Chapter 4 4

Justina Andrews's POV

The day broke with a restless silence. The city outside my window hummed with its usual pulse, oblivious to the war that was brewing inside the walls of Oliver's penthouse. But inside, every corner felt charged with electricity - the kind that hinted at storms yet to come.

I barely slept last night. Marissa's warning echoed in my mind, replaying over and over: There's a mole in Oliver's inner circle - someone high up.

Who could it be? How had I been so blind?

Oliver's presence was a comforting weight beside me, but the secret gnawed at me like a silent poison. I felt trapped between loyalty and suspicion, and worst of all, I feared that every step I took might endanger Emma.

The soft knock on my bedroom door startled me.

"Mom? Can I come in?" Emma's voice was small and hesitant.

I smiled softly and opened the door. Her little face peeked inside, eyes wide and innocent. "Of course, sweetheart."

She slipped inside and climbed onto the bed beside me, curling up under the covers.

"How come you look so worried?" she asked quietly.

I pulled her close, brushing her hair away from her face. "Mommy's just thinking about grown-up stuff, but nothing to worry you."

She hugged me tightly. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you or Daddy."

My throat tightened. "Neither do I, baby."

As she drifted off to sleep, I made a silent promise: I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

The morning briefing with Oliver was grim. The company's legal team had begun an internal audit, combing through every transaction, every communication. Oliver's face was taut with tension as he paced the floor of the study.

"We've identified some unusual activity in the last quarter," he said. "But the deeper we dig, the more tangled this web gets."

I watched him, studying the lines of worry etched on his face. He was the man who had built this empire - relentless, unyielding - but now, even he seemed vulnerable.

"Have you narrowed down any suspects?" I asked.

Oliver shook his head. "Not yet. But if the mole's as close as Marissa says, it could be anyone. Someone we see every day."

I swallowed hard. The thought made my skin crawl.

Just then, Ethan appeared in the doorway, his expression grim but determined.

"I've been looking into this from my side," he said. "There's a name that keeps coming up - one of the board members. A man named Graham Vance."

Oliver stiffened. "Vance? He's been with the company for over a decade."

"Yeah, but his loyalty's questionable," Ethan replied. "I found some encrypted emails - coded conversations between him and people outside the company. Probably competitors or worse."

Oliver's eyes narrowed. "We need to confront him."

I nodded. "But carefully. If he's dangerous enough to sabotage from within, he won't hesitate to strike back."

The confrontation was set for late afternoon. The boardroom was cold, sterile - the perfect stage for a showdown.

Graham Vance arrived with his usual calm demeanor, but I caught the flicker of something beneath the surface - unease? Guilt? Or pure arrogance?

Oliver didn't waste time.

"We have reason to believe you've been leaking company secrets," he said sharply.

Vance's face remained unreadable. "Accusations without proof mean nothing."

"We have the emails," Ethan said, sliding a tablet across the table.

Vance's eyes flicked to the screen, then he smiled - a thin, dangerous smile.

"You think this will stop me?" he asked. "You don't understand the game you're playing."

Oliver's fist clenched on the table. "Enough. We're suspending you immediately pending investigation."

Vance stood slowly. "You're making a mistake, Oliver. This won't end well for you."

He left with a final glare that promised retaliation.

Later, as I sat alone in the lounge, trying to process the tension, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Marissa:

"Be careful whom you trust. The deeper you go, the darker it gets."

I stared at the words, feeling the weight of her warning settle on my shoulders.

Days passed, each one filled with more questions than answers. The company's walls seemed to close in on me, every conversation laced with suspicion.

Emma remained my anchor - her laughter, her innocence, a reminder of what was at stake.

One evening, as I helped her with her homework, my phone buzzed again. This time, an unknown number:

"Meet me at the park near the library. 9 PM. Come alone."

My heart raced. Another message? A trap?

But I knew I couldn't ignore it. If someone wanted to help me uncover the truth, I had to listen.

At 9 PM, the park was eerily quiet, shadows stretching long under the streetlights.

A figure stepped from the darkness - a man, mid-forties, sharp features, eyes that held stories.

"Justina Andrews?" he asked.

I nodded cautiously.

"My name's Victor Reed. I used to be Graham Vance's right-hand man."

I felt a chill. "Why are you here?"

Victor looked around, then leaned in. "Because I know what Vance's plans really are. And because you're the only one who can stop him."

My heart pounded. This was bigger than I thought.

Victor handed me a flash drive. "This has proof - deals, threats, bribes. Everything."

I took it, fingers trembling.

"Be careful. Vance isn't working alone. There's a bigger player behind this - someone with more power than you realize."

Back in the safety of my home, I plugged the flash drive into my laptop. Files opened - damning evidence of corruption, greed, and betrayal. I sat back, overwhelmed. Oliver was right - this was a war. The next morning, Oliver and Ethan were waiting when I woke.

"We have to act fast," Oliver said. "This changes everything."

Ethan nodded. "We'll need a strategy to expose Vance and his allies without tipping them off."

I looked between them, realizing that despite the fractures, we were united.

"For Emma's future," I said.

But even as we planned, a shadow moved closer - someone watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, casting long shadows across the marble floors. I was already awake, staring at the city skyline while a whirlwind of thoughts battled inside my mind. The flash drive Victor Reed had given me was burning a hole in my bag, as if it held the very key to unraveling everything - or destroying what remained of the fragile peace Oliver and I were trying to build.

I rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of it all. Since last night, the truth about Graham Vance and the corruption within Oliver's company settled into my bones like a cold stone. Vance wasn't just a traitor; he was a symptom of a much deeper rot. And as Victor warned, there was a bigger player pulling the strings, someone with power and reach far beyond what I imagined.

