Scott saw that Lisa was finally steady. She was no longer shaking or blinking rapidly, and her breathing had slowed to something more natural. It was then he decided to speak.“Lisa,” he began gently, “about those thugs. I’m fairly certain they’re already locked up somewhere by now. And honestly, Benjamin isn’t going to blame you for what happened. If anything, he’ll assume they got themselves in trouble harassing the wrong person. It wouldn’t be a stretch...considering their reputation.”Lisa looked away, rubbing the side of her arm as if his words barely registered. “I don’t care what he assumes,” she said flatly. “If they got what they deserved, I'm ok.”Scott nodded, his eyes searching hers for some hint of curiosity, perhaps a question about the aftermath, but she didn't ask. She didn’t seem interested, she just looked tired, so he moved on.“Well,” he said, leaning slightly forward in the chair. “Now that I’ve gone through all this effort just to see you, would you mind telling

Gale stood behind his desk, staring out the window of his office, his jaw clenched tight, hands stuffed in his pockets like they were holding him together. Damian sat across the room, the file on his lap nearly crumpled from how tightly he gripped it."Gale, you need to think this through," Damian said, voice steady but clearly strained... probably from repeating the same thing over and over again. "I'm not just speaking as your legal advisor right now, I'm speaking as your best friend."Gale didn’t turn. “Then as my best friend, you should know better than to come in here suggesting I sit down and negotiate with Scott...like we’re equals. Who the hell is Scott Grayson by the way?”Damian exhaled and shook his head. “This isn’t about pride, Gale. You forged his signature. Hijacked his company while he was locked away and unable to defend himself. Every single board member is either angry, nervous, or both right now. The evidence Scott presented already has the media sniffing around.

Lisa tried to sit up straight, but her body wasn’t cooperating. Her head was spinning, her vision blurred, and her arms felt like they were made of jelly. She blinked hard, trying to focus, but everything felt like it was drifting away.Then a hand touched her shoulder gently.“Hey... you alright?” someone asked in a low and sweet voice, but something about it didn’t feel right.She tried to push his hand away, but it was like her arm forgot how to move.“Whoa there, don’t fall,” the man said as he slipped an arm around her waist like he was trying to catch her from collapsing. “Easy now.”Lisa’s lips parted, a weak protest forming. “Let... go…”“Shhh, it’s okay,” he said, acting like he was trying to help. “Come with me. I’ll take care of you, alright? You’re safe with me.”She tried shaking her head, but it felt like her neck was sinking into her shoulders. “No… please… go away.”He didn’t listen. Instead, he held her tighter. “You’ll feel better once you get some air. Come on, jus

The moment Detective Tessa clicked her pen and slid it back into her pocket, Lisa felt her stomach clench. It wasn’t just the residual nausea from the drug, it was the knot of confusion and fear building again in her chest.“Thanks for cooperating,” the detective said with a small, reassuring smile as she finished jotting her notes. “You were very helpful, Lisa. I know this wasn’t easy to talk about, especially after what you’ve just been through, but your statement really gives us something solid to work with. I’ll make sure we stay in touch in case anything else comes up—or if you remember anything new. For now, just focus on resting and getting better, okay?”Lisa gave a weak nod, barely hearing her. Her eyes had already shifted back to the man in the military uniform still standing quietly in the corner. He hadn’t moved much throughout the questioning, and now, he stood as if waiting for orders from someone. Lisa saw him murmuring into his phone as soon as they walked in earlier,

Laura’s arms were crossed tightly over her chest as she glared at Damian like he’d just asked her to go shine Scott’s shoes.“Wait are your really being serious right now?You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice sharp. “You actually want us—me and Gale—to sit across from that piece of trash and negotiate? For what? So he can feel big again?”Damian leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, trying to stay calm. “Laura, this isn’t about ego. If we don’t settle with Scott, this could get ugly. Real ugly.”Laura rolled her eyes. “Scott is a nobody, Damian. He was nothing before Gale, and he’ll remain nothing. He thinks just because he’s out of jail, he can march in and take back what he left behind? No. That’s not happening.”Damian sighed. “You keep underestimating him, and that’s dangerous. He’s got evidence, Laura, real stuff. We’re talking forged documents, altered ledgers, a bunch of emails and forged signatures. Those things don't look good in court.”She whipped her head aroun