Jamal had barely slept.The previous few days had left him mentally exhausted in a way that even prison never managed to accomplish. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Andrew's face. Every time he tried to focus on work, he found himself thinking about the stolen presentation.Something wasn't right.Someone was feeding information to Andrew.Someone close.And that thought bothered him far more than anything had ever bothered him before.Jamal descended the staircase slowly, one hand resting against the railing.For once, he wasn't rushing.He was tired; mentally tired.As he reached the last few steps, something on the television caught his attention.Evelyn was sitting in the living room, her attention was completely focused on the large television mounted on the wall.At first, Jamal intended to walk straight to the kitchen.Then he heard a familiar name.Andrew.His feet stopped moving.The news anchor's voice echoed through the room."In what many analysts are calling a revol

Jamal sat alone at the far end of the counter, a half-empty bottle beside him.Another glass rested in his hand.And judging from the number of empty glasses lined up before him, he had been sitting there for quite some time.His tie was loose and his normally calm appearance looked worn tonight... His mind just wouldn't stop thinking about everything. Someone had stolen a piece of him.Months of work, and planning.Only to watch Andrew stand before cameras and claim it as his own.Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that broadcast, and every single image felt like a knife twisting deeper.He emptied another glass; the burning sensation barely registered anymore.His mind was somewhere else entirely."You look like you're trying to drink the entire bar." A familiar voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.Jamal glanced sideways, only to see Scarlet standing a few feet away from him, looking as beautiful as always.She had a warm smile on her face.Normally the sight of her would ha

Scarlet had not smiled this much in a very long time.As she drove away from Lincoln Group headquarters, one hand resting lightly on the steering wheel while the other tapped absentmindedly against it, she found herself replaying the afternoon over and over again.The way Jamal's entire face had lit up when inspiration struck... the excitement in his eyes.The way he had pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.A small smile curved her lips.For the first time since she had accepted Andrew's assignment months ago, she had forgotten she was supposed to be spying.Instead, she had simply enjoyed being around Jamal.That realization should have worried her.Instead, it made her smile even wider.The man had somehow become important to her.When had that happened?She honestly couldn't tell.Maybe it had started the night at the club when he'd drunkenly told her about his life... Or maybe it had started the first time he'd looked at her as though she were a person instead of an obje

Jamal had not stopped smiling the entire drive.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was a genuine sense of victory sitting comfortably in his chest. The constant pressure from Andrew, and the endless threats, including the sleepless nights spent questioning every decision he made as CEO... all of it seemed quieter today.SmartSync was a success, the entire business world seemed to be talking about it... And media couldn't stop discussing it.Even the stock market had reacted positively.For once, Andrew was not the man everyone was praising.Jamal was.And as he drove through the city, only one person kept appearing in his mind.Scarlet.The woman who had sat across from him and helped him put together the idea... The woman who somehow always managed to make him forget his problems whenever she was around; she had believed in him when even he had begun doubting himself.Which was exactly why he found himself turning into the parking lot of the clothing store.He parked

For nearly a week, Scarlet had been living like a criminal inside her own home.Every time her phone rang, her heart skipped, or anytime a message notification pops up, she almost lost it. Any unknown car driving past her house made her glance through the curtains.But none of those things frightened her nearly as much as the name that kept appearing on her screen.Jamal.Thirty-two missed calls.Fourteen messages.Three voice notes.And not a single reply from her.She had listened to the first voice message.Only the first."Hey, Scarlet. I don't know if you're busy, but please call me back when you can."That had made her cry.Because he wasn't angry, or suspicious, he was genuinely worried about her.And somehow, that hurt her more.So she had ignored the rest, including his texts and calls.She had also fought the temptation to hear his voice, because she had convinced herself that distance was the best thing she could do for him.If she stayed away, then she couldn't accidental