2026-02-01 09:05:36
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CHAPTER 62
"...and as you can see from the quarterly report, our stock has dropped fifteen percent in the past seventy-two hours."The board chairman's voice was cold and precise. He stood at the head of the long conference table, a printed chart in his hand. The numbers were highlighted in red.Claire sat near the middle of the table, her hands folded in her lap. She kept her expression neutral, even though her stomach was twisting into knots.Around her, the other board members sat in silence. Some of them looked uncomfortable. Others looked angry. A few would not even meet her eyes.The chairman continued. "Fifteen percent. That translates to a loss of over three billion dollars in market capitalization. Three billion. In three days."He set the chart down on the table and looked directly at Claire."Miss Sterling," he said. "This is unacceptable."Claire took a slow breath. "I understand the board's concerns. But I would like to remind everyone that this situation is being blown out of propo
CHAPTER 61
Vivian did not sleep for the rest of the night.She sat on the edge of the motel bed, staring at her phone. She kept checking it anyway. As if staring at it would somehow make time move slower.Seventy-two hours.The words kept repeating in her head like a countdown. Seventy-two hours to find a ring she had never seen before. A ring that might not even exist.What if Ethan did not have it? What if the man had been wrong? What if this entire thing was a waste of time and she ended up with nothing?No. She could not think like that. The man had seemed certain. He knew exactly what he was looking for.That meant the ring was real. And if it was real, Ethan had it somewhere.The question was: where?Marcus stirred beside her, mumbling something in his sleep. Vivian glanced at him briefly, then looked away. He had been useless so far. Just sitting there, nodding along, offering nothing.She needed to think. She needed a plan.By the time the sun came up, Vivian had gone through every possi
CHAPTER 60
Vivian sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her phone.Marcus was in the bathroom. She could hear water running.Her hands were shaking. Her mind was racing.Ethan's words kept echoing in her head. "You do not want to find out."The coldness in his voice. The certainty. Like he was not making a threat. Just stating a fact.She was terrified. But she was also furious.How dare he threaten her? How dare he act like he was better than her?She had given him everything. And he had thrown it all away.No. She had to stop thinking like that. She had to act.Vivian opened her contacts and scrolled through the numbers. Most of them were useless now. Old friends who no longer answered her calls. Business contacts who had cut ties after her divorce.Then she found the one she was looking for.A number with no name attached. Just digits.She had gotten it months ago from an acquaintance who moved in less respectable circles. "If you ever need something done," the acquaintance had said. "Someth
CHAPTER 59
The paparazzi pressed closer, cameras raised, microphones thrust forward.Ethan looked directly at the nearest camera."Claire Sterling is a friend," he said clearly. "Nothing more. She helped me and my sister when we needed it. That is the entire story. Now leave her alone."A reporter immediately shouted back. "Then why are you living in her villa?""Because she offered it and we accepted. There is no relationship. No scandal. Just one person helping another.""But the photos show—""The photos show exactly what I just told you. A friend helping a friend. That is all."Another reporter pushed forward. "What about Sophia Cole? She publicly defended you today. Are you in a relationship with her?""No.""Then why would she defend you?""Because I helped her family. And she is a decent person who does not believe tabloid lies.""So you are not dating either of them?""No.""Then why—""I have answered your questions," Ethan said. His voice was still calm but something in it made the rep
CHAPTER 58
Claire sat in her car, surrounded by paparazzi on all sides. Cameras pressed against every window. Flashes going off constantly. Voices shouting over each other. "Miss Sterling! How long have you been dating him?" "Is it true you used company money?" "What does the board think about this?" Her driver tried to inch forward but there were too many bodies blocking the way. Someone banged on the hood of the car. Someone else tried the door handle. Claire pulled out her phone and called Ethan. He answered immediately. "Where are you?" "Outside the gates. I cannot get through. There are too many of them." "How many?" "At least thirty. Maybe more." Claire looked out the window at the sea of cameras and reporters. "They followed me from headquarters." Ethan was already moving to the front window. He looked out and saw the chaos. Claire's car completely surrounded. Paparazzi blocking the entire entrance. "I will get security to clear them," Ethan said. "They cannot. My driver alrea
CHAPTER 57
Ethan woke to his phone vibrating nonstop on the nightstand.He checked the time. Six thirty in the morning.Twelve missed calls. Twenty-three text messages. All from numbers he did not recognize.He opened the first text message.*Is it true you're dating Claire Sterling?*He frowned and deleted it. Opened the next one.*How long have you been living in her villa?*Another one.*Sterling Global stock is crashing. Any comment?*Ethan sat up. What was happening?He opened his news app and froze.The top headline was from City Chronicle, published two hours ago:STERLING GLOBAL CEO'S SECRET AFFAIR WITH EX-CONVICT!Below the headline were photos. Clear, high-resolution images of him and Claire at the villa. Claire helping him move in. Claire standing beside him in the doorway. Claire giving them a tour.The article text was worse.*Claire Sterling, CEO of Sterling Global Corporation, has been secretly housing Ethan Cross, a recently released convict, in a luxury villa worth 50 million do
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