For a moment, nobody moved. The secretary remained on the floor, trembling violently. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair was untidy, and tears streamed continuously down her face as she stared at the men surrounding her. She looked completely terrified. Only a few minutes earlier, she had been certain that her life was about to end. She had not expected anyone to come for her, and she certainly had not expected Antonio Morris to suddenly appear in the building where her kidnappers had brought her. The man holding the gun slowly turned his head toward the direction of the voice. His eyes widened. Antonio Morris stood several feet away from them. He had entered the building without making much noise, and his sudden appearance had caught everyone completely off guard. Nobody had expected an outsider to walk into the building at that moment, especially not someone who looked completely calm despite seeing a group of armed men standing around a terrified woman. Antonio looked aroun

The leader's expression changed the moment he fully understood that Jude was prepared to pay them five hundred thousand dollars for Antonio Morris. The hesitation that had briefly appeared in his eyes disappeared completely. Whatever doubt had remained in his mind was now gone. Money had completely changed his attitude. The amount Jude had offered was too tempting for him to ignore, and the possibility of losing such a reward suddenly seemed more frightening to him than the danger of confronting Antonio. He looked at the other men and nodded. "You heard him," he said. "Five hundred thousand dollars." One of the men smiled. "That's more than enough." Another tightened his grip on his weapon. "We're not letting this opportunity pass." The men exchanged excited looks. Their earlier uncertainty had disappeared. They had been surprised when they first recognized Antonio, and for a brief moment, they had wondered whether they should be careful. But the promised money had erased that

The secretary remained seated in Antonio's car, her eyes filled with tears as his question continued to echo in her mind. "What if you had gotten the money? You wouldn't feel remorse, right?" For several seconds, she couldn't answer. Her lips trembled as she stared down at her hands. The question was simple, but she knew the answer would force her to confront something she had been trying to avoid. Then she began to sob. "I would have returned it," she finally whispered. Antonio looked at her carefully. "You would have returned it?" "Yes." Her voice broke. "Even if I had received the money, I would have returned it." Antonio remained silent for a moment. Then he shook his head slowly. "No." The secretary looked at him through her tears. "You wouldn't have." She quickly wiped her face. "I would have." Antonio's expression remained calm. "You would only say that now because of what happened tonight." The secretary lowered her head. Antonio continued. "Think about it

The following morning, Jude Clarke woke up earlier than usual. He had barely slept the previous night because of the excitement running through his mind. After everything that had happened, this was the day he would finally return to the position he believed had been taken away from him unjustly. For several minutes, he remained in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about what awaited him. He remembered the humiliation he had experienced when he was removed from his position. He remembered the disappointment, the anger, and the uncertainty about his future. But all of that seemed to be behind him now. Today, he would return. Jude finally got out of bed and began preparing. He dressed carefully, choosing an outfit suitable for the occasion. He stood before the mirror for several moments, adjusting his jacket and making sure everything about his appearance was perfect. He wanted to look confident. He wanted to look successful. Most importantly, he wanted everyone who had d

The moment the man standing at the podium declared that Antonio Morris was innocent, the reaction from the audience was anything but calm. Instead of accepting his statement, the declaration seemed to ignite even more fury among the people gathered inside the hall. "What nonsense!" "He's wasting our time!" "Why are we still discussing Antonio?" "Give Jude the position and let us move on!" Several people rose from their seats, apparently determined to end the interruption and allow the ceremony to continue. The atmosphere became increasingly chaotic. Some officials on the stage exchanged uncomfortable glances. The master of ceremonies appeared confused about what to do next. He repeatedly looked toward the senior authorities, clearly waiting for someone to take control of the situation. Meanwhile, Jude Clarke stood beside the table where the plaque was still waiting to be handed over to him. He tried to maintain his composure, but the interruption was clearly beginning to frus