Semua Bab The "EX" Factor : Bab 101 - Bab 110

Tyler's thoughts were interrupted by a forceful knock on his office door. He'd been staring out the window, his mind preoccupied with the events of the previous night at the gala.. Samantha, Caleb, Daniel, and the way her gaze darted between them all. It had been chaotic, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he was losing her. "Come in," Tyler said, his voice tighter than intended. The door opened, revealing Robert Kane, his private investigator, a middle-aged man with graying temples and a worn trench coat. He carried a leather suitcase that had likely seen more secrets than most people could bear. "Mr. Willa," Robert said, coming inside. His tone was professional, but his eyes had a flash of something else.. something Tyler couldn't identify. "Robert," Tyler remarked, pointing to the chair opposite his desk. "I hope you've got something for me." Robert sat down and placed the briefcase on his lap. "I do, but I have to warn you.. it's n

And then, the vibration of his phone shook Tyler from his thoughts. He frowned, quickly looking at the screen. It wasn't Samantha.. it was an unknown number. Waiting for a moment, he finally answered. "Hello?" "Is this Mr. Tyler Wills?" a woman's voice asked, professional but extremely important. "Yes," he said carefully. "This is Mercy General Hospital. Julie Spencer is here. She's been in a car crash, and your number was listed as her emergency contact. We need you to come immediately." Tyler's heart suddenly moved, his grip tightening on the phone. "A sudden crash? Is she... is she okay?" "She's stable for now, but she needs medical attention. We'd appreciate it if you could get here as soon as possible." He didn't know what to think. The last thing he wanted was for anyone.. Julie.. to die, no matter how complicated things had become. He grabbed his keys, heading straight for the door. ********** Tyler drove like a man possessed, weaving through traffic with white-knu

Next day.Samantha's heart raced as she slammed the car door, her phone still pressed against her ear."Rachael, slow down. What's going on?"There was rushing and upset rustling on the other end of the line."Ma'am, you need to get here. The news is all over the place! Rumors are spreading about you! Your name's everywhere.""What?" Samantha froze, her hand gripping the phone tightly. Her pulse quickened. "What? What are you saying?""I... I don't even know where to start. The media's calling it insider trading, theft of money, all these crazy statements that someone has done something bad. It's..." Rachael's voice broke, and Samantha could hear her fast breathing. "It's huge, Sam. You need to get to the gallery now. People are already showing up, asking questions."Samantha's mind spun.Theft of money? Insider trading?Her name, the one she'd worked so hard to build, was now being dragged through the mud. How?She didn't even have time to think.She ran inside the gallery, her heart

The soft glow of her phone screen lit the darkened gallery.Samantha sat alone in her office, her chair tilted back, eyes closed, trying to find a moment of peace in the middle of the storm.But peace was hard to see/hard to catch.The past few days had been a blur of media rushed craziness, statements that someone has done something bad, and questions she hadn't been able to answer.She felt like her life had been turned upside down, each piece scattered like glass pieces she couldn't quite put back together.Then, the phone rang.She reached for it, deeply wiping a stray tear from her cheek before answering."Hello?" Her voice was rough-sounding, still recovering from the weight of everything that had happened."Samantha," Tyler's voice cut through the static, familiar yet mixed with a tiny bit of a sense of extreme importance. "I need you to watch the news."Samantha felt a knot in her stomach tighten, a mixture of curiosity and a sick, upset feeling.What now?She quickly looked a

“Why both of us for dinner, Sam?” Daniel asked, his voice a curious blend of confusion and caution.Across the table, he met my gaze, eyes flicking to Tyler.. arms resolutely crossed beside him.Tension thickened the air, a palpable shroud that felt suffocating.I drew a deep breath, forcing a smile that barely scratched the surface, as my heart raced in protest.This was no walk in the park.I had to confront the truth, to lay my feelings bare before them both.“I needed to talk,” I stated, my voice quaking like autumn leaves in the breeze.I looked first at Daniel, my steadfast rock amidst stormy seas, then to Tyler, who felt like home, even in our complex history.Daniel arched an eyebrow, his features softening with a glimmer of understanding in his eyes.“Talk about what, exactly?”I flicked my gaze towards Tyler.His calm eyes locked with mine, steady as a lighthouse, yet filled with an undercurrent of tension.. he was waiting, needing something from me.After all this time keep