MasukAfter they hung up, Mira immediately called Don Emilio with shaking hands."It's impossible," she said the moment he answered. "She won't go anywhere without Christopher. I tried everything, but she won't budge.""Then Christopher comes," Don Emilio said, unperturbed."But won't that—""It doesn't matter. If Christopher gets in the way, he dies. Simple as that."Mira gasped. "No! Please, don't hurt him. He's just doing his job," she pleaded."And I'm doing mine. Your job is to get Jems to that hotel. My men will handle Christopher if necessary. Don't worry your pretty little head about it.""But—"The line went dead. He'd hung up.Mira stared at her phone, horror washing over her. This was getting worse and worse. Not only was she betraying Jems, but now Christopher might die too. Christopher, who had always been kind to her and who had protected Jems so faithfully. How many people was she going to hurt with this choice?But what choice did she have? Her father was alive because of Do
Mira's phone buzzed at exactly 3 PM. She'd been expecting it, dreading it, but the reality of seeing Don Emilio's number on her screen still made her stomach drop. She stepped away from her study desk and locked her bedroom door before answering. "Hello?" "Mira." Don Emilio's voice was smooth and casual, as if he were calling to chat about the weather. "How are you today?" "Fine," Mira managed, her throat tight. "Good. Because I have a job for you. It's time." Mira's heart stopped. "Time for what?" "Time to bring me Jems Dawson." He said it so simply, so matter-of-factly, as if he were asking her to pick up groceries. "This Saturday. I'm sending you a location. You'll take Jems there, and my men will handle the rest." "Saturday? That's three days from now." "Is that a problem?" Don Emilio's voice hardened slightly. "Do you need me to remind you what happens if you don't cooperate?" "No," Mira said quickly. "No, I'll do it. What do you want me to do?" "Simple. Tell J
Derick sat at his laptop with the USB drive plugged in, his eyes scanning through file after file. Most of it was standard business stuff, like boring contracts, routine emails, and quarterly reports. But then he found something interesting. A series of encrypted emails existed between Richard and someone named "V.M." The encryption wasn't particularly sophisticated, and Derick had military-grade decryption software that made quick work of it. What he found made his blood boil. Richard had been embezzling money from Crestmark Group. It wasn't a lot, but small amounts over time that wouldn't trigger any audits. Over the years, it added up to millions of dollars. He'd been funneling it to offshore accounts. "Gotcha," Derick thought with grim satisfaction. But as he read deeper, he realized this wasn't enough. The embezzlement was bad, but it wasn't catastrophic. Richard could potentially explain it away or claim it was authorized expenses or investment opportunities. Derick nee
ONE MONTH EARLIER Derick Edgar stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror of his apartment, barely recognizing the man looking back at him. A month ago, he'd been Jems' bodyguard, a professional doing his job and protecting a young lady who'd become something like family to him. Then he'd discovered the truth. Richard Dawson, the man whose family Derick had been protecting and the man who'd hired him personally, was his father. His father, who'd abandoned his mother when she got pregnant, and his father, who'd built an empire while Derick and his mother struggled in poverty. The revelation had shattered something inside Derick. He'd quit immediately, unable to stomach another day working for the man who'd ruined his mother's life. But quitting wasn't enough, and revenge wasn't enough. Derick wanted destruction, complete and total destruction. He wanted to take everything from Richard the way Richard had taken everything from his mother. He wanted to watch Richard lose hi
CHICAGO: BUSINESS CONFERENCEEthan smoothed his tie with a single, precise motion, his hands steady and his expression unreadable. Beside him, Jems watched with an amused smile, noting the way he seemed to command the space around him before he’d even spoken a word."You look perfect," she assured him. "Not that you need me to tell you.""This seminar is a big deal for the firm, and a lot of the industry's heavy hitters are attending. It’s the perfect time to show them exactly what we’re capable of.""You will," Jems said, squeezing his hand. "You know this business better than anyone in this room. You're smart and charming and you know your stuff. They’re going to be impressed."Ethan smiled and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm just glad you’re here with me. It makes the trip a lot more enjoyable."They were in Chicago for a three-day business seminar focused on emerging markets and innovative investment strategies. Ethan's mother had pleaded with him to go in
Mira stood in her father's office at Thompson Industries, barely recognizing the space that had felt so heavy with despair just days ago. Now, it buzzed with energy and optimism. Phones rang constantly with business inquiries, and staff members rushed past with stacks of contracts and proposals. The entire atmosphere had transformed from a funeral wake to a celebration."Mira, sweetheart, come look at this!" her father called from behind his desk, his face glowing with health and excitement that seemed impossible, given how close to death he'd been a week ago.She walked over, trying to match his enthusiasm even as guilt churned in her stomach.Benjamin pulled up a spreadsheet on his computer, pointing at the numbers with barely contained joy. "Three new major investors came on board yesterday. And look at this, our stock price has jumped fifteen percent in the last three days. We're not just surviving anymore, we're thriving, better than we ever have before!""That's amazing, Dad," M







