She was a wreck.
Anna's shoulders shook violently, her breath uneven, her voice raw from pleading—begging—to be heard.
And Kelvin?
He couldn't move.
Couldn't speak.
Couldn't think.
The evidence against her was airtight. Her fingerprints, her ID, her IP address every shred of proof pointed to her guilt.
But standing here, watching her fall apart, something inside him screamed that it wasn't true.
Anna Banner wasn't a thief.
She wasn't a liar.
She wasn't the kind of woman who would throw away everything she worked for in a reckless grab for money.
Yet, the weight of the accusations crushed him.
If he defended her, if he believed her, would it make him blind?
Would it make him weak?
Would it mean he was so consumed by her that he refused to see the truth?
Kelvin swallowed hard, feeling the ache settle deep in his chest.
Anna lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes locking onto his with the kind of desperation that made his entire body tense.
You know me, Kelvin, she whispered, voice cracking. You know I would never do this.
Kelvin's throat tightened.
Yes.
Yes, he knew her.
But knowing and proving were two different things.
And right now, she was guilty on paper.
The storm inside him was unbearable.
He had to make a decision.
And no matter what choice he made, someone was going to bleed.
Kelvin Wolfe had never doubted his instincts before.
But now his certainty was shaken.
Anna couldn't be a thief. The evidence was damning, but his gut twisted violently against it. He had spent months watching her work tirelessly, proving herself, building a future. The idea of her betraying everything she fought for was unthinkable.
And yet, the facts were staring him in the face.
Conflicted, dejected, angry he walked back to his office, his mind a battlefield of logic and emotion.
The weight of responsibility pressed against his shoulders as he stepped into the boardroom. Government officials had already gathered, waiting for him to command the room like he always did.
This was his world the place where he thrived.
Today, though?
He wasn't himself.
He took his seat, adjusted his cuffs, straightened his posture but inside, his thoughts churned relentlessly.
Anna.
The accusations.
Her tear-streaked face, begging him to believe her.
Kelvin forced himself to focus, to pull every ounce of his infamous composure to the surface.
But he knew.
The second this meeting was over, he was going back to that security room.
And he was going to find out the truth.
Kelvin had never felt this kind of exhaustion before not like this.
The meeting had ended in just forty minutes, but the weight of the decision made it feel like a lifetime. He had called in the executives, the department heads M r. Roberts, Rose hoping for clarity, for direction. Instead, the conversation had spiraled into something suffocating.
Rose wasted no time in pushing for Anna's termination, her voice laced with urgency, almost eagerness. The executives followed suit, suggesting a full investigation search her desk, her home, confiscate company property, strip her of everything she had earned.
Kelvin had barely been able to breathe.
He wasn't blind. He could feel the underlying venom in Rose's tone, the way she pushed just a little too hard, the way satisfaction flickered behind her words.
Anna's home was off-limits. He had put his foot down there, refusing to deepen the humiliation. Whatever had happened, whatever mistakes had been made he wasn't going to drag her mother into it.
So, Mr. Roberts was instructed to release her. Rose was ordered to print her termination letter. And just like that Anna Banner was gone.
Kelvin sat in his office, alone, his chest tightening, his hands gripping the edge of his desk as if it was the only thing keeping him upright.
And then he wept.
Raw, silent agony.
Because he wasn't sure if he had just lost the woman he had wanted more than anything.
Or worse if he had let an innocent person fall.
The office was silent, the hum of the city outside barely audible through the thick glass walls. Everyone had gone home hours ago, but Kelvin remained, lost in thought, replaying the events of the day over and over in his mind.
Had he made the right decision?
Should he have defended Anna better?
The evidence had been damning, and he couldn't risk appearing weak or biased in front of his staff. But now, sitting alone with nothing but his thoughts and the amber liquid swirling in his glass, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed her.
He poured himself another drink, the burn of the whiskey doing little to dull the ache in his chest.
Kelvin had always been decisive, confident, unshakable. But tonight, he was none of those things.
The sound of heels clicking against the floor pulled him from his thoughts.
Rose.
She entered the room with an air of concern, her expression carefully crafted to convey empathy.
Kelvin, she said softly, her voice dripping with false sincerity. I just wanted to check on you. I know this has been a difficult day.
Kelvin barely looked at her, his jaw tightening. Why haven't you gone home?
Rose ignored the question, stepping closer, her movements deliberate. She perched herself on the edge of his desk, leaning in just enough to invade his space.
I just thought you might need someone to talk to, she murmured, her tone shifting, her gaze lingering on him in a way that made his stomach turn.
Kelvin's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin.
Rose, he said, his voice sharp, cutting through the tension. Get off my desk.
She hesitated, her confidence faltering for just a moment before she recovered, her smile unwavering.
But Kelvin wasn't having it.
He stood, his presence towering, his gaze cold and unyielding.
Go home!! he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Rose's smile faded, her expression hardening as she realized she had miscalculated.
Without another word, she slid off the desk and left the room, her heels clicking against the floor with a sharpness that matched her frustration.
Kelvin exhaled, the tension in the room dissipating as the door closed behind her.
But the weight in his chest remained.
Because no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had made the wrong choice.
And the thought of losing Anna of never seeing her again was unbearable.
Kelvin needed clarity. He called Jackson and the two decided to meet up at their favorite spot
The drive to the snooker spot was fast, but the weight in his chest felt heavier with every passing second. The office, the accusations, Anna's broken voice pleading for him to believe her it was too much.
Jackson was always the one with answers, the voice of reason when things didn't make sense. And when he had said, I smell a rat somewhere, Kelvin knew he wasn't imagining things.
When he arrived, Jackson was already chalking his cue stick, his sharp eyes watching Kelvin carefully.
You look like hell, Jackson said, not bothering with pleasantries.
Kelvin smirked, though it barely reached his eyes. I Feel worse.
They lined up the balls, the familiar rhythm of the game offering a brief distraction, but Kelvin knew Jackson wasn't here just to play.
Tell me everything again, Jackson said, leaning against the table, his tone lower this time. Every detail.
Kelvin inhaled deeply.
If there was something he had missed, Jackson was going to find it.
And this time, Kelvin wasn't going to ignore his instincts.
Kelvin had walked Jackson through everything, replayed each moment, each decision, each doubt that had plagued him since Anna was forced out. And the second Jackson mentioned the security setup, something clicked.
Kelvin had been too focused on reacting to the accusations instead of analyzing them.
Had anyone actually checked the access logs?
Had anyone reviewed the CCTV footage?
Had anyone questioned why Rose who had always been eager to push Anna aside was suddenly at the center of it all?
Kelvin swallowed the burn of his drink, his jaw tightening.
Tomorrow, things were going to change.
Jackson leaned back, watching Kelvin carefully. You know what you need to do.
Kelvin nodded.
No more second-guessing. No more guilt.
If Anna had been framed if this was all orchestrated then he was going to find out.
And whoever was behind it would pay.