Home / Romance / The Rise From Betrayal / Chapter 8 : Acquisition

Share

Chapter 8 : Acquisition

Author: Cynthia
last update publish date: 2026-04-10 18:38:24
Emma knew the cameras had moved.

Not visibly.

Not in a way most people would notice.

But she did.

The one in the hallway now angled half an inch lower. The one near the staircase tracked slightly longer before resetting. Subtle recalibrations. Precision adjustments.

Not upgrades.

Surveillance refinement.

Dominic had felt the shift in her.

And Dominic did not tolerate variables.

She stood at the kitchen island early the next morning, fingers wrapped around a glass of water she h
Cynthia

Loving the story so far? Don’t forget to vote, comment and drop a 💎

| 26
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Latest chapter

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 150 — The Abandoned Building

    The abandoned building stood at the end of a narrow road, surrounded by overgrown grass and broken concrete. Steve Carter’s car stopped behind the police vehicle already parked near the entrance. Dan Reeves got out first. Steve followed. Neither man spoke. Their attention went immediately to the black cab parked several yards ahead. The driver’s door was open. The engine was off. Steve’s expression tightened. “Where’s the driver?” One of the officers approached. “We haven’t found him.” Steve looked at him. “You haven’t found him?” “No, sir. When we arrived, the cab was empty.” Steve glanced toward the building. “Has anyone gone inside?” “Not yet. We secured the outside first.” “Good.” Steve looked at Dan. “Let’s see the cab.” They walked toward it. Steve stopped beside the open driver’s door and looked inside. Nothing immediately appeared out of place. The meter was still running. A few coins sat beside the gearshift. The driver’s phone wasn’t there. Steve

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 149 : The First Leads

    4:20 p.m. The interviews began almost immediately. Steve Carter and Dan Reeves worked through the people who had been closest to Emma that afternoon. Maya went in first. Stephanie followed. Adrian came after her. While Stephanie was inside, Adrian sat beside Maya in the hallway, one arm around her shoulders. Maya hadn’t stopped worrying since she got the news. Adrian said nothing. There wasn’t much he could say. A few feet away, Alexander Whitmore sat alone. His elbows rested on his knees, his hands loosely clasped. He hadn’t moved much since arriving. His mind kept returning to the same question. How had everything changed so quickly? Just a few hours ago, Emma had been going about her day as usual. She had been planning lunch. She had chosen the restaurant. She had shared the location. And now no one knew where she was. Alexander looked toward the interview room when the door opened. Steve stepped out. “Mr. Whitmore?” Alexander stood i

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 148 : The First Hours

    The elevator doors opened. Stephanie stepped out first. Adrian followed. Neither of them had to ask whether something was wrong. They could feel it. The usual rhythm of Blackwood Industries had disappeared. People stood in small groups instead of sitting at their desks. Conversations stopped whenever someone from the executive floor walked past. Phones were in everyone’s hands, but very few people were actually working. Then Adrian saw Maya. She was sitting near reception, her phone clutched tightly between both hands. Her eyes were red. Adrian stopped. He had known Maya for months. He had seen her angry, sarcastic, irritated, amused. He had never seen her cry. “Maya.” She looked up. The moment she saw him, whatever control she had left seemed to disappear. Adrian crossed the distance between them and pulled her into a hug. Maya held onto him. “What happened?” he asked quietly. She tried to answer. Nothing came out. Stephanie stepped closer. “Any information?”

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 147 : 12:38

    3:20 p.m. The door opened. “Sir, I need to—” Maya stopped. The rest of the sentence disappeared. She looked around Rowan’s office. Something was wrong. Rowan stood behind his desk, his expression hard and unreadable. Brian was beside him, a case file open in his hands. Alexander stood near the monitor, his attention fixed on the security footage. No one spoke. Maya’s eyes moved from one face to another. “What happened?” Rowan looked at her. “Maya…” There was something in his voice that made her stomach tighten. “What?” Rowan held her gaze. “Emma is missing.” Maya stared at him. “What?” “She left Blackwood earlier,” Brian said. “We haven’t been able to locate her since.” Maya shook her head. “But I saw her leave.” Alexander turned immediately. “You saw Emma leave?” “Yes.” “When?” “Just before one.” “Did you speak to her?” “Yes.” Maya reached for her phone. “And I texted her afterwards.” Alexander stepped closer. “When?” Maya

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 146 : What He didn’t know

    3:00 p.m. Alexander Whitmore walked into Blackwood Industries with his sleeves rolled to his forearms and his jacket still in the car. He had come straight from lunch. He hadn’t gone back to the office. Hadn’t changed. Hadn’t stopped to think about what he was doing. He had simply left the moment he realized Emma hadn’t arrived where she was supposed to be. Something was wrong. He didn’t know what. That was the part he couldn’t shake. Emma Laurent didn’t disappear. She didn’t leave without telling someone. And she never ignored his calls. The receptionist directed him upstairs. Alexander thanked her and headed for Rowan Blackwood’s office. The door was open. He stopped when he saw Rowan inside. Another man stood near the desk. Alexander didn’t recognize him. Rowan’s expression changed the moment he saw Alexander. “Alexander.” Alexander barely paused. “Any news?” Rowan shook his head. “Nothing yet.” He gestured toward the man beside him.

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 145 : It’s Not Like Her

    Emma returned to her office at Blackwood after finishing the paperwork Jennifer had asked her to complete. She placed the signed documents on her desk and glanced at the clock. 12:20 p.m. She was running a little later than she had planned. Emma picked up her phone and opened her conversation with Alexander. She sent him the restaurant’s location. Emma: Mr. Whitmore, this is the restaurant. I’ll be there by one. His reply came almost immediately. Alexander: Okay, perfect. Emma: See you there. She slipped her phone into her bag, picked up the folders she had been carrying, and stepped out of her office. She had barely reached the end of the corridor when Maya called after her. “Emma.” Emma turned. “Where are you going without even meeting me?” Emma stopped. “I didn’t know where you were.” “I was in my office.” “So was I.” “Exactly. You could’ve come looking.” Emma laughed. “What’s the hurry?” “I have lunch with Mr. Whitmore’s team. He’s throw

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 7 : Escalation

    The silence outside the bedroom door did not feel like absence. It felt like pressure. Emma Laurent stood in the center of the room, staring at the locked door as if she could see through it…see him. Dominic Sterling did not shout. He did not pound on the wood like a jealous husband. He did not

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 3 : You Belong To Me

    Dominic did not sleep. He stood in his study long after Emma locked herself in the guest bedroom upstairs. The house was silent, but the silence was wrong. Too heavy. Too distant. For four years, this house had responded to her. Her perfume in the hallways. Her voice instructing st

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 2 : After The Fall

    The elevator doors closed. And Emma collapsed. Not dramatically. Not loudly. Just slowly ….like something inside her had unplugged. Her back hit the mirrored wall, and she slid down until she was crouched on the polished floor, heels digging into marble, sobs tearing out of her che

  • The Rise From Betrayal   Chapter 1 : The Door That Ended Everything

    The message arrived at 8:17 p.m. Emma almost ignored it. She was sitting alone in the living room of the Sterling mansion, the lights dim, a half-finished glass of water resting on the marble coffee table. Dominic’s had texted two hours ago ….”Board meeting running late. Don’t wait up.”

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status