Raymond sat in his study, staring at the damning evidence before him. Eleanor had been orchestrating everything—the leaks, the attacks, the financial setup that linked Michelle to Alex Westwood. She had played him. Again. Michelle wasn't involved like he thought, and once again, the guilt was eating him up. His fingers curled into a fist. This wasn’t just about Michelle anymore. Eleanor had crossed a line. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to think. Reacting impulsively would be a mistake. His mother was dangerous, but she was also calculated. If he confronted her now, she would only deny everything, spin it into another one of her manipulations. No, he needed to thread carefully. Instead of confronting her directly, he needed to cut off her allies first. And one person immediately came to mind—Miranda. She had always been by Eleanor’s side, following her around, whispering in his ear, planting doubts at the perfect moments. The timing of her warning about Michelle had been
Chloe sat on a chair in her apartment, her fingers flying over the keyboard like a flash as she dug deeper into Miranda’s background. She had learned years ago that if something didn’t add up, it was because someone had gone to great lengths to hide the truth. And Miranda? She was a puzzle wrapped in too many layers of secrecy. Like an onion with many layers. After receiving that anonymous warning, Chloe knew she couldn’t ignore it, it was dangerous for her,and she could even end up getting hurt. But if Miranda was involved in something dangerous that had to do with her friend, Michelle had to know. She wouldn't let her friend get hurt. Her search pulled up basic information at first—work history, public records, nothing suspicious. But Chloe wasn’t looking for what was visible. She was looking for what had been erased. What wasn't visible. She needed to dig deeper. She bypassed firewalls, dug into old archives, and finally, something strange popped up. Miranda had been employed at
Chloe sat frozen, the photograph still clutched in her trembling hands. The implications of what she had just uncovered sent a chill down her spine. Everything she thought she knew—about Michelle’s family, about Eleanor, even about her own past—was now tangled in a web of deception she was only beginning to untangle. But first, she needed to understand it all because she was confused. She took a deep breath, pushed aside her growing panic, tried to calm down,and forced herself to go over everything one after the other. She skimmed through each paper over again, trying to solve the puzzle. Years ago, Miranda had worked for a private consulting firm that specialized in handling high-profile clients’ most sensitive affairs. illegal businesses , they were good at keeping things hidden. This wasn’t just an elite business firm—it was a fixer firm, one that provided discreet services to powerful people in the business world, ensuring their deepest secrets stayed buried. The kind of discr
Eleanor Hawthorne sat in her private suite, sipping a glass of wine as she reviewed the latest reports. The plans she had set in motion was unfolding exactly as she planned. The stock market crisis had shaken confidence in Hawthorne Enterprises, and Victor’s financial leverage had made him appear indispensable to the board.But there was still resistance.Raymond had managed to rally some of the more independent board members to push back against Victor’s involvement. They weren’t foolish—they saw the threat Eleanor posed.Which meant it was time to remove their options.She picked up her phone and made a call.“Have the files been delivered?” she asked smoothly.“Yes, ma’am,” her contact replied. “He has received them.”“Good.” Eleanor’s lips curled into a smile. “Now, let’s see how long he can hold out.”Miles Harrington, one of the longest-serving board members, had always prided himself on his integrity. He had been a firm ally of Raymond’s, resisting Eleanor’s influence at every
Chloe sat on the floor of her apartment, her back pressed against the couch as she stared at the collection of files spread out in front of her. The dim glow from her laptop cast eerie shadows on the walls, making the silence in the room feel even heavier.She had spent the last few hours trying to piecing everything together—every detail, every inconsistency, every link that tied Miranda to Eleanor. What she found was worse than she had expected.Miranda wasn’t just an assistant. She was a handler. A fixer. Someone planted in Hawthorne Enterprises with a purpose. And that purpose was to keep Eleanor’s dirty deeds from getting out.The transactions Chloe uncovered weren’t just suspicious; they pointed to something deliberate, something planned. Miranda had access to key company documents, and there were traces of funds being funneled into offshore accounts linked to Eleanor.This wasn’t just corporate espionage.It was a takeover in progress.And Miranda was at the center of it.Chloe
Michelle had just entered her office when her phone buzzed with a message, vibrating against her desk. She barely glanced at it, she was still lost in thought over Chloe’s last message. And what she meant by that.Miranda used to be a handler and she's working at Hawthorne Enterprises for a reason—to cover up Eleanor's secrets. We need to talk.A pit had formed in Michelle’s stomach the moment she read it. Chloe had been absent from work, she had been focused on her investigation for weeks, digging deeper than either of them should have. And now—Michelle exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples.Something felt wrong.Chloe should have followed up by now. She would have at least called her to explain what she had uncovered. The worry on her face was obvious.A knock on her office door snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Raymond standing there, his expression unreadable.“We need to talk,” he said.Michelle frowned. “About what?”Raymond hesitated for half a second before
