Lahat ng Kabanata ng MY EX WANTS ME BACK: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

Diane's pov"You've been staring at that board for ten minutes."I blinked and looked over my shoulder.Abe stood in the doorway of Conference Room B, balancing two paper cups of coffee."I've only been here for five."He smirked."It felt like ten."I rolled my eyes."You're impossible.""So Marcus keeps telling me."He handed me one of the cups before walking toward the investigation wall.The board looked even more chaotic than yesterday.Sticky notes.Photographs.Access logs.Client schedules.Colored strings stretched from one corner to another.If someone walked in without context, they'd probably think we'd lost our minds.Abe folded his arms."Anything new?"I sighed."I keep looking at it, hoping something will suddenly jump out.""And?""So far..."I gestured toward the wall."...I've learned that colored sticky notes don't solve crimes."A quiet laugh escaped him."I was afraid of that."For a few moments, neither of us spoke.The silence wasn't uncomfortable anymore.It r

Richard's povI hated loose ends.In thirty two years of corporate leadership, I'd learned that every anomaly had an explanation.Maybe it wasn't obvious.Maybe it took weeks to uncover.But there was always an answer.Except...As I stared at the empty search results on my computer screen, I wasn't sure that rule still applied.Sentinel Dynamics had been approved for a forty-million-dollar acquisition.The proposal carried my signature.The finance department's signature.The board's approval.The legal team's review.Everything looked legitimate.Yet outside these documents...The company didn't exist.I picked up my phone."Janice, I need everyone from Legal, Finance, and Corporate Records in Conference Room A."There was a pause."Tonight?""Tonight."By nine thirty, six exhausted executives sat around the conference table.Most looked confused.A few looked irritated.I couldn't blame them.Nobody enjoyed being called back to the office after business hours.I placed the acquisit

Abe's povSleep had become a luxury.I couldn't remember the last time I'd had a full night's rest without dreaming about timelines, anonymous messages, or the investigation board that had practically become my second home.By the time I walked into Holloway Industries the next morning, Richard was already waiting outside Conference Room B.His coffee sat untouched.That alone told me something was wrong."Morning."He looked up."It isn't."My stomach tightened."The backup drive?"He nodded."It'll be here within the hour.""And the modified file?""We'll know soon enough."There was something different about him.Richard Lawson wasn't a man who rattled easily.Today...He looked unsettled.By nine o'clock, Diane and Olivia had joined us.Nobody spoke much.The silence was interrupted only by the occasional vibration of someone's phone.At exactly 9:17 a.m., Olivia's laptop chimed."It's here."She turned the screen toward us.The archival storage company had delivered the recovered

Zephyr's pov The first thing I noticed when Diane walked into my apartment was the way she smiled.Not because it was genuine.Because she was trying so hard to make it look genuine."Hey.""Hey."She leaned up and kissed my cheek before dropping onto the couch with a tired sigh."You look exhausted.""I am.""Long day?"She laughed quietly."I don't think 'long' covers it anymore."I sat beside her.For a few moments neither of us spoke.She rested her head against my shoulder.I wrapped an arm around her instinctively.The silence didn't feel awkward.It felt needed."You know..."I said softly."You don't always have to tell me what's wrong."She looked up."I know.""You also don't have to pretend you're okay."Her eyes searched mine."I'm trying not to bring work into every conversation.""I appreciate that."I smiled."But pretending it doesn't affect you isn't helping either."She looked down at her hands."It's getting worse.""The investigation?"She nodded."I keep thinking

Olivia's povBy the time Richard arrived, I had already checked the maintenance access log three times.I was hoping I'd made a mistake.I hadn't.The same maintenance card had accessed the executive floor every night for the past seven months.Eleven forty-three.Almost to the second.Richard hurried into the security office, still wearing the same suit from earlier."You found something.""I found someone."I turned the monitor toward him."Or... maybe no one."He stared at the screen.Employee Name: Daniel CrossDepartment: Building MaintenanceEmployee Photo: UnavailableEmergency Contact: UnavailableEmployment Records: UnavailablePayroll History: RestrictedRichard frowned."Restricted?""That's what caught my attention."He leaned closer."I've never seen payroll marked as restricted.""Neither have I."I clicked through several menus."Every employee leaves a trail.""Tax records.""Performance reviews.""Training certifications.""Vacation requests.""This man has..."I paus