Semua Bab Hired My Ex's Sister as Wife: Bab 401 - Bab 410

ColleenI sat back in the shadowed corner of my office, letting the weight of the ledger’s revelations settle in my chest. The numbers, the dates and transfers weren’t just figures on paper. They were evidence of a trail that linked my family to the cartel’s operations far deeper than I’d anticipated. I had always known the partnership existed, knew there were favors and exchanges, but this… this was a network of calculated sacrifice. Small partners, silenced or manipulated to maintain favor. Every decision they had made, every transaction, was designed to protect the family’s position, no matter the collateral damage. And now, I was staring at it, all of it laid bare, and the responsibility of acting on it settled heavily on me.Dissolving the partnership wasn’t a simple maneuver. The cartel didn’t negotiate exits, they dictated them, and anyone trying to step away too soon ended up paying with blood, money, or both. I knew the risks. I understood the stakes. But what I didn’t fully

JulianWhen night settled over the city, I had stopped pretending I had any control over all the damage.The lie was useful when it had all just began. It gave me some room to breathe. It allowed me justify my restraint while Evan mapped the terrain. We could’ve charged right to it, head first, but the patterns were clear. This wasn’t a financial mess. It was a structure.I was certain as hell, my father had helped build it.The room was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioner and the faint ticking of a clock that had been there from my first day in this office. I stared at the screen in front of me, eyes moving across rows of offshore entities branching into one another like veins. Some of them I recognized— old names from board meetings I’d half-listened to years ago. They were the international diversification yet the moment anyone started asking questions, they vanished. They were good. That much was undeniable.Evan sat across from me, elbows resting on his knee

JulianMy phone buzzed aloud and as I quickly glanced at it, I saw Evan's name and sighed wearily before picking up the phone. I answered quickly without speaking.“They’re circling,” he said quietly. “Not openly. Just… checking boundaries.”“Good,” I replied. “That means they don’t know yet.”“They asked about restructuring timelines.”“I think they’re impatient.”There was a pause then, suddenly Julian spoke, “Julian… Dad knew. Didn’t he?”I didn’t answer immediately. Not because I hadn’t already come to the same conclusion, but because saying it out loud changed things. Some truths, once spoken, couldn’t be contained again.My silence confirmed his suspicions. Yes, our father helped build the access.Evan exhaled slowly. “So what do we do?”“Are you ready to be free?” I asked, leaning into the desk. “Let’s face it head on.” He replied firmly.“We might be stigmatized, Evan.”“Let’s face it. I’m ready.”When the call ended, I stayed where I was, staring at the darkened screen. The

SavannahBut somewhere in its belly, Clint was running around. Julian, digging dead ends. Somewhere, Colleen was quietly burning bridges that had taken decades to build. And I was here. Standing in the middle. At a red light. My phone lit up again.‘Don’t rush.’ I told myself. ‘Let it ring.’It was Julian. My hands twitched at the sight of him. I wanted to answer. But only if I could give him the answers he needed. Only if I could face him. But I was far from tying loose ends. Far from discovering the things he told me in half truths. I poured a full glass of wine for myself as soon as I kicked off my shoes. I trudged to the window as I unbuttoned my suit, by the time I reached my window, I had shed off all clothes, just watching the city settle into night. From up here, everything looked calm. Controlled. That illusion worked best with wine.A false perception in my view meanwhile Colleen’s warning echoed in my head. Melordy’s patience. Clint’s desperation.I judged Clint less now.

SavannahI couldn’t sleep well that night. It was the kind of sleep where thoughts subside but never fully leave. Every time I turned, my mind rearranged the same pieces again and again. At long last, I woke before dawn and didn’t bother trying to fall back asleep. By the time the city began to stir, I was already dressed, coffee untouched on the counter. I stood there longer than necessary, staring at the dark liquid like it might tell me something new if I waited long enough. It didn’t. In fact, I was in a darker hole because Julian had called last night and I hesitated to answer.When I arrived at the site later that morning, the air felt different. People moved with more caution. Conversations cut short when I passed. That wasn’t paranoia. I’d learned the difference. Information was moving. There was a new gossip. Hopefully, this time, not about my hair.I called a quick meeting with two department heads to review delays. They arrived on time, polite, careful. Both Benedict-alig