Beneath The Billionaire’s Mask のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 17

Amy slammed her laptop shut like it had personally betrayed her.She didn't move right away.. just sat there in the dim hotel suite, the glow from the city skyline flickering against the windows. Her chest rose and fell a little too fast.That message..'You' re not safe. He’s planning something bigger..' was still echoing inside her like a warning bell in a church tower.She hadn't replied. Hadn't forwarded it. Hadn't told Bruce.Yet.She rubbed her hands together like she could scrub the chill off her skin. Maybe it was paranoia. Maybe it was just another ploy to shake her up. But something about the image… Liam speaking to that shadowy figure in the hallway, tension radiating from his posture like a weapon being cocked… it didn't feel like strategy.It felt personal.A knock sounded at the door. She tensed. But then, a second later, a familiar voice.“It’s me.”Bruce.She didn't answer right away. Gave herself a breath. Two.“Come in,” she called.He stepped inside, holding two coff

Amy's breath caught as velvet curtains brushed her bare shoulders. The gala stage lights were nothing like the soft lamp glow from that night two years ago, but the memory snapped down on her all the same.~Flashback~She had been laughing then.. young, tired, barefoot on the penthouse balcony. Liam came up behind her, a jeweler’s box hidden in one hand. He fastened a sapphire necklace at her throat, cool stones sliding over warm skin. “For the woman who never lies to me,” he whispered. Amy turned, smiling at the joke, and noticed the second glass of wine already half‑empty on the railing. One glass too many. She asked who had joined him before she arrived. He said no one. A week later she learned the first lie had worn lipstick.~Back to now~The ballroom spun back into focus. Amy adjusted the thin strap of her silver dress, steadying her pulse. That necklace.. her necklace.. now glittered on Celine's collarbone across the room. Every sapphire an old bruise.Music swelled. Waitstaff

I shoved the flash drive across the table.“Play it,” I told them.The lawyers leaned in. Edward, Doyle’s junior partner, connected it to his laptop. The screen filled with the grainy video of Liam, late at night, slipping into a private restaurant booth with a man in a black suit. They spoke low, heads bent close, but the sound picked up enough words.. “judge,” “favorable,” “timing,”.. to make my stomach twist.When it ended, the room was dead quiet.“Tell me I’m not crazy,” I said. “He’s bribing him, right?”Edward exhaled slowly, pressing his fingertips together. “It looks like influence. Not direct money passing hands, but promises. Meetings like this are not innocent. Especially when the man across from him is Judge Rowland’s advisor.”“So, what do we do?” I asked. My chest felt tight. “He’s already freezing everything. If the judge is in his pocket.. ”“We file for judicial bias,” Edward cut in. “It’s the only move. We’ll motion for a review, get another judge to oversee. It’l

The boardroom was colder than usual. Maybe it was the air conditioning. Maybe it was the stares.I walked in with Edward at my side. Everyone was already seated. Liam sat near the head of the table, relaxed, smug, like he owned the place.The chairman cleared his throat. “Ms. Hawkes, thank you for joining us. Today we’re here to address concerns regarding the company’s stability.”“Let’s not waste time,” Liam said smoothly, leaning back in his chair. “The footage is out there. My wife.. ” he emphasized the word.. “was seen at my penthouse. Weeks later, she’s suddenly engaged to Mr. Parker. Investors are nervous. And frankly, they should be. Conflicted loyalties make her unfit to lead.”I slammed my folder onto the table. “Don’t twist this. You know damn well why I went there. It wasn’t reconciliation. It wasn’t love. It was about the will. About the truth you’ve been hiding.”Liam smirked. “Perception is everything, Amy. And right now, perception says you’re unstable. You run to me