A heavy silence settled between Michelle and Raymond as the call ended, the distorted voice still echoing in her mind."You’re looking in the wrong place." What does that mean? She thought to herself.Michelle’s grip tightened around her phone, her knuckles turning white. Whoever had attacked Chloe was now playing games with her, sending cryptic warnings and making it clear that she was next. it’s likely a mix of both a warning and misdirection—whoever sent it wants her to stop looking where she is, but the real question is why?Raymond, standing close beside her, took the phone from her hand and examined the call log. “The number’s blocked.” His tone was sharp, controlled, but Michelle could see the tension in his posture.“This isn’t random,” she whispered, more to herself than to him. “Whoever did this to Chloe—whoever sent me that message—they want me to know they’re watching.”Raymond’s jaw clenched. “And they want to scare you.”Michelle exhaled, trying to steady her racing thou
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Chloe registered as she slowly regained consciousness. Her body ached, her head ached, and her throat felt dry so much that she couldn't even swallow her saliva, but the moment her eyelids fluttered open, she saw Michelle sitting beside her, gripping her hand tightly. "Chloe?" Michelle's voice was laced with both relief and urgency. Chloe tried to speak, but her throat was too dry and it burned. Michelle quickly reached for a cup of water and helped her sit up to take a small sip. "You scared the hell out of me Chloe ," Michelle whispered, her grip on Chloe’s hand tightening. The worry on her face obvious. Chloe gave her a weak smile. "That… makes two of us." But the relief was short-lived. Chloe's brows knitted together as memories of the attack came rushing back. Her fingers curled against the bedsheet, and she swallowed hard. She suddenly became tense. Michelle noticed the change instantly. "Chloe, are you okay? Wh
Michelle and Raymond rushed into the hospital, the sterile scent filling her lungs as they approached the reception desk. Michelle’s fingers clenched into fists, her heartbeat hammering in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was anxiety over Vivian’s condition or the lingering bitterness she still carried toward her mother. The nurse at the desk recognized her immediately. “Ms. Davenport, your mother is in Room 312. She collapsed suddenly, but she’s stable for now.” Michelle barely nodded before heading in the direction the nurse indicated, Raymond following closely. The past few hours had already been overwhelming—Richard’s schemes, Eleanor’s manipulation, and now this. Her mother’s health had never been something she concerned herself with too much, mainly because Vivian had never truly been a mother to her. She had always favoured Millie. Reaching the hospital room, she hesitated at the door. It was strange standing here, knowing that if the situation were reversed, Vivian wouldn’t
The tension in the office was palpable as Michelle processed Charles’s words. Her inheritance was being contested, and Richard wasn’t the only one involved. But who else was pulling the strings? Was he working with Eleanor? Do they even know each other? She couldn't find answers to the question. Raymond remained beside her, his presence steady and unwavering. "We need to find out exactly how deep this goes," he said, his voice firm. "If Richard thinks he can take this from you, he’s severely underestimated who he’s dealing with." Michelle nodded, determination settling in. "I want to know everything. If someone is backing him, I need to know who." Felix, always prepared, stepped forward with his tablet. "I did some digging into Eleanor’s sudden involvement. And you’re not going to like what I found." Michelle's stomach twisted. "What is it?" Felix swiped across the screen, pulling up a series of old legal documents and confidential files. "Eleanor has known about your inheritance
Michelle’s fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the legal document, her mind struggling to process Damian’s words. "I don’t understand," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "How is this possible? I don’t recall any distant relatives who would leave me such a massive inheritance for me." Damian leaned against Raymond’s desk, his expression thoughtful. "That’s because this relative wasn’t directly in your life. But legally, they had ties to your family. The inheritance was sealed under a confidential clause. It was only unlocked now because of Richard’s recent moves. Raymond’s grip on Michelle’s hand tightened as he exchanged a glance with Damian. "Meaning someone wanted this hidden. And now that it’s surfaced, Richard is desperate to get his hands on it." Michelle exhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay composed. She had been manipulated before, but she refused to be a pawn again. "Who was this relative? And why was I chosen as the heir?" Felix handed her another
