Liam's POVThe Harringtons didn't waste any time moving forward with their lawsuit. Within three days of filing, Nathan's legal team had scheduled a preliminary hearing where they would present their case to the judge.Claire and I sat in the courtroom with our own lawyers while watching Nathan take his seat on the opposite side with Vivian beside him for moral support.The judge entered and everyone stood until she took her seat behind the bench. She was an older woman with gray hair pulled back severely who looked like she had seen every kind of family dispute imaginable during her career."This is a hearing regarding the petition to remove Claire Harrington as CEO of Harrington Tech," the judge began. "Mr. Patterson, you may present your arguments."Nathan's lead attorney stood up while adjusting his expensive suit. He was the kind of lawyer who charged a thousand dollars an hour to tell rich people what they wanted to hear."Your Honor, this case is about protecting a valuable com

Liam's POVThe hearing about the flagged payment happened two days after we discovered it in the audit report. Sarah had tried to get a continuance to give us more time to investigate the signature forgery but Judge Morrison denied the request, saying the case had already dragged on long enough.Claire and I sat at the defense table while Nathan's legal team prepared to destroy us with evidence we couldn't properly refute without exposing my connection to organized crime. Patterson stood up with a smile that told me he knew he had won before even speaking."Your Honor, the forensic audit revealed a transaction that proves exactly what we've been arguing all along," Patterson began. "A payment of two point three million dollars from Harrington Tech to an offshore entity that traces directly back to the Rossi crime family."He distributed copies of the transaction records to the judge while continuing his presentation."Claire Harrington approved this payment personally," Patterson said

Liam's POVI stared at the files Ashley had sent while my first instinct screamed to delete everything and pretend I never saw them. The same game was starting again with both siblings providing evidence against each other, both claiming to be innocent while the other was guilty, both asking me to choose a side that would end with someone dead.Part of me wanted to ignore all of it and walk away from the trial, from the Rossi family, from everything that had trapped me in this impossible situation. But I couldn't afford to ignore either Ashley or Michael because despite their lies and manipulations, they were both assets with years of experience navigating this world. I needed to figure out how to use them rather than be used by them."What are you looking at?" Claire asked while setting a plate of toast in front of me."Evidence that makes everything more complicated," I replied before explaining what Michael had asked me to do and what Ashley had just sent in response.Claire read t

Liam's POVEven when all the lights were back on, I replayed what had happened in my head all over again.One second I was watching Council Member Hargrove drain his third glass of wine and the next everything went black. Not dim. Not shadowy. Black like someone had thrown a bag over my head.Someone screamed. A woman. Then gunfire erupted and I stopped thinking.I grabbed Claire's arm and yanked her down. She hit the floor hard next to me and I felt her try to pull away but I held on. My other hand went to my belt where I kept my piece but my fingers found nothing. Right. Security had made everyone check weapons at the door. Great planning."Stay down," I hissed at Claire.More shots. Three. Four. I lost count. They were coming from different directions and the muzzle flashes lit up the room in brief horrible snapshots. People running. People diving. A man in a suit stumbling backward with his hands up.I needed to find Michael and Ashley. They'd been near the east wall last time I s