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Chapter 106
The Trap TightensThe next morning, Emily stood by the window of her safehouse, coffee untouched in her hands. She hadn’t slept. The silence of the apartment was suffocating, each creak and shadow pulling her nerves tighter.She flinched when her phone buzzed.Unknown Number: You should’ve stayed on campus.Her hands trembled. A second message appeared—this time, an image. It showed her from behind, standing at that same window, moments ago.Emily dropped the phone.Downstairs, one of the guards caught the alert from the security system. James’s team had swept the apartment, locked down the perimeter, but clearly, someone had gotten close—too close.Maple Group HeadquartersJames’s eyes were bloodshot as he read Emily’s forwarded messages.“She’s supposed to be in a secure location,” he growled.Victor was already coordinating. “I’m pulling the surveillance now. Whoever got that photo had to be within fifty feet. If we’re lucky, they tripped a motion sensor.”Pamela hovered nearby, te
Chapter 105
As Damien left the office, escorted by security, Pamela turned to James, her expression a mixture of disbelief and concern.“You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice low. “You’re really going to work with him?”James rubbed his temple. “I’m going to use him. There’s a difference.”Victor folded his arms. “Still, it’s risky. Damien could be feeding Liam everything we say.”James nodded. “Which is why we won’t say much. Only what we want Liam to hear.”Pamela narrowed her eyes. “So he’s bait.”“Exactly.” James turned to the window again, his gaze dark and steady. “If Liam wants to play with shadows, let’s give him ghosts.”Meanwhile…Across the city, in a high-rise suite dimly lit by the fading evening sun, Liam Donovan stood by the bar, swirling a glass of bourbon. A man stood opposite him—tall, lean, with slicked-back hair and a presence that carried quiet violence.“Damien met with James,” the man reported.Liam smirked. “Of course he did. Like a moth to flame.”“Should I intervene
Chapter 104
James set his phone down, his fingers tightening around the device. Liam Donovan wasn’t just another businessman—he was a predator, the kind who thrived on exploiting weaknesses. Gregory had been desperate enough to call in a man like that, and now, even behind bars, his reach still lingered.Pamela’s brows furrowed as she stepped closer. “What did he say?”James exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the city skyline beyond his office window. “He made an offer.”Victor scoffed. “Let me guess. ‘Why fight when we can strike a deal’?”James smirked. “Almost word for word.”Pamela’s stomach tightened. “And what does he want?”James turned to her, his expression unreadable. “Control.”Victor’s jaw clenched. “Then we have a problem.”James’s eyes darkened. “No. He has a problem.”The Trap is SetBy morning, James had already begun countermeasures. Liam operated in the shadows, but that didn’t mean James couldn’t bring him into the light.Victor stood at James’s desk, handing over a file. “We fo
Chapter 103
The Last Loose EndDespite Gregory’s arrest, James couldn’t shake the feeling that something was unfinished. He sat in his office at Maple Group, fingers steepled as he studied the documents Victor had placed in front of him.“All of Gregory’s accounts have been frozen,” Victor reported. “The properties under his name are being seized. His investors have pulled out. On paper, he’s done.”James barely nodded. “And off paper?”Victor hesitated. “There’s one thing we haven’t accounted for—his offshore connections. Before his arrest, he made a large transfer to an unnamed entity. We don’t know where it went.”James’s jaw tightened. “Whoever received that money is still out there.”Victor sighed. “I’ve got people digging. But there’s something else you should see.”He pushed a file forward.James opened it. The first page was a printed email—one that had been sent from Gregory’s encrypted account just hours before his arrest.James’s eyes darkened as he read the message:“If you’re reading
Chapter 102
