LOGINThe following morning, the Financial Crimes Division headquarters was busy as usual. The agency had hoped to keep Claire Montez’s transfer to the detention center quiet.No reporters, no cameras with no public spectacle.Just routine processing before her court appearance but those plans quickly changed.A black convoy pulled into the parking lot. Several luxury vehicles came to a stop in front of the building.The first person to come down was Edward. He was dressed in an immaculate charcoal suit, he looked more like a man attending a business merger than someone who was coming to the headquarters of the financial crimes division. Behind him came eight lawyers, equally well dressed and carrying briefcases.The group entered the building with a motive in mind.Inside, Agent Hayes’ partner looked up from the reception desk when he saw them approaching.The lead lawyer stepped forward.“We would like to speak with Agent Hayes.”The agent folded his arms. “You can speak with me. Agent Ha
Night soon came. For the past several days, Elena had made it a habit to return home late. It wasn’t because of work.At least, not entirely. The truth was much simpler, she was avoiding running into Damien. Ever since their explosive argument regarding George and the incident where she had witnessed Damien kissing another woman, things between them had become unbearably awkward.Every time she thought about it, anger and hurt resurfaced so she decided to stay away. She always left for work earlier and returned late and whenever they happened to be in the same house, she made sure they were never in the same room.Today, however, she came home earlier than usual.The mansion was unusually quiet. Relieved, Elena assumed Damien was still at work, which meant she could head straight to her room and avoid any awkward encounters.Unfortunately, fate had other plans. The moment she reached the grand staircase, another figure appeared from the opposite corridor. It was Damien, both of them s
At seven o’clock sharp, the private VIP room had already been prepared. The restaurant Julian had chosen was one of the most exclusive establishments in the city.The restaurant was quite famous for its luxurious and unique interior. It was a Korean restaurant.Dark wooden panels lined the walls, traditional Korean paintings decorated the room. Soft lantern lights cast a warm glow across the polished tables. A small decorative indoor stream flowed beneath a glass section of the floor, adding to the restaurant’s luxurious atmosphere.The reservation had been arranged hours earlier. Julian had instructed his assistant to secure the room and relay the meeting location to Mr. Logan. Everything had been arranged perfectly.Everything except Julian himself.At exactly seven o’clock, Mr. Logan arrived, he wanted to be there at the right time.The hostess greeted him politely before escorting him through several corridors into the private VIP room.“This way, sir.” She slid open the wooden do
The moment Edward and Claire entered the Financial Crimes Division headquarters, a sharply dressed man hurried toward them. It was the lawyer.“What took you so long, Mr. Edward?” he asked, checking his watch.Edward adjusted his suit jacket. “My apologies for the delay. We had some issues come up, but we are here now.”The lawyer nodded before his gaze briefly shifted toward Claire. “Alright, as long as you are here”Edward placed a hand on the lawyer’s shoulder.“Claire, wait here.”Claire nodded absentmindedly. She pulled out her phone and stared at the screen while the two men walked a short distance away.The lawyer lowered his voice. “Does she have any idea why she is here?”Edward smirked. “I have it all handled.”The lawyer looked unconvinced. “Handled how?”“She agreed to take responsibility.”The lawyer blinked. “She did?”“Under a few conditions.” Edward shrugged. “Financial demands. A reduced sentence.”The lawyer rubbed his jaw. “I will do my best.”“You don’t have to eit
After Edward and Claire left George’s hospital room, they walked silently through the corridor.Edward’s pace was brisk. Claire followed a few steps behind, her mind was elsewhere completely beyond the present reality she found herself in.Every step felt heavier than the last.“Sir.”Edward stopped walking and turned slightly.“What is it?”Claire adjusted her glasses. “Excuse me, sir. I will follow you after. I need to use the restroom.”Edward glanced at his watch. “Be fast about it. We have somewhere else to be.”“Sure.” Without waiting for another response, Claire turned and headed toward the restroom.Edward continued down the corridor toward the elevators that would eventually lead him to the parking garage.The moment Claire stepped into the restroom and the door closed behind her, her legs gave out. She stumbled forward and grabbed the sink, her breathing became uneven.For the first time since Edward had made his proposal, she was alone.Truly alone, no Edward. No one was w
The ride to the hospital was painfully quiet for Claire.Edward sat in the back seat, he was on his phone.In the front passenger seat, Claire sat beside the driver. Her fingers trembled as she repeatedly bit her nails.The conversation in Edward’s office replayed over and over in her mind.‘You are the perfect person’. The words refused to leave her head.Years of loyalty, years of sacrifice and this was how it was going to end for her. Claire swallowed hard and stared blankly through the windshield.She barely noticed the passing streets.Her thoughts spiraled wildly. She wasn’t ready to go to prison. What about her family, her future. Everything she had worked for, she didn’t want to believe that she would lose everything.The car eventually slowed and pulled into the hospital parking lot.The driver parked and switched off the engine.Edward immediately opened his door and stepped out.Claire remained frozen in her seat, lost in thought.The driver glanced at her.“Miss Claire.”No
Damien knew he was attractive but after his wife passed away, he had not felt the same way for another woman. He had learnt to ignore advances with practiced ease."Good morning, Dr. Mitchell," he replied briefly , his tone making it clear he was here for business, nothing more.Dr. Mitchell turned
Patricia stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly. "This is ridiculous! You can't just walk in here after years of absence and start making demands! The board has a financial responsibility….""The board has a responsibility to the shareholders," Elena interrupted, her voice sharp. "And I am t
As Damien's car approached the Blackwood family, passing through the familiar tree-lined drive of his childhood.The mansion loomed ahead, and Damien steeled himself for the confrontation to come. His mother would want answers. His father would demand explanations. Amira would probably make inappro
Elena had pushed aside most of her work documents, accepting that she wasn’t going to get much done with Adrian around. Not that she minded, his energy was infectious, and after the tension of the past few days, his lighthearted presence felt like a breath of fresh air.“So,” Elena said, settling b







