로그인Amidst the chaos that had occurred at JH Industries, Agent Hayes knew he needed to get Claire out before the situation spiraled even further.“Move.”The two officers immediately covered Claire. Hayes and his partner escorted her through a side exit away from the conference hall.Behind them, reporters continued shouting while camera crews scrambled after the ambulance carrying Edward.The moment they stepped outside, they realized escaping the media would not be so easy. An army of reporters had gathered outside the building.The instant they spotted Claire and the Financial Crimes Division officers, they rushed forward.Microphones were shoved into Hayes’ face, camera flashes exploded.“Agent Hayes!”“Agent Hayes!”“Is Claire Montez being released?”“Will all charges against her be dropped?”“Was she falsely accused?”“Did the Financial Crimes Division almost send an innocent woman to prison?”“What actions will be taken against Edward Sterling?”“Has a warrant been issued for his a
The conference hall gradually got quiet, quiet enough that if a pin was dropped, the sound of it could be heard.One by one, the reporters and the journalists stopped whispering amongst themselves. Even the camera operators steadied their cameras, zooming in.Nobody wanted to miss what Celeste was about to reveal.The room became so quiet that the faint hum of the air conditioning could be heard.Celeste looked around the hall, hundreds of eyes were fixed on her. She had gotten the attention she had wanted, everyone was eager to hear what she had to say.For the first time since stepping onto the stage, she knew she had complete control of the room.She dabbed at her tears with her handkerchief. “I am glad that I have gotten your attention.” Her voice trembled. “And I sincerely hope this news does not get taken down by the people I am about to mention.”The reporters leaned forward, their pens hovered over their notebooks.Celeste swallowed. “The person responsible for what happened t
Noon soon arrived. The conference hall at JH Industries was overflowing, every seat had been occupied long before the scheduled start time.Television cameras lined the back wall. Reporters from major news networks, newspapers, business publications, and online media outlets filled the room.Their voices filled with anticipation.Company executives occupied the front row, and security personnel stood at every entrance.Everyone knew this was more than a routine press conference. A company’s reputation and future was on the line.At precisely twelve o’clock, Edward stepped onto the stage.The room erupted in flashes of light, camera shutters clicked relentlessly.Edward stood confidently behind the podium bearing the JH Industries logo.At his right stood his legal team and at his left stood Agent Daniel Hayes and several members of the Financial Crimes Division.Edward waited for the room to settle before he began.“Thank you all for coming.” His voice sounded throughout the hall.“R
By nine o’clock, at JH Industries. The company’s Public Relations Department had been working since morning, things were a lot different with the absence of Claire and also because it was a sudden development. They had to start preparations that morning.Rows of chairs were arranged in the main conference hall, microphones were tested repeatedly. Camera platforms were assembled.Large company banners bearing the JH Industries logo were mounted behind the stage where Edward would stand to address the media.Invitations had already been sent out to some of the country’s most prominent reporters, journalists, business correspondents, and television networks.The response had been overwhelming. A major corporate scandal, a public confession and an arrested culprit. It was enough to make every news organization want a seat in the room.Employees hurried through the building making final preparations.Security personnel were stationed at every entrance.By eleven o’clock, news vans had alre
The 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
They had reached the board members; Mr. Chen, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Davis, and several others, all holding drinks and engaged in what had probably been an intense discussion before Elena’s entrance had stopped everything.Elena turned to face them with a warm, professional smile that was worlds away from t
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
Elena stood in the middle of her small apartment. It felt strangely quiet, almost hollow, as if it already knew she was leaving. This was the place she had once called home. She had rented it temporarily, promising George they'd buy a proper house after the wedding. Their house, he had called it,
The name still sounded strange, but Elena was beginning to accept it. For one year, she would be Mrs. Carrington. She would live in this man’s home, care for his son, and play the role of his wife.Damien leaned forward, pressing the intercom button. “Drive”, he commanded the driver."Wait!" Elena







