All Chapters of Under the Weight of Deception: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter 2 The city continued its course beyond the glass window: indifferent, automatic, perfect in its chaos. From the top of the skyscraper, Benjamin Carter watched it with his arms crossed behind his back, his brow slightly furrowed, and his mind too occupied to pause on the view. Behind him, the screen of his computer displayed financial reports and projections for the next quarter. Everything was in order. Cold. Logical. Just the way he liked it. The memory of Anne had been an accident. An emotional slip, nothing more. Emma Moore was not her. He had repeated this to himself several times. There were similarities, yes: the way she walked, that almost shy gesture when she lowered her gaze just before speaking. But she wasn’t Anne. That chapter had been closed four years ago, and he wasn't about to open it again over a mere coincidence. When he heard the door open, he didn’t turn around. “Do you have a minute?” Lucas asked, his voice as firm as always, professional. Benj

Chapter 4 The night was his. Benjamin knew it with the certainty of someone who had calculated every step in advance. The event wasn’t just a celebration of his company; it was the seal of his status among the wealthiest and most powerful. Every word, every gesture, every movement had a purpose: to project the image of the successful young entrepreneur, the heir who had achieved the impossible. Before entering the ballroom, his mother had spoken to him in a low voice, with that mixture of affection and authority only she knew how to convey: “Benjamin, this is the night for you to shine. It’s time for everyone to see the future of Carter Group.” And, as always, he had nodded with a slight smile, without needing words. The night had to be his, and it would be. Perfection, seriousness, the unrelenting image of the man who had conquered the business world was at stake, and Benjamin wasn’t about to let anything disrupt his plan. In his mind, everything was perfectly organized. As he

Chapter 6 Benjamin had learned to read silences. In meetings, in hallways, in elevators. He recognized them instinctively. He knew when they were shields, when they were poorly disguised lies, when they were screams trapped in someone’s throat. But with Emma Moore… it was different. With her, silence wasn’t a pause—it was a fortress. They walked together toward the boardroom. Emma’s pace was precise: unhurried, yet never late. Benjamin glanced at her from the corner of his eye, wondering—yet again—what it was about her that he couldn’t quite figure out. “Meyer’s fiscal projection report is off by 0.3%. I suggest reviewing the growth margins tied to Arthur Williams before the meeting.” Benjamin blinked. It was a minute detail. One he hadn’t noticed himself. “Thank you,” he said simply, glancing at her again. But she didn’t return the look. Emma kept her eyes forward, impeccable, distant. Inside the boardroom, Lucas Meyer presented with his usual ease. Charts, figu

Chapter 8 The marble hallways on the 18th floor of Velmore Capital were silent, save for a firm step that advanced without hurry, yet without hesitation. The glass walls reflected light and shadow, revealing more than they concealed. A female figure emerged with the relentless calm of someone who knows exactly where she’s going. Her pearl-colored dress delicately outlined a composed presence, while a long, dark blue coat—carefully fitted—wrapped her in the elegance of a deliberate gesture. Each step seemed marked by an invisible metronome: measured, precise, leaving no room for distractions or doubts. In a side room, a young representative from EG Systems looked up from his papers with a mix of nervousness and respect. He stood at once, aware that this woman hadn't come to ask for permission, but to set the pace. “Miss Walker,” he said, trying to maintain composure. She smiled—a light, confident smile, as if the title were nothing but a formality. “Just Anne is fine,” she repl

Chapter 10 The clock had struck 9:17 when Emma stepped into her office. Now, it was nearly ten. On her screen, the technical team’s preliminary plan laid out charts, timelines, and leads, as if the entire world could be organized with logic. She was trying. To stay organized. To manage herself. What she felt. But the only thing she managed to do was work. Every click, every email, every forwarded note was another thread in a flawless web. If her soul had cracks, her system didn’t. Benjamin had asked her to oversee the process. Not to lead. Not to intervene. Just to be there. A silent witness. A presence that left no trace. She opened a spreadsheet. Reviewed the assigned leads for every touchpoint with Ambercrest: internal relocations, protocol reviews, legal cross-checks. Everything flowed through her. No one noticed. No one saw her. Except him. And that, precisely, was what she couldn’t stand. *** “Ambercrest is delivering,” said Lucas, unfolding a series of graphs o