جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 140

YULIAThe courtroom was already crowded when my team and I walked in.“Ready?” Mr. Harrison asked.“Yes.”I tightened my grip on the leather folder and took a slow breath before heading to the defence table.I had handled criminal matters before and knew how to stand before a judge, present an argument, and keep emotion out of my voice.But this case was different. Kendrick was here.The evidence against Nikolai was far more complicated than the prosecution had initially made it out to be.I glanced across the courtroom.Alexander’s legal team was already seated. Behind them sat representatives from Fernsby Technologies.Kendrick sat beside his technical team, dressed in a blue-black suit with a tablet resting in front of him. He looked completely composed, as though this were another business meeting.His eyes lifted, finding mine right away. His expression barely changed, but I noticed the slight tightening around his eyes.I broke eye contact first.Focus, Yulia.The judge entered

NATALIEShock rooted me to the floor, leaving my mind entirely blank. Kendrick stood across the bedroom, staring at me with an expression I couldn't read. His voice was deceptively calm when he asked about the money, which only made the situation feel far more dangerous. He had never asked me about my spending before.Not once.As long as I didn't embarrass him publicly, he seemed perfectly content to let me live however I wanted.So why now?Why had he suddenly decided to question me?“I asked you a question, Natalie.”His voice pulled me back to reality.“What did you use one million pounds for?”“It was an emergency,” I answered quickly.His eyes narrowed. “What emergency?”I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.Think Natalie.I needed something believable. “I had some financial commitments that needed to be handled immediately.”“What commitments?”I looked away. “Personal ones.”Kendrick gave a humourless laugh. “Personal?”“Yes.”“That doesn't explain anything.”“I didn't think

KENDRICK“WHAT?”Yulia's shocked voice didn't surprise me.I had expected it.She watched me as if I'd just told her I'd sold my entire company overnight. I could see questions forming in her eyes, but she seemed too stunned to ask.“What about your daughter?” she finally asked.“Nalani has nothing to do with this, but I’ll always be her father.”“She deserves a stable family.”“She deserves parents who are honest with each other,” I replied quietly. “And Natalie and I haven't been that for a long time.”Yulia looked back at me. “You've thought about this?”“Yes. I thought about it last year. I've thought about it every time Natalie and I sat across from each other at dinner and had nothing to say.”Something shifted in Yulia's eyes. “But you stayed.”“I did.”“Why?”Nalani and my mother.Those were the reasons I had stayed. Instead, I said. “I told myself it was easier to stay, for everyone.”Yulia folded her arms. “And now?”“Now I don't believe that anymore.”She stared at me. I c

KENDRICKI had arrived at the restaurant nearly twenty minutes early, looking forward to seeing Yulia all day. And the closer it got to seven, the more impatient I became.I checked my phone for the tenth time, waiting in the private room until the door finally opened. A staff member stepped inside first. “Mr. Fernsby, Miss Yulia has arrived.”I stood instantly as Yulia came into view.My eyes moved over her without permission.She looked pretty. Her outfit struck the perfect balance between elegant and effortless, completely commanding my attention. When her eyes met mine, I could still see the same Peaches I'd known years ago.She scanned the private room and smiled. “You didn't close it down this time, huh?”I chuckled. “I just needed a private room this time.”She raised an eyebrow. “Convenient.”“I learned my lesson.”She laughed softly and walked farther into the room.I picked up the flowers I'd arranged earlier and held them out to her. “These are for you.”“Awww.” She accep

KENDRICKIt was Saturday afternoon, and I sat in my home office with my laptop open. The house was unusually quiet without Nalani hovering around me, which was exactly what I needed for a few hours. I spent most of the morning dealing with company matters, but my mind kept drifting back to the Nikolai case.The more my team uncovered, the less straightforward everything became. I put my phone on speaker, as Matthew went through the latest findings.“We've found something else,” he said.I twirled my pen, focused. “What did you find?”“There was another device connected to the network shortly before the transactions were made. We've traced part of its activity, and it doesn't match anything we've previously associated with Nikolai.”My expression sharpened. “Are you sure?”“Yes. We're still verifying everything, but the evidence could help establish that Nikolai wasn't the person operating the system.”I sat forward. “That could be important.”“It is. If we can establish the chain pro