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157 Capítulos

Chapter 131

Francis’s POVI pushed open the door to the small law office tucked away in a nondescript building downtown. My heart was pounding as I stepped inside, this meeting could change everything. I’d been fighting for my share of the Harrington company for what felt like forever even though it’s not been less than 48 hours, and now it was down to the wire. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with glasses perched on the end of her nose, glanced up from her computer.“Mr. Francis? Mr. Ellis is ready for you,” she said, gesturing toward a door at the back.I nodded, wiping my palms on my slacks before heading in. The lawyer, Mr. Ellis, was already seated behind a cluttered desk, flipping through a thick folder. He was in his late fifties. He stood up as I entered, extending a hand with a firm grip.“Francis, good to see you. Have a seat,” he said, his voice steady and reassuring. I sank into the chair opposite him.“Thanks for fitting me in so quickly,” I replied, trying to keep my tone eve

Chapter 132

Lisa’s POVI was curled up on the couch, staring blankly at the TV screen where some mindless reality show flickered without sound. My mind was a whirlwind, replaying the fight with Francis for the hundredth time. How could he be so blind to everything but that damn company? I sipped my tea, trying to push it all away, when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. The screen lit up with Francis’s name. I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the decline button. What could he possibly want now? But curiosity won out, and I swiped to answer.“Hello?” I said, not bothering to hide the irritation.“Lisa, thank God you picked up.” Francis sounded breathless, like he’d been running. “We need to talk. It’s important.”I sat up straighter, my grip tightening on the phone. “If this is about us or the company, I’m not in the mood, Francis. You made your priorities clear.”“No, no, it’s not that. Listen, I just saw something downtown. Christine… she was talking to him. The blackmailer. Right there on

Chapter 133

Christine’s POVThe envelope from the blackmailer sat unopened in the center of my table. Everything was falling into place, exactly as I’d orchestrated. The meeting with him this afternoon wasn’t some chance encounter like I’d told Lisa, it was deliberate. I’d had one of my men tailing him for days, tracking his every move through the city’s grimy underbelly. When I got the call that he’d be near the bookstore, I made sure to be there. I leaned back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other, my silk pajama pants whispering against the leather. Lisa’s confrontation earlier had been delicious, her eyes filled with panic, her voice too as she demanded answers. Watching her feel this way, her paranoia eating her alive, was better than any high. She thought she could control me, telling me to stay away from the blackmailer? Pathetic. I’d almost laughed in her face when she stormed into my room, her arms crossed like a petulant child, her cheeks flushed with fury and fear. The way she

Chapter 134

Christine’s POVThe next morning, I was sipping coffee as I scrolled through my phone when the doorbell rang, an insistent chime that cut through the quiet. I glanced up, my fingers pausing on the screen. The maid shuffled toward the door as she hurried steps returning. She appeared in the doorway, clutching a thick manila envelope stamped with a courthouse seal.“Miss Christine,” she said, “this just came. It’s… it’s for your grandfather.”I set my mug down, my pulse quickening as I took the envelope from her outstretched hand. The paper was heavy, looking official, the kind that carried bad news. “I’ll handle it,” I said, my tone calm. Clara nodded and retreated, leaving me alone with the envelope. I didn’t need to open it to know it was trouble, Francis’s name was practically screaming from the courthouse stamp. I stood and headed toward my grandfather's study.I pushed the door open without knocking. Grandfather sat behind his mahogany desk, his glasses perched on his nose as he

Chapter 135

Christine’s POVLisa’s face twists into fury the moment she spots me through the grimy window of the blackmailer’s apartment. Her eyes blazing, locked onto mine as she pounds on the door again. Before I can move, the blackmailer approaches and swings the door open, and Lisa storms in like a hurricane. Her blonde hair is disheveled, her cheeks flushed a deep red, and her fists are already clenched at her sides. She doesn’t even glance at him. Her gaze is fixed on me.“You!” she shrieks, her voice piercing enough to make my ears ring. “You conniving brat! You’re here to ruin my life, aren’t you? You’ve always hated me, Christine! You’ve always wanted to destroy everything good in my life!” Her hands fly up, gesturing wildly, and I can see the veins in her neck pulsing as she steps closer.I lean back on the leather couch, crossing one leg over the other, my posture deliberately calm despite the storm brewing in front of me. My lips curve into a faint, controlled smile, just enough to st

