All Chapters of CEO's Dare Bride : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

"Mrs. Cole is calling an emergency board meeting," Julian said, standing in Emma's apartment doorway.Emma looked up from her laptop. "When?""Tomorrow morning. Nine sharp.""What's the agenda?"Julian hesitated. "A vote of no confidence."Emma's fingers stopped moving across the keyboard. "Against me?""Yes."She closed the laptop slowly. "Who called for it?""Rafael Donovan. He's been contacting board members directly."Emma stood and walked to the window. The city lights stretched below her like stars scattered across concrete. "How many votes does he have?"Four confirmed. Maybe five.""Out of nine?""Yes."Emma turned back to him. "That's enough to remove me."Julian nodded. "If the vote passes, Nathan becomes interim CEO."Emma's jaw tightened. "Nathan is suspended.""Rafael's been circulating documents that claim you framed Nathan. Financial records, emails, and payments to investigators.""That's a lie.""I know. But the board doesn't."Emma picked up her phone. "Get me everyt

Emma didn't touch the USB drive for three hours.She tried to work. She reviewed documents, returned calls, and attended a brief meeting with her legal team. But the drive sat on her, pulling her attention no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.Finally, she locked her office door, closed the blinds, and plugged the drive into her laptop.The first file was security footage from the London hotel.Emma watched as Patricia walked into the lobby, elegant and composed. She approached the front desk. The timestamp showed it was three hours before Ace had arrived.Patricia spoke to the clerk. Emma couldn't hear the conversation, but she saw Patricia slide something across the counter. The clerk hesitated, then nodded. He handed her a key card.Patricia smiled and walked toward the elevators.Emma's chest tightened.The next file showed hallway footage. Patricia entering a room. The number on the door matched Ace's room number.The timestamp showed Patricia inside for one hour and fifty-t

“Sign here, Mr. Webb, and here.”Marcus stared at the immunity agreement on the metal table while Agent Sarah Brooks sat across from him.“Once I sign this, there’s no going back.”“No, there isn’t.”He picked up the pen, his hand shaking as he signed the first page and then the second, before sliding the papers across the table.Agent Brooks gathered them. “Walk me through it from the beginning. How did Rafael Donovan recruit you?”“He didn’t. Patricia Weston did.”“When?”“Three years ago. I was freelancing, doing events and corporate work, and she hired me for discreet documentation. I didn’t ask questions because the money was good.”“What changed?”“The work did surveillance, compromising photos, and stories that weren’t true. When I tried to stop, she threatened me and said she had evidence I’d been stalking her clients. It was a lie, but I couldn’t fight it.”“So you stayed.”“I stayed.”Agent Brooks opened her laptop and turned it toward him. “Tell me about this.”The image ap

Mia sat in the conference room at the FBI field office, her posture straight and her hands still in her lap, while Agent Torres sat across from her, watching closely.“You ready?” Agent Torres asked.Mia nodded once and said, “Yes.”Agent Torres leaned back slightly before speaking. “Just tell the truth,” he said, evenly. “Don’t embellish, don’t minimize, and don’t leave anything out, because the grand jury needs to hear exactly what happened.”“I understand.”He pressed the record button, and the soft click sounded louder than it should have in the quiet room. “Please state your name for the record.”“Mia Hartley.”“And your relationship to Rafael Donovan?”Mia drew in a slow breath before answering. “Rafael Donovan blackmailed me into leaking confidential information from Blacke Tech and Oceanic Group. He used my father’s medical debt as leverage, and he threatened to ruin my family if I didn’t comply.”Torres nodded once, prompting her forward without interrupting. “When did this b

"Emma, you look terrible."Emma looked up from her desk. Lola stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation."Thanks. That's exactly what I needed to hear.""I'm serious. When's the last time you ate something that wasn't coffee?"Emma glanced at the empty mug on her desk. "I had breakfast.""When?""This morning.""It's four in the afternoon."Emma rubbed her temples. "I've been busy."Lola walked into the office and closed the door. "You've also been nauseous for the past week. You're exhausted. You nearly fell asleep in yesterday's meeting. What's going on?""Nothing. I'm just tired.""Emma.""I'm fine, Lola.""You're not fine. You're running yourself into the ground, and I'm worried about you."Emma leaned back in her chair. "The trial is starting next week. Rafael's lawyers are still filing motions. The media won't leave us alone. I have a company to run. I don't have time to be tired.""You need to take care of yourself.""I will. After the