The night at the gala had barely ended, yet its repercussions were already unraveling. Raymond sat in his office the next morning, his fingers drumming rhythmically against his desk, his gaze cold as he waited. Felix stood nearby, his expression grim. “He’s here,” Felix announced. Raymond’s jaw tightened. “Send him in.” The door swung open, and Richard Smith strode inside with the same arrogant confidence he had displayed the previous night. He took a seat opposite Raymond without permission, stretching his arms and legs like he owned the place, his smirk firmly in place. “You certainly don’t waste time,” Richard mused, adjusting the cufflinks on his tailored suit. “I admire that.” Raymond’s eyes remained hard. “Cut to the chase.” Richard chuckled, leaning forward. “Fine. I’ll be direct. Michelle owns something I want—an estate that’s far more valuable than she realizes. If she signs it over to me, I’ll stop my... interference in Hawthorne Enterprises.”Richard wasn't actually i
Raymond’s grip tightened on his phone as he processed Sebastian’s warning. His mind worked at lightning speed, piecing together the puzzle Richard Smith had been crafting in the shadows. What is Richard up to? He thought to himself. “This isn’t just about business,” he murmured, more to himself than to Sebastian. “It’s about Michelle.” Sebastian sighed. “Exactly. Richard has been playing this game for a long time, and if you don’t move fast, he’ll gain the upper hand.” Raymond exhaled sharply. “I won’t let that happen.” He ended the call and immediately called Felix back to his office. Within minutes, Felix arrived, his face tense, already sensing the urgency. “We need to dig deeper,” Raymond said, flipping open the file Felix had given him earlier. “I want a full breakdown of every deal Richard has been involved in, every collaboration, every investment he has made, every business, every contact. I want to know where he’s going to be before he even gets there.” I want to know w
Michelle felt the weight of Raymond’s gaze pressing down on her as she stared at the video on his phone. The grainy footage played continuously, showing her in a tense argument with a tall, handsome shadowed figure. Her heart pounded violently, and she clenched her fists, knowing she could no longer avoid the truth. She needed to tell Raymond the truth. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "His name is Richard Smith." Raymond's expression was cold, but his grip on the phone tightened. "And who exactly is this Richard Smith?" Michelle hesitated, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "He was my ex-fiancé." But it was a long time ago. My father wanted me to marry him but it wasn't what I wanted, so I rejected him. The room fell into a heavy silence. Michelle could see the flicker of emotions behind Raymond's cold, calculating gaze, but he didn’t interrupt. He was waiting for the full explanation. She swallowed hard and continued. "It was an arranged engagement. My father set it u
Michelle sat at the long mahogany dining table, her laptop open before her as she sifted through every financial document she could find in the company records. She had spent hours working with Felix to trace the origins of the false transactions. If Eleanor wanted a fight, Michelle was more than ready to give her one. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as she compiled her defense, pulling up every records, bank statements, and financial reports she could find. Raymond sat beside her, watching in silence like a good kid who just got treats. She was still mad at him. He had already apologized—twice—but she wasn’t in the mood to listen to his apologies. Felix entered the room, placing a file on the table. "I gathered everything we need to prove your innocence. These are records tracing the embezzled funds back to Eleanor. We can use this. The transactions were made using an alias linked to her offshore accounts." Michelle picked up the file, flipping through the pages. Every
Raymond sat in his office, staring at the latest headline on his phone. His grip on the device tightened as he read the accusations against Michelle. The evidence was damning—too damning. Someone was orchestrating this with precision. But who? Could it be his mother? Raymond thought to himself. His gut told him Eleanor was behind this and his instinct was never wrong. But there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think—what if Michelle was actually involved? It was irrational, he knew that, but he still didn't know what to believe. She had just saved the company with the international deal. Yet, he had spent years trusting no one, building walls that even Michelle had struggled to breach. His head throbbed. The woman he had fought to protect was now the center of another scandal, and this time, the accusations were even worse. "Sir?" Felix’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. His assistant stood at the door, an urgent expression on his face. "W
The days following the investigation had been tense, but in the end, the truth prevailed. The forensic team had meticulously combed through the financial records, and after an exhaustive review, it was confirmed that Michelle had been framed, and that she was innocent. The transactions were traced back to a dummy account linked to an offshore entity, and the supposed security footage had been manipulated using advanced AI-generated imagery. Whoever was behind this had gone to extreme lengths to ensure she took the fall and destroyed her reputation, but they had underestimated Raymond’s determination to prove her innocence. When the news broke that Michelle had been cleared of all accusations, a wave of relief washed over her and she felt a little better. But the victory was bittersweet. The damage had already been done—her name had been dragged through the mud, and despite being proven innocent, some people still whispered, still doubted her. The weight of the scandal lingered, but M