Chapter 136

Lisa’s POVMy hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The tremors started the moment I stumbled out of that apartment. My breath came in shallow gasps, my chest tight, as if an invisible hand was squeezing my lungs. I sat in my car, parked haphazardly in an alley two blocks away, my fingers gripping the steering wheel so hard. My mind was a chaotic mess, replaying the sickening thud of the knife, the blackmailer’s wide-eyed shock, the blood pooling beneath him. And Christine, slumped on the floor, motionless. Was she dead? The question gnawed at me, sharp and relentless, making my stomach churn. I pressed my forehead against the cool leather of the steering wheel, trying to sustain myself, but the panic was a tidal wave, pulling me under.What had I done? Should I tell someone? But who? The police? My family? The thought of confessing made my throat close up. Grandfather would kill me, maybe not literally, but his rage would be a punishment all its own. I fumbled for my phone, my fingers clums

Chapter 137

Christine’s POVFlashback…Previously, the moment Lisa left after killing the blackmailer, the pain in the back of my head still throbs pulsing deeply in my skull, from where Lisa smashed that wine bottle against my skull. I was still slumped on the floor of the apartment, my vision swimming as I pressed my weak hand to the tender spot. My fingers come away sticky with blood, and I wince, the pain biting deeper as I force myself to sit up. The room spins for a moment, the edges blurring, but I grit my teeth and blink hard, willing the dizziness away. Lisa’s gone, fled the scene like a frightened animal, leaving chaos in her wake. The blackmailer’s body lies a few feet away, blood pooling beneath him, his lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling. My stomach churns, but I swallow the nausea. There’s no time for weakness. I need to act, and I need to act now.My hands shake as I fumble for my phone in my pocket, the screen lighting up as I scroll through my contacts. My thumb hovers over a

Chapter 138

Lisa’s POVThe next morning, I drag myself through the front door of Grandfather’s sprawling estate, my body is heavy with exhaustion. The drive back from the apartment last night feels like a fever dream as my mind replayed the impossible, a spotless apartment, no blood, no body. My body still tremble, though I try to hide it, clutching my purse strap as I step into the foyer. I’m barely two steps in when I see Grandfather sitting in the leather armchair by the fireplace in the living room. His eyes lock onto me the moment I appear. He doesn’t move, doesn’t speak, but the weight of his gaze pins me in place. My stomach twists, and I swallow hard, forcing my legs to carry me forward.“Lisa,” he says, his voice low and gravelly, cutting through the silence. “Sit down.”I hesitate, my fingers tightening around my purse strap. The air feels suffocating, and I want to run, to bolt back out the door, but I know better. I lower myself onto the edge of the sofa across from him, my posture

Chapter 139

Lisa’s POVThe day of the first court hearing finally came, and the courtroom was filled with quiet tension. I sat there in my black suit, my hands folded tightly in my lap, trying to steady the faint tremor that had lingered since that night. The room was stuffy, with high ceilings and wooden paneling. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows. Grandfather sat beside me, his posture ramrod straight. His face was filled with calm authority. Across the aisle, Francis looked calm as he sat.At first, everything seemed to be going really well for our side. Grandfather’s lawyer, opened strong, painting Francis as a disgruntled opportunist trying to steal half of Harrington Tech through baseless claims. Then Grandfather took the stand, his voice steady and commanding as he leaned into the microphone. “Your Honor,” he said, his eyes scanning the room with that piercing gaze of his, “Francis’s assertion that my granddaughter Christine rejected his marriage proposal is nothing but a fabric

Chapter 140

Christine’s POVShortly, the judge’s gavel fell with a sharp sound, sealing Francis’s victory. “I hereby declare Francis not guilty.” She says. The words echoed in my mind. Francis rose beside me, his shoulders relaxing for the first time all day, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His eyes caught mine with gratitude, and I returned a small nod, keeping my expression neutral. The courtroom buzzed with murmurs, but I barely heard them. My focus was fixed on the next move.We stepped into the aisle, Francis matching my stride as we headed out at the back of the courtroom. The air outside felt cooler. Francis was saying something. about the ruling, about the company and how grateful he is but I only half-listened, my attention snagged by Lisa rushing toward us. Her black suit was slightly wrinkled now, her blonde hair slipping from its neat bun, strands of her hair flushed her face. Her eyes were cold with something else like fear, maybe, or desperation. She stopped short in front of

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