Emma's innocent face floated into my thoughts. She deserved more than this chaos, more than the legacy of greed and betrayal. I owed her a future where she could dream without fear.

I dressed quickly, slipping into something simple but professional. Oliver had an important meeting with the board later, and I knew my role in all this was only just beginning.

The penthouse was already buzzing with activity by the time I reached the study. Oliver sat behind his desk, papers strewn about, but his eyes were sharp and focused. Ethan stood nearby, reviewing financial reports on his tablet.

"Morning," Oliver said, without looking up. "I've spoken with the legal team. They want the evidence from the flash drive as soon as possible."

I nodded. "Victor said the files cover everything - communications, transactions, plans. This could bring the whole scheme crashing down."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "If we leak this to the public or even the authorities without a plan, Vance and whoever's backing him will vanish before we can act."

Oliver slammed his fist on the desk, making the glassware jump. "We need leverage, something to corner them."

I swallowed, trying to steady my voice. "What if we use it as bait? Make it look like the files are going public, but actually control the narrative?"

Oliver's gaze locked onto mine. "Exactly what I was thinking. We create pressure, force them out of the shadows."

A sudden knock at the door interrupted us.

"Marissa," Oliver said, glancing toward the entrance.

Our trusted confidante stepped inside, her expression grim but determined.

"I've gathered intel from my contacts," she said. "Vance's reach extends into politics and law enforcement. He's not just attacking the company - he's attacking us personally."

I clenched my fists. "We need to protect Emma."

Marissa nodded. "Security's been tightened around her school and home. But we can't guarantee safety indefinitely if this escalates."

Oliver looked at me, eyes softening for a moment. "Justina, I know this isn't easy for you, but you've been stronger than anyone expected."

I forced a smile. "I'm fighting for her. And for us."

The hours dragged on with tense preparation. Oliver and Ethan crafted a detailed strategy, marshalling allies quietly while avoiding any leaks. I played my part, contacting trusted friends and reinforcing Emma's safety net.

By afternoon, the mood in the penthouse was taut, a quiet storm waiting to break. Then, the call came. It was Marissa's voice, low and urgent.

"They know," she said. "Vance's people found out about the flash drive. Someone tried to break into the penthouse last night."

My heart slammed into my chest. "Emma?"

"Safe, but we need to move her immediately."

Oliver grabbed my hand. "We're not waiting."

We gathered Emma and a few essentials. The security team was already en route with armored vehicles. The plan was to relocate Emma to a secure location - a private estate Oliver had prepared for emergencies.

As I looked into Emma's wide eyes, a swirl of love and fear caught me off guard.

"Mommy's got you," I whispered. "No one will hurt you."

The drive was tense but swift, a convoy weaving through the city with precision. I held Emma's hand the entire way, feeling her fingers tighten with each turn.

When we arrived at the estate, a sprawling mansion tucked away from prying eyes, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Security was tight, but the feeling of being hunted lingered like a shadow.

The next few days blurred into a mix of meetings, encrypted calls, and sleepless nights. Oliver and Ethan worked nonstop to uncover Vance's network, while I kept a close watch on Emma, making sure she had moments of normalcy amidst the chaos. But peace was fragile.

One evening, I found a note slipped under my door. No signature. Just one sentence:

"Stop digging, or you'll lose everything."

My blood ran cold. I held the note close and made a decision - I wouldn't be intimidated. Not now, not ever. The next morning, I met with Victor Reed again. He was waiting in a discreet café, blending easily into the background with his quiet intensity.

"Victor, do you have more?" I asked, sliding the note across the table.

He frowned. "This means they're watching you closely."

I nodded. "I need to know everything - names, places, any clue to the bigger player."

Victor pulled out a small folder. "Here. It's a list of contacts, offshore accounts, suspicious activities linked to the conspiracy."

I scanned the papers, heart racing. Among the names, one stood out: Elizabeth Kane.

Oliver's mother.

My stomach twisted. If Oliver's own family was involved, this was no longer just a corporate betrayal - it was a battle for the soul of the family, and possibly Oliver's legacy.

I glanced at Victor. "You're sure?"

He nodded gravely. "She's the one pulling strings from behind the scenes. Using Vance as her pawn."

Returning home, the mansion felt colder, darker. I had to confront Oliver. He needed to know.

"Oliver," I said carefully during dinner, "Victor found a connection to your mother. Elizabeth Kane."

Oliver froze, his fork hovering mid-air.

"Mom?" His voice was heavy with disbelief.

"She's been orchestrating this. Using Vance to undermine you, the company, everything you've built."

Oliver leaned back, staring into his glass. "I knew she was ruthless, but this..."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "But we have to face it. Together."

He looked up, eyes burning with a mixture of anger and resolve.

"Then let's finish this. No more secrets."

The following days brought more revelations. Elizabeth Kane was a force to be reckoned with - cunning, resourceful, and merciless. Her influence ran deep into the company and beyond, into political corridors where power was currency.

Oliver's confrontation with his mother was inevitable. I was with him the day he called Elizabeth. The penthouse was suffused with tension. Oliver's voice was steady but icy.

"Mother, we know what you're doing. It ends now."

Her reply was cold, calculating. "You're a fool if you think you can stop me, Oliver."

"You've put everyone in danger. Emma, me, this family."

Her laughter chilled the room. "Sacrifices must be made for power."

Oliver slammed the phone down.

"She's unhinged," he muttered.

I took his hand. "We'll protect what matters."

That night, I sat by Emma's bedside, watching her sleep. I thought about how far we had come - from broken pieces to a fragile new hope. But the shadows lingered. Elizabeth's game was far from over, and I knew the fight for my family's future was just beginning.Tomorrow, I would face Elizabeth Kane. Not just as Oliver's wife. But as Emma's mother. And I would not back down.