Semua Bab The CEO’s Temptation : Bab 61 - Bab 70

*****************************Mack''s POV*******************The morning sunlight slanted through the apartment’s windows, casting pale stripes across the floorboards. Dust floated in the air, catching the light like the place had been holding its breath all night long.Claire sat curled up on the worn couch, my hoodie swallowing her frame. Her hair was messy, her face bare of any makeup, and still — even like this — there was something quietly fierce about her. A fighter’s stubbornness simmered just under the surface.I leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping from a chipped mug. My eyes never really left Claire's, even when I told myself they should. Watching Claire had become a habit, the kind I didn’t even notice forming until it was too late to stop."You don't have to hover," Claire said, breaking the silence without looking at me. Her voice carried a dry, teasing lilt."I'm not hovering," I lied easily, shifting my weight and crossing my arms. "I'm strategically supervising,

*************************Etian's POV************************The city never really slept. It just toned itself down at night, humming low like it was trying to act innocent. I wasn’t buying it. I knew exactly what was hidden underneath.Pulling my jacket tighter, I headed up the broken sidewalk toward an old rundown building off 7th Avenue — the kind of place that reeked of mildew and bad choices.But it was where my contact said the package would be.Inside, a single overhead bulb flickered and buzzed like it was on its last legs.The guy behind the counter didn’t even bother glancing up from his beat-up laptop."Name?" the guy asked, his voice dull and bored."Etian," I said.Without lifting his eyes, he slid a small manila envelope across the counter.Cash passed between us — fast, no fuss.I didn’t hang around.Out in the alley, I ripped the envelope open with stiff, impatient fingers.Inside: a lone USB drive, a few blurry copies of what looked like security access logs... and on

**********************Claire's POV**************************The drive back to our main house was far quieter than it had any right to be. The city's light blurred past us, a collection of neon lights and faded shadows, as if it were trying to forget the chaos of the e last few hours. I sat in the passenger seat, my mind still churning over the cryptic message and the cold dread that had followed it.Mack's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched tight. He didn't even glance at me nor did he speak, but his presence was a constant force beside me. It was a comfort in a way that it was just us, but it also felt like he was carrying something heavy__ something he wasn't ready to share.When we reached the main house, the feeling of danger intensified in the air. The property was large and _ expansive; even__ but tonight, it looked more like a fortress than a home. The light was dim, casting long shadows over the carefully manicured grounds. Security cameras were visible at e

****************************Etian's POV*********************The bruises on my ribs ached with every breath I took as I walked. I was still shaken from the ambush. My body felt like it had been seen through a war zone__ my ribs were sore, my lips split, and my shoulders ached deeply from where one of them had kicked me as I tried to crawl away. They didn't say anything. Just left me on the cold gravel like I was trash. Whoever they were, I would dig out what they wanted to be buried.And they took everything I had—my phone, the USB drive, even the photo I was analyzing, they thought they were smart.But they didn’t take what I remembered.My mind kept circling back to that image. That single frame. A woman, half-shadowed, slipped through the side entrance of Sadie’s building. Slender build. Dark hair. Long coat. Her face was turned away, but it was enough to start digging.Enough to point me back to Aliana.Rowe had picked me up that night, finding me bloodied and half-frozen in the

************************Liam's POV*************************The scent of cedar and the rain drifted through the half-cracked window, but I barely noticed. My study was quite__ too quiet. The kind of quiet that comes after the storm, when you're sure if it's over or just waiting to return.I stood by the fireplace, swirling a glass of bourbon I hadn't touched. The logs hissed softly, flames curling like whispers. On the table behind me, a black duffel bag waited.They were late.I checked my watch for the third time. 12:47 AM. The city below was asleep—or pretending to be. But not me. Not tonight. Not until this final piece slid into place.A soft buzz echoed from the elevator.Finally.I turned just as the elevator door opened with a muffled chime. Three men stepped out __ all dressed in black, soaked from the rain. The one in front__ Roger__tossed the bag on the table with a dull thud."Everything's intact." He said."Phone, USB. Notes. He had backups, but we scrubbed his cloud befor