Chapter 60

Kelvin's POV

The dim glow of my desk lamp cast long shadows across the office as I skimmed through the latest shipment reports. Something wasn’t adding up. The numbers were there, but they didn’t match reality.

A knock at the door.

"Come in," I said without looking up.

Dylan stepped inside, his usual smugness absent. That alone was a red flag. He closed the door behind him, his posture tense, arms crossed.

"We have a problem," he said flatly.

I exhaled slowly, shutting the laptop and giving him my full attention. "Of course, we do. What now?"

Dylan tossed a file onto my desk. "Some of our goods from the last shipment never made it to the warehouse."

I opened the file, scanning the details. My jaw tightened. The missing cargo wasn’t small, whoever pulled this off had either serious guts or a death wish.

"How much?" I asked, my voice colder than before.

"Enough to make you want to kill someone," Dylan said, his tone dry but his eyes sharp. "And enough that if we don’t figure this out, we’re looking at more than just a financial hit. This was precise. Professional. Not some random thief."

I shut the file with a snap. "Who?"

Dylan’s expression darkened. "That’s the problem. No one saw a damn thing. No witnesses, no footage, no paper trail. It’s like they disappeared into thin air."

I leaned back, studying him. That wasn’t possible. No one got away clean. Someone always left a trace.

"That means one of two things," I mused. "Either we have a rat on the inside, or we’re dealing with someone who knows our operations better than they should."

Dylan nodded. "That’s what I’m thinking. And I hate both options."

I flexed my fingers, the need for control settling deep in my chest. "Punish someone," I said, my voice like ice. "Make an example of our security team. I don’t care who it is. Someone pays for this."

Dylan smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Harsh. But effective."

I met his gaze. "I’m not in the mood for games, Dylan. Find me a name, or find me a body to send a message."

Dylan’s smirk faded. He gave me a sharp nod before turning to leave.

I reopened the file, my mind already calculating. Someone thought they could steal from me and walk away.

Betrayal. Liars.

The two things I hated most in this world.

I clenched my jaw, fingers curling into a fist as I thought about what this theft meant. I pushed back from my desk, standing slowly as I walked toward the window. The city lights stretched out before me, but they brought no comfort.

I had learned long ago that trust was nothing more than a weapon waiting to be turned against you.

I had trusted people before. Given them opportunities, loyalty, even protection. And in the end? They all betrayed me.

That was why I built my empire on fear and control. Because emotions, trust, kindness, forgiveness, those were weaknesses. And weakness got you killed.

I took a slow breath, my fingers tapping against the glass.

The city lights flickered in the distance, a deceptive illusion of peace. But I knew better.

Someone thought they could outmaneuver me.

I would deal with it.

But first, there were other matters to handle.

I turned away from the window and grabbed my suit jacket, slipping it on as I strode out of the office, and I made my way toward Laura’s room.

I didn’t bother knocking. I twisted the handle and pushed the door open.

Laura, who had been sprawled across the bed, groaned loudly. "Are you seriously breaking into my room now?"

I ignored her. "Get up. We’re going out."

She peeked at me from under her arm. "Like hell, we are. I can barely move."

I arched a brow. "Then I’ll carry you."

Her eyes shot open, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "You wouldn’t dare."

I smirked, stepping forward as if I actually would. She yelped, rolling off the bed so fast she nearly collapsed.

"Sadist," she muttered, grabbing the nightstand for support.

"Quit whining," I said. "We need to get clothes for the upcoming gathering."

That got her attention. She straightened, brows furrowing. "Wait. What gathering?"

I folded my arms. "The one I told you about."

"You did not tell me about any—" she paused, then scowled. "Oh my God, is this about that fancy, snobby thing you’re making me attend?"

"It’s a three-day event," I said, watching her reaction.

Her mouth fell open. "Three days?!"

"Yes."

She groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. "I thought it was just one stupid night!"

I smirked. "Change of plans."

She gritted her teeth. "You are the worst."

I shrugged. "I’ve been called worse. Now get dressed. We leave in ten."

She shot me the dirtiest look she could muster, but I was already turning toward the door.

"Kelvin!" she called after me.

I paused.

She narrowed her eyes. "If you don’t buy me food while we’re out, I swear to God…"

I smirked. "Hurry up, Laura. I don’t have all night."

She muttered something under her breath.

Three days at the gathering meant three days of keeping an eye on her.

And three days to make sure she understood exactly what being mine meant.

She draggef herself off the bed like it was the hardest thing in the world. "You act like I don’t have a life," she muttered, shoving her feet into a pair of flats.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching her with amusement. "Your life revolves around me now. Get used to it."

She shot me a glare as she grabbed a jacket. I smirked and followed her down the hall, enjoying every second of her frustration.

By the time we reached the garage, she had crossed her arms, her expression set in a scowl. I pulled open the car door for her, motioning for her to get in.

Rolling her eyes, she climbed in, only to reach for the handle and slam the door shut herself, locking me out in the process.

I laughed under my breath. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I glanced at her. She was staring out the window, arms still crossed, determined to act like I didn’t exist.

Oh yeah.

These days were going to be very, very interesting.