at my wedding!"

Desmond went completely motionless. The color seemed to drain slightly from his face as my words hit home.

"You didn't ask if my password could have been stolen," I continued, tears of anger stinging my eyes. "You didn't check security cameras to see if someone else walked up to my desk while I was away. You just looked at a piece of paper and decided I was a thief."

A silence descended upon the office. Desmond stared at me, his gray eyes searching my face intensely.

"You're right," he said quietly.

I blinked, thrown off by his sudden admission. "What?"

"I didn't check the hallway cameras," Desmond admitted, his voice softening. He took a slow step toward me. "I saw the alert, and my instinct was to put up my guard. I was wrong."

"Desmond—"

"I have spent years building walls around myself because everyone around me seems to have a price," he whispered, standing just inches away from me now. "When I received that alert, I was angry... not because of the files, but because the idea of you betraying me actually hurt."

My heart hammered against my ribs. I could smell the faint scent of cedar and rain on his jacket.

"I don't think you did this, Cleopatra," he said gently, reaching out. His fingers lightly brushed a stray lock of hair away from my face. His touch was warm, sending a sudden, terrifying shiver down my spine.

For a brief, suspended second, neither of us moved. His eyes dropped to my lips, and my breath caught in my throat. The tension between us shifted from anger to something far more sensual.

Then, reality slammed back into my mind.

I took a step backward, breaking the contact.

"No," I said, my voice shaking as I tried to regain my footing. "I am not going to do this. I am not going to become another woman caught in your orbit."

Desmond let his hand fall, his expression darkening with regret. "Cleopatra, wait—"

"I took this job because I was desperate to save my life, not to play games with you," I said firmly, pulling my purse over my shoulder. "I resign, Mr. Walton."

"Don't do this while you're angry," he urged, taking a step toward me. "If someone framed you, leaving now makes you look guilty!"

"Staying here makes me foolish," I countered.

I turned on my heel and walked out of his office, ignoring his call. I hurried past Claire’s desk, pressed the elevator button, and stepped inside the moment the doors slid open.

The elevator ride down felt agonizingly long. My mind was racing, with confusion and anger. The moment the doors opened to the bustling ground lobby, I marched straight toward the revolving glass exit.

Suddenly, the glass doors stopped revolving.

Three uniformed police officers and two plainclothes detectives stepped into the lobby, blocking the exit. The front desk security guards stood up in surprise.

The lead detective pulled a badge from his jacket and stepped directly into my path. "Cleopatra Sander?"

"Yes?" I asked, my blood running cold.

"I am Detective Vance with the Financial Crimes Unit," he said sternly, producing a folded document. "We have a warrant for your arrest for conspiracy to commit grand larceny, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with Walton Global."

"What? No! That's impossible!" I gasped, taking a step back. "I haven't done anything!"

The lobby doors behind the officers opened again. Two more officers walked in, escorting Chris Cross. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit, handcuffs, and leg shackles.

The moment Chris’s eyes landed on me, a twisted smile spread across his face.

"There she is!" Chris shouted to the officers, his voice carrying across the wide lobby. "That's my partner! She helped me set up the shell accounts! She has all the access codes!"

"Chris, you lying bastard!" I screamed, tears spilling over my cheeks. "Why are you doing this?"

"I am telling the truth!" Chris sneered. "We were in this together from the start!"

"I didn't do anything!" I sobbed, backing away, but a police officer grabbed my arms from behind.

"Miss Sander, keep your hands behind your back," the officer commanded coldly.

Click.

They locked the handcuffs around my wrists.

I raised my head frantically, looking back toward the elevators. Desmond was standing by the glass doors, having followed me down. He froze, his face pale as he watched the officers secure the cuffs around my wrists.

"Desmond..." I whispered, though he was too far to hear me.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,” the detective recited, gripping my arm. “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”