The walls of the guardroom felt tighter, suffocating.
Anna's voice was raw from pleading, her wrists aching from the way she had gripped the edges of the cold metal chair, begging them to listen.
I didn't do this!!, she said again, her chest heaving. You have to believe me.
Blank stares. Deaf ears.
Every time she asked to call her mother, they ignored her. Every time she tried to explain, they shut her down.
Tears stung the backs of her eyes, but she refused to cry.
She wasn't a thief. She wasn't a liar.
And yet, everyone around her looked at her as if she was both.
Outside, beyond the locked doors, she could hear it the whispers, the murmurs, the voices spreading her name like wildfire.
And at the center of it all was her.
Rose.
Anna could almost see the smirk she carried as she roamed the office, soaking in the satisfaction, feeding the rumors.
She was too eager, always trying to be around the boss and trying to lay her hands on sensitive files, Rose had murmured earlier, her voice dripping with faux concern. I always suspected something.
Anna clenched her fists.
She had fought too hard to build a future. She would not let Rose destroy it.
But the truth? How would she fight back? Who would believe her? How can she prove her innocence? Anna couldn't answer any of the questions ringing in her head...…..
Victory was sweet.
Every stolen glance, every hushed conversation was fuel to the fire. The interns whispered behind their desks, the executives exchanged knowing looks.
Anna Banner was officially tainted.
Rose had tried calling Kelvin multiple times but the man wasn't answering.
No matter. She would tell him soon enough.
And when he finally heard, when he saw the truth for himself, he would have no choice but to cut Anna loose.
Rose couldn't stop smiling.
This was the end of Anna Banner.
And the beginning of the world finally recognizing who truly belonged beside Kelvin Wolfe.
The shower was cold, shocking his system back to reality. The exhaustion still clung to him, but the migraine had dulled, replaced by the pressing urgency of the day ahead.
He had a meeting, an important one with top government officials. His reputation demanded presence, precision, control.
Kelvin moved quickly, calling for Nathan as he stepped out of the bathroom, only for the man to appear with a calm expression.
You instructed not to be disturbed last night, sir, Nathan informed him, adjusting the cuffs of his pristine white shirt.
Kelvin frowned, barely acknowledging the words. Who gave that order? He doesn't recall saying such
There was no time to dwell on it. Nathan helped him slip into his tailored suit, the fabric fitting perfectly against his frame, grounding him with familiarity. A spritz of his signature scent, polished shoes, and he was ready to step into the world again.
Nathan gestured toward the tray of brunch, waiting for him a perfectly prepared meal to keep him steady.
Kelvin barely spared it a glance. No time. I'm late.
Nathan nodded but said nothing.
The moment Kelvin stepped into the garage, the sleek black Range Rover awaited, idling, ready to take him to the meeting that should have held his full attention.
But even as the city blurred past the tinted windows, an unfamiliar restlessness settled in his chest.
A feeling he couldn't shake.
Something was off.
And he didn't know yet that the storm had already begun.
The office was alive with murmurs, whispers threading through every corridor, every department.
Kelvin Wolfe could feel it the moment he stepped in.
They didn't see him at first, not until the unmistakable scent of his oud cologne filled the space. One by one, heads turned, conversations fell into stunned silence, and work resumed in forced efficiency.
But Kelvin wasn't interested in the forced normalcy.
Something was off.
Then, Rose.
She moved quickly, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she rushed toward him, her eyes wide, her expression painted with perfectly measured distress.
Kelvin, she breathed, voice laced with fake concern. I—I don't know how to say this.
Kelvin frowned, his instincts sharpened by years of reading people. Say what?!
Rose bit her lip, exhaling shakily. It's Anna. I—I'm devastated, but she, she tried to steal from the company. Confidential files, money, it's all a mess.
Silence.
For the first time in years, Kelvin felt something twist violently inside him disbelief, confusion, something dangerously close to rage.
He studied Rose's face, searching for cracks in the facade.
Nothing.
I don't believe that, he said flatly.
Rose blinked, as if wounded. Kelvin, I know this is hard, but the security team
Where's Mr. Roberts? Kelvin cut her off, his voice dangerously calm.
Rose hesitated, just a fraction of a second, then recovered.
In the security wing.
Kelvin didn't say another word.
He turned sharply, heading straight for the department, ignoring the weight of Rose's stare boring into his back.
Something about this wasn't right.
And whatever it was, he would uncover it.