Senator Matteo Valerio sat behind his mahogany desk in his campaign headquarters, staring at the latest financial reports with growing desperation. The numbers were catastrophic – his campaign funding had dropped by nearly seventy percent in just two weeks.His campaign manager, David Sterling, knocked on the door before entering with a grim expression."Senator, we need to talk," David said, closing the door behind him."Let me guess," Matteo said bitterly. "Another investor pulled out?""Three more this morning. Hartwell Industries, Coastal Development Group, and Meridian Tech all withdrew their support."Matteo slammed his fist on the desk. "This is impossible! These are people I've known for years! People who've benefited from my policies!""They're scared, Senator. First the accidents with your major backers, now the market rumors about your connections to certain... organizations.""What rumors?""Nothing specific, but there's talk. People are getting nervous about being associa

Yemin arrived back at his penthouse, his mind still processing the explosive information Matteo Valerio had revealed about his mother's death. He found Marcus Chen waiting in his study, reviewing some financial documents."How did it go with the senator?" Marcus asked, looking up from his papers."Better than expected," Yemin replied, pouring himself a drink. "Matteo sang like a canary once I put enough pressure on him. He confirmed that Justin Castellanos ordered my mother's death."Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Do you believe him?""That's the problem—I'm not sure," Yemin admitted, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Politicians are professional liars, and Matteo was scared enough to say anything to save his own skin. He could be pinning everything on Justin to deflect blame from himself.""What's your next move?""I need to verify the information with Roberto Santangelo somehow," Yemin said, his voice hardening. "If Matteo was telling the truth, then Roberto was the one who handled the logi

The mountain retreat center buzzed with activity as the Group A investors settled into their luxurious accommodations. The sprawling complex featured private cabins nestled among towering pine trees, with a central lodge where meals and meetings were held.Faye was walking back from the evening seminar when she spotted Katherine Shaw sitting on the porch of her cabin, sipping wine with a satisfied smile on her face. There was something different about Katherine's demeanor—instead of her usual menacing hostility, she seemed almost... happy."Well, well, if it isn't the little gold digger," Katherine called out mockingly as Faye passed by. "Enjoying your little vacation courtesy of my ex-husband?"Faye paused, her jaw tightening. "What do you want, Katherine? I'm not in the mood for your usual drama.""Oh, this isn't drama, sweetheart," Katherine replied with a cruel laugh. "This is me being generous and sharing some wonderful memories. You see, I've been thinking about all the amazing

Yemin's patience had reached its breaking point as the two bouncers continued their relentless mockery. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number, his expression remaining deadly calm."What are you doing now, calling your mommy?" the first bouncer laughed. "Maybe she can come pick you up and take you home where you belong.""Yeah, this pathetic loser probably thinks he can impress us by making fake phone calls," the second bouncer added with a sneer.The phone rang twice before a familiar voice answered. "Sterling Club management, this is David speaking.""David, this is the owner," Yemin said simply. "I'm standing outside the club right now, and your two bouncers have been incredibly unprofessional. I want them fired immediately.""Sir, I... of course, right away," David stammered, clearly recognizing Yemin's voice. "I'll be right down."The bouncers looked at each other and burst into laughter. "Did you hear that?" the first one said mockingly. "This clown thinks he owns the plac

Derek Stone collapsed at Faye's cabin door, his life slipping away as blood pooled beneath his still form. Faye stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the man who had tried to save her life, her mind struggling to process what had just happened."Oh God, oh God," she whispered, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "This can't be real. This has to be some kind of nightmare."She looked around frantically, expecting to see the assassin Derek had warned her about emerging from the shadows. When no immediate threat appeared, she quickly dragged Derek's body inside her cabin and slammed the door shut, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears."Think, Faye, think," she muttered to herself, her breath coming in short gasps. "What do I do? Who do I call? How do I even know if what he said was true?"She grabbed the heaviest chair in the room and wedged it under the door handle, then pushed the dresser against the door for additional reinforcement. Her phone sat on the nightstand