2026-02-09 22:19:54
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Chapter 112
SILENT TRANSACTIONS Mrs. Stone sat alone in her private study, the tall curtains half drawn. The sun brightened where she was like it was searching for something she wasn’t ready to give.Her phone rested beside a stack of files, it was the same file Orland handed over to her that night.She flipped a page slowly, her fingers trailing over the Nightingale seal stamped across the document. “These people never learn,” she murmured under her breath.The study had a scent she couldn't forget in a hurry. The same scent she had kept since Lisa and Mira were little girls running through the hallways, spilling juice across her furniture and laughing.Mrs. Stone leaned back in her chair and rubbed her arms gently. The document in front of her wasn’t just company paperwork. It was Manuel’s internal inheritance claim. His proof and defense. She smirked as her eyes moved to her phone again. She stared at Lucas’ name sitting unread in her message thread.For a long moment, she didn’t move. Then
Chapter 111
WHAT HE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE Manuel laughed. “My father is dying,” he said. “And this is what you’re circling.”“We’re thinking long-term,” the man replied.“You’re thinking opportunistically.”.“She’s a liability,” one of them said.Manuel’s eyes hardened. “She’s competent and you don't get to question her.”“She’s close,” another added.“You should reassign her.” One stood and said, looking at the others as though to assure her she was in line.Manuel didn’t look up.The voice belonged to a man who had never once stayed past eight. A man who smiled too much during meetings and spoke carefully when Dave was still strong.“She’s becoming… visible,” the man continued. “Visibility invites attention.”Manuel signed the document in front of him and slid it aside. “She’s my aide,” he said. “Visibility comes with the role.”The man hesitated. “With respect, sir…”“Respect would be leaving my office, I can't let go of her.” Manuel said calmly.“And that makes you vulnerable,” Mr. Finn, one
Chapter 110
A USEFUL WEAKNESS Manuel’s jaw clenched. “What?”“They’re saying you’ve requested reduced involvement due to emotional distress.”Silence filled the office. Manuel laughed, standing up from the chair. “They’re burying me while I’m still standing.”Laura’s eyes were cold now. “There’s more.”She pulled up an internal messages and they saw the managers instructing teams to “hold off” until further notice and the department heads CC’ing someone else instead of Manuel.“Who are they reporting to?” Manuel asked.Laura zoomed in on a name and he froze for a second.Manuel leaned back slowly. “Get me my phone,” he said.“It’s right there,” she replied.“I want the secure line.”She handed it to him without a word and he started dialing numbers, before one finally picked. “Did I authorize that?”“No.”“Then why is my name on it?”There was a pause from the other end.“You have ten minutes to reverse it.” Manuel said and ended the call. He dropped his phone. He paced the room, his hand on h
Chapter 109
SECRET SOURCES Manuel exhaled, staring at the whole place as though he was waiting for something before proceeding. After a while, he spread his arms and closed his eyes. Just then, he heard a sound from the door, it sounded as though someone came knocking, but when he opened his eyes and listened very well, he didn't hear a thing anymore. “The least I expect is someone disrupting my flow.” he said and moved quickly to the door, as though he was being chased.He opened the door and saw how bare the corridor was, he signed and came out of the room properly, his arms on his waist.He walked down a bit and then he saw the old maid, Elena.“Sir, is everything alright?” She asked, studying his expression. She knew him better than the other maids and she could tell when something was wrong or not. Manuel looked around and drew closer, “what if you help watch over my room and don't allow anyone in?” She looked at him like he was rapping and nodded, staring straight at his eyes. Manuel s
Chapter 108
THE CULTIVATION Laura handed him a folder. Inside were timestamps, call logs, meeting minutes that didn’t officially exist.“They’re not waiting for Dave to die,” Laura said. “They’re using his condition as leverage.”Manuel closed the folder slowly. “They’re carving the future while pretending to mourn.”“Yes.”He looked at her. “Thank you,” he said.She nodded. “That’s my job.”“No,” he corrected quietly. “That’s loyalty.”That made her stare at him, at least once since that day.____BACK AT THE MEETING….Back in the room, one of the board members, Mr. Sean stood.“We’ll proceed with the vote tomorrow,” he announced. “Pending Dave’s evaluation.”Manuel laughed. “You already decided,” he said. “You just want it to look clean.”“This is necessary,” Sean insisted.“For who,” Manuel asked, but no one answered.Laura’s phone buzzed suddenly. She glanced at it, then leaned in close to Manuel’s ear.“They moved it up,” she whispered. “The vote.”“When.”“The day after his evaluation,” sh
Chapter 107
THE STABILITY MEASURE Manuel sat alone in his office, jacket off, sleeves rolled, hands braced on the desk, thinking about the happenings in the company.He feared losing control. Feared losing Laura herself. He leaned back, eyes closing briefly.“I didn’t mean to fall,” he admitted to the empty room.Meanwhile, Laura stood in the parking structure, phone in hand, staring at nothing.She had survived worse. Loss, betrayal, danger. So why did this feel like standing on a fault line?Because she hadn’t planned it. Because she hadn’t guarded against it. Manuel hadn’t needed her strength, he’d needed her presence.And that changed things.Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A message from Manuel.I won’t push. But I won’t pretend either. It read.She stared at it, thumb going over it.What does he mean?! She thought, her thoughts going wild.Meanwhile, Manuel remained in the office long after most lights went out. He reviewed reports without reading them, and stared at charts.All he could think
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