2025-09-17 23:06:15
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Elsa’s fingers hovered over her phone, then moved quickly. She typed a message to Ethan: “Ethan… where are you? You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. I really need you.” No response. She bit her lip, her heart thumping. She typed again, a little sharper this time: “Ethan! Please. This isn’t the time to ignore me. Jerry is… ugh, you know what he’s like.” Still nothing. Her stomach twisted as she sent another message, trying to keep her tone calm but failing: “I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this. Just… just come. Please.” Minutes passed. Elsa’s frustration grew. Her fingers trembled slightly as she sent yet another message, desperate now: “Ethan! I swear, if you don’t show up, I’ll lose it. Please, just come.” Her phone remained silent, the screen still empty of his name lighting up. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms, her chest tightening. He was late. He wasn’t replying. And Jerry… Jerry was right there, pretending to be the perfect
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Elsa moved carefully, taking a seat near her cousin Martin. He smirked immediately, leaning in like a predator sizing up prey. “Look who showed up,” he said, his tone thick with mockery. Elsa felt her jaw tighten. She bit her tongue, refusing to reply. Not tonight. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. A few minutes passed. Elsa’s cousins leaned in closer to each other, whispering, ignoring her completely. She could hear bits and pieces… enough to make her stomach sink. “…she really has a golden opportunity with Jerry Milton,” one of them said, voice low but sharp. “…and she won’t even take it. Such a selfish human being,” another added. “…she doesn’t even have a choice. The family will force her,” a third said. Elsa’s heart thudded painfully. Her hands curled into fists in her lap. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:00 p.m. Sharp. Ethan wasn’t here. And neither was Jerry. Her chest tightened at the thought of him. And then, just like that, t
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Ethan leaned back, letting a slow smile curl on his lips. He thought again, remembering his old friend, Gilles. A hacker, sharp as a whip, always ready to dig where others couldn’t see. He picked up his phone and typed a short message: “Need a favor. Milton Entertainment. ASAP.” Within 1 hour, Gilles replied with a quick, “On it.” By the next day, Gilles had done his work. The results popped up on Ethan’s secure laptop: Jerry’s financial records. • 12 bounced checks in the past 6 months • Debts totaling $24.7 million • $5.3 million moved to accounts overseas • All hidden under the guise of Milton Entertainment Ethan shook his head slowly, disgusted. He understood now—Jerry wasn’t just lying about Natalie White. He was going around scamming people, using her name to make himself look important. All because the Milton family was bankrupt and he needed $4.3 million more to flee abroad. “What a pathetic excuse of a man,” Ethan muttered, voice low and hard. “Disgusting human
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Jerry opened his tablet and swiped through slides, his grin widening. “So, as I mentioned, Milton Entertainment has secured an exclusive collaboration with none other than Natalie White herself. The famous singer. She’s extremely excited—she even reached out to my family personally to thank us for this opportunity.”Bill raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, letting Jerry ramble.“Now,” Jerry continued, leaning back, “Natalie has agreed to co-produce her next album through Milton Entertainment. She’s promised full promotion, worldwide tours, and—well, you know how much influence she has. This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.”Bill nodded slowly, pretending to take notes. “That’s… impressive. And how long has this been in the works?”“Oh, quite a while,” Jerry said, waving his hand. “We’ve been talking for months. My father actually spoke to her personally. Family ties, you see—Natalie’s been extremely respectful, very grateful. We have emails, letters, and even signed verbal agreements. E
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Ethan paused with his fingers over the keyboard, thinking for a moment. Then he typed a short, clear message and sent it to the email address Jerry Milton used for “business inquiries.” Subject: Potential Collaboration — Milton Entertainment Mr. Milton, I represent a client interested in exploring a strategic partnership with Milton Entertainment. If you’re open to a meeting, please let me know your availability this week. Regards, E. Harrow Two days passed and nothing. No reply from him. He’d assumed Jerry would either ignore it or forward it to some flunky. Men like Jerry liked noise and public attention, but they were flaky when it came to doing the work. Still, Ethan didn’t relax. He was already lining up, his fake company, Bill’s role, the curious investor persona he’d asked Bill to adopt. The trap was almost complete. When the notification finally popped up on his laptop, Ethan was happy. He read the reply. The tone was exactly what he expected: overeager and overeage
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The next day, Ethan wasted no time. He sat at his desk, picked up his phone, and called Natalie White directly. When her voice came through the line, calm and warm, he asked straight away, “Natalie, do you have any kind of contract with the Milton family? Do you know a man named Jerry Milton?” There was a short pause before she answered, her voice firm. “No. I’ve never heard of him. And I certainly don’t have any contract with his family.” Ethan leaned back in his chair, his lips pressing into a thin line. It was exactly what he thought. Jerry was a fraud. Natalie’s tone softened. “Why do you ask?” Ethan explained everything—how Jerry had lied to Elsa’s family, claiming he had a deal with her, and how that lie was being used to force Elsa into a marriage she didn’t want. There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then Natalie sighed, her voice heavy. “That’s awful. Poor Elsa… she doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.” “She doesn’t,” Ethan agreed, his tone stead
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