embezzlement on a large scale

ELENA’s POV Julian turned his chair toward me. He reached out and took my hand again, squeezing it firmly."You did perfectly, Elena," he said, and for the first time all morning, a warm, genuine smile appeared on his face. "You looked Arthur in the eye and you didn't back down. Your father would have been very proud of you today.""Thank you, Julian," I said, feeling a tear of relief catch in the corner of my eye. "I couldn't have done it without you sitting there.""You did the hard part yourself," Julian said softly. "Now, the real work begins. The accounting firm is already downstairs in the main lobby. They brought twenty investigators with them. They are going to clone the main servers before Susan’s personal assistants can delete anything."For the next four days, the top floor of the Carnegie Global Shipping building looked like a war zone of paper and computers. The independent auditors took over the large conference room. Boxes of old paper invoices were stacked against the

an arrest warrant

ELENA’s POV The rain started again just as the clock in the dashboard showed 6:00 AM. It was a cold, gray morning. I sat in the back seat of Julian’s large SUV, watching the raindrops slide down the dark glass of the window. My hands were freezing, so I pressed them tightly between my knees to keep them from shaking. We were parked on a quiet side street just one block away from the grand gates of the Carnegie estate. In front of us and behind us sat four large black police vehicles. The lights on top of them were not flashing yet, but the men inside were putting on their heavy jackets and checking their official paperwork. Julian sat right next to me. He had taken off his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt. He didn’t say anything for a long time, letting the quiet hum of the car engine fill the space between us. Then, without a word, he reached out and took my right hand. His palm was incredibly warm, and his fingers were rough and strong as he folded t

Flash flash flash

ELENA’s POV Before I could even think of a response, Julian placed his warm hand on the small of my back. He pushed me gently behind him, stepping directly into Susan’s line of sight. He looked down at her with total indifference, as if she were completely beneath his notice."She is not a Carnegie, Susan," Julian said, his deep voice filling the hallway. "She is something far better. She is an honest woman. And tomorrow, her name will be the only one left on the building. Take her away."The officers pushed Susan through the front doors and out onto the grand stone steps.Julian turned around to look at me. His hand moved from my back up to my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Are you alright, Elena?"I looked up at him, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion wash over me. The tension of the last five days was finally leaving my body. "Yes. I am alright. But it feels strange. The house is so quiet now.""It’s a good thing," Julian said softly. He reached out and brushed a stray piece of

always and always

ELENA’s POV The SUV drove through the quiet city streets and pulled back into the secure underground garage of Julian’s private tower. The doors closed behind us, cutting off the grey light of the rainy morning. When the engine stopped, the silence inside the car was deep and peaceful.Julian turned to me and took my hand. His fingers were warm, and he gave me a gentle squeeze. "We are home, Elena. The hard part of the day is finished.""It still feels like a dream," I said, looking down at our joined hands. "Seeing Susan in handcuffs... I never thought I would see the day her pride was completely broken.""It is not a dream," Julian said softly. He leaned over and brushed his lips gently against my cheek. His breath was warm against my skin, making my heart flutter. "It is reality. Let's go see our boy."We took the private elevator straight up to the top floor. The moment the elevator doors slid open into the wide penthouse, a small body came running across the gray stone floor."

not like her

Later that night, around 2:00 AM, the apartment was completely silent.Julian quietly slid out of the bed, careful not to wake Elena. He pulled on a dark silk robe and walked out into the dark living room. He walked down the side hallway and entered the small private study, where a single computer monitor was glowing with a soft blue light.Marcus was sitting at the desk, his fingers typing quietly on the keyboard. He had a headset over one ear. When Julian walked in, Marcus immediately stood up."Mr. Vane," Marcus whispered. "I didn't expect you to be awake.""I needed to check the files," Julian said, his voice dropping into a cold, business tone. The gentle warmth he showed to Elena was completely gone. "Abernathy said Susan cleared a final transaction before her arrest. I want to know what the Carnegie family is planning. Give me more information on Sebastian. Susan is locked away, but Sebastian is still free in the city. What do we have on him?"Marcus sat back down and clicked a

little boss starts school?

ELENA’s POV The golden morning light was just starting to peek through the heavy, dark glass of the windows when I woke up. I was lying in the middle of the massive bed, completely warm and content. To my left, little Leo was still fast asleep, his small mouth slightly open as he clutched his teddy bear. To my right, Julian’s side of the bed was empty, but the sheets were still warm.I stretched my arms and quietly sat up, careful not to wake my son. I wrapped myself in a soft white robe and walked out into the main living room.Julian was standing by the kitchen island, holding a white ceramic mug of black coffee. He had already showered, and his dark hair was slightly damp. He was wearing a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, looking incredibly handsome and calm. When he heard my footsteps, he looked up, and that familiar, warm smile instantly spread across his face."Good morning, Elena," he said, his deep voice smooth and quiet in the early air. He set h