Chapter 3

Early the next morning, I placed a brand-new proposal on Richard's desk.

He picked it up and flipped through the pages, his brow slowly furrowing.

The proposal I rewrote eliminated all overtly illegal tactics, replacing them with a complex network of nominee shares, offshore companies, and financial derivatives.

On the surface, it looked squeaky clean, but beneath it all, it was a far more ruthless trap.

Compared to his original plan, mine was much "cleaner" and a lot more ruthless.

"You did this?" he asked, setting the file down and looking up at me, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"Not satisfied?" I shot back.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. It was a faint smile, but it brought a rare spark of life to his otherwise icy face.

"Zelda, you really didn't disappoint me," he said.

I stood there expressionless, but sneered inwardly.

Disappointment? I'd give you despair.

Richard had no idea that buried in this seemingly flawless proposal was a ticking time bomb, a legal loophole only I could detonate, one that would drag him straight to hell.

"Take this to the legal department and have them execute it," he said, pushing the proposal back to me. "And get ready. You're coming with me to meet someone this afternoon."

"Who?" I asked.

"Michael Turner from Skyline Group," he replied. "Our target."

My heart skipped a beat. I knew of Michael, a respected man in the business world, known for his integrity. I never imagined Richard would go after him.

That afternoon, I swapped into the company-provided suit: a black blazer and white shirt. I pulled my long hair back, letting my forehead show, and my eyes sharpen.

The reflection stared back at me, sharp eyes, no smile.

Three years in prison had stripped away all my innocence, leaving nothing but a hard shell behind.

*****

Michael was already waiting in the meeting room. He was well into his sixties, hair gray, but his eyes were sharp and his energy was clear.

When Richard walked in, Michael stood up, steady and unflustered. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Grant."

"Mr. Turner." Richard shook his hand with effortless grace.

But my attention was immediately caught by the young man standing behind Michael.

He glanced at me, a flicker of admiration crossing his eyes before he gave me a polite nod.

"This is my lawyer, Zelda Lane," Richard said, keeping it brief.

Michael echoed, "This is my son, Henry Turner."

The negotiation began.

Richard's terms were ruthless. He was basically trying to take over Skyline Group for next to nothing.

Michael's face turned livid with anger. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Richard, this is a blatant robbery."

"Business is war, Mr. Turner," Richard said coolly, lifting his coffee cup and blowing gently on the steam. "I gave you a chance, but you couldn't seize it."

Henry, young and fiery, couldn't hold back. "Skyline Group's finances are rock solid. What makes you think we'd accept such an insulting offer?"

Richard smiled, shooting me a look.

I knew it was my cue.

I stood up and slid a file in front of Michael.

I smiled, "These are Skyline Group's overseas transactions for the first half of the year. There are three offshore transfers from the Cayrian Islands. It was a total of 50 million dollars, with no clear source or stated purpose.

"Under the anti-money laundering laws, if Skyline Group gets investigated, not only will the company face massive fines, but you and Henry could be facing criminal charges."

My voice wasn't loud, but every word struck Michael and Henry like a heavy blow.

Michael's face turned deathly pale. He whipped his head toward me, panic in his eyes. "How did you get your hands on this?"

"We have more than you think," I replied calmly, locking eyes with him. "Mr. Grant's informing you, not negotiating. You have two options: accept, or have your name and reputation utterly destroyed."

That was how Richard operated, despicable, yet effective.

Michael trembled, pointing at Richard, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.

Henry clenched his fists, staring at me in rage. "This is extortion. You're breaking the law."

"Careful with your words." I stared at him coldly. "I'm only stating a fact. The choice is yours."

Michael slumped back into his chair, looking like he'd aged ten years in an instant.

"I'll sign," he choked out.

Once the contract was signed, Richard got up and turned to leave, without bothering with any pleasantries.

I followed behind him. As I passed Henry, he suddenly spoke up, his voice full of resentment. "Ms. Lane, can you really sleep well at night after winning like this?"

I paused, turned my head and looked at him.

"Sure," I smirked, my smile dripping with sarcasm. "Once you've been through real despair, you won't ask such childish questions."

With that, I ignored him and walked off.

Back in the car, Richard suddenly spoke up. "You did well back there."

"Take the money, fix the mess," I replied coolly.

He leaned in abruptly, his warm breath tickling my ear, laced with a hint of danger.

"Zelda, you're like a rose with thorns," he whispered. "The sharper the thorns, the more I want to..."

He left the rest unsaid, but I caught his meaning.

A wave of revulsion swept over me, and I instinctively recoiled.

He caught my chin, making me meet his gaze.

His eyes were intense, filled with emotions I couldn't quite figure out, like he was admiring me, but also like he wanted to claim me for himself.

"Don't move," he murmured, his thumb brushing against my lips. "I'm starting to think keeping you close was a very good decision."

His touch made my skin crawl.

I fought the urge to slap him, forcing the words out through clenched teeth, "Mr. Grant, show some respect. The contract says we're only in a business arrangement."

"Really?" he chuckled, letting go of me. "Contracts can be rewritten."

The car raced along, but my heart dropped to rock bottom.

Richard was way more dangerous than I ever imagined. He didn't just want to use me; he wanted to own me.

I needed to move faster.