A Race Against TimeJames’s car sped through the city streets, Victor’s voice sharp in his earpiece.“We have a location. Gregory’s men were spotted near the east industrial district. They’re moving in on something—or someone.”James’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Pamela and Emily?”“They’re secure,” Victor assured him. “But this isn’t just a scare tactic, James. Gregory is making his final move.”James’s jaw clenched. “Then we make ours.”At the East Industrial DistrictThe air was thick with tension as Gregory’s men surrounded the abandoned warehouse. The target was inside—someone they had been paid to silence.Inside, a man sat in the shadows, his face pale with fear. He had once been one of Gregory’s closest business allies, but now, he was nothing more than a liability. He had agreed to testify against Gregory, and in return, Gregory had sent his men to eliminate him.A masked man stepped forward, gun in hand. “Mr. Shaw sends his regards.”The man squeezed his eyes shut
Chapter 101
James’s grip on his phone tightened as he reread the threat. A slow, dangerous smirk curled at the corner of his lips, but Pamela knew better—it wasn’t amusement. It was fury.Gregory Shaw had just crossed a line he could never come back from.Pamela’s pulse quickened. “James, what do we do?”James exhaled slowly, his gaze like ice. “We make him regret ever sending this message.”He immediately called Victor.“We have a problem,” James said, his voice controlled but lethal. “Gregory just sent a threat. He’s desperate. That makes him reckless.”Victor cursed. “He wouldn’t dare—”“He would,” James cut in. “And I need every possible angle covered. Track his movements, monitor his calls. If he so much as breathes near Pamela or Emily, I want to know before he even makes a move.”Pamela straightened at the mention of her daughter. “James, do you think he’ll target Emily?”James met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “Gregory’s losing everything. He’ll go after what he thinks will hurt me
Chapter 100
The tension in the room was thick as James turned the flash drive over in his hands. The weight of the evidence it contained was undeniable. This wasn’t just a business war anymore—this was a complete takedown.Pamela watched him carefully. “What’s the plan?”James glanced at Mr. Carter, his expression unreadable. “We verify everything first. If Gregory has ties to bribery and offshore fraud, we’re not just exposing a businessman—we’re dragging government officials into this.”Mr. Carter nodded. “I understand. But I promise you, everything on that drive is real.”James stood, his movements precise. “Then we’ll find out soon enough.” He turned to Pamela. “I need Victor on this. If there’s a single hole in this information, Gregory will exploit it.”Pamela nodded, already pulling out her phone. “I’ll have him start analyzing it immediately.”James looked back at Carter. “You know Gregory. The moment he suspects a threat, he eliminates it. Are you ready for what happens when this goes pu
Chapter 99
Pamela’s pulse quickened as Gregory Shaw continued his speech, his tone dripping with confidence.“In times of uncertainty, leadership must be willing to adapt,” Gregory said smoothly. “That’s why I am extending an offer of strategic partnership to Maple Group—one that will ensure long-term stability and prosperity.”Pamela scoffed. “He’s making it sound like you need him.”James didn’t react, his gaze locked on the screen.Gregory’s smirk deepened. “It’s no secret that Maple Group has faced significant challenges in recent months. Market volatility, increased competition… But with the right allies, these obstacles become opportunities.” He paused, letting his words sink in before delivering his final blow. “That is why I am confident that James Walker will make the right choice for his company, his employees, and his future.”The press erupted into a flurry of questions, but Gregory simply nodded, his message clear: The ball was now in James’s court.Pamela clenched her fists. “He’s
Chapter 98
The following morning, Pamela arrived at Maple Group’s headquarters earlier than expected. She had spent most of the night thinking about everything she had learned the day before, her mind spinning with strategies, risks, and possibilities.Now, as she stepped into the sleek lobby, she felt different—more determined, more confident.“Mrs. Walker,” the receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. “Mr. Walker mentioned you’d be coming in today.”Pamela nodded. “Is he in his office?”“Yes, but he’s in a meeting right now.”Pamela thanked her and headed to James’s office anyway, figuring she’d wait. But as she reached the door, she heard voices inside—one of them sharp, unfamiliar.“I don’t care what it takes, Walker. Our deal stands, or you’ll regret it.”Pamela froze. The tone was threatening, laced with arrogance.James’s response was calm, but firm. “You overestimate your leverage. If you think threats will change my stance, you’re mistaken.”A pause. Then the other man scoffed. “We
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