Crimson Desire (Hollow Hearts #2)

"Amari."

I looked up from the files on my desk, surprised to hear Thomas Barrett's voice on my phone. It's very surprising because the head attorney of the firm wasn't one to make casual calls!

"Thomas? What's up?"

"I need you in my office. Now." His tone was curt, urgent.

I could tell this wasn't a routine request. It is something...important.

I glanced at the clock. It's late, but nothing new. Still, the edge in his voice had me on alert. Without another word, I grabbed my things and made my way to his office.

When I entered, I saw Thomas sitting behind his desk. There is a folder open in front of him.

"Sup, boss?" I grinned, trying to be witty despite his serious face.

He didn't greet me with his usual smile. Instead, his eyes were focused, serious.

I shut my mouth. Yeah, he's not happy right now, Amari. You stupid!

"Sit down," he said, gesturing to the chair across from him. "We've been handed a major case, and I need you to take point on it."

I sat down, trying to mask the sudden tension in my body. "What's the case all about?"

He slid the folder across the desk before he spoke again.

"Grant Group. Sounds familiar?"

What?

"Grant Group. Corporate empire. Banks, tech, real estate. They're currently involved in a multi-million-dollar investigation-fraud, money laundering, insider trading. You name it. It's all here."

The what?

I blinked, processing the enormity of what he was saying. Grant Group? The Grant Group? The name alone made my pulse quicken, but...

Amari, you calm down!

"T...That's huge. Are we really taking them on?"

"This is the thing. You know Valerie knows a lot of cases like this but she's been handling serious cases in regards to the recent senator who's finally in jail. let's give her a break. And you also handled this kind of case before."

I sighed, feeling so problematic because I think I knew now what he would do.

"This is exactly the kind of case we've been preparing for you, Amari. The stakes are high. We need someone with sharp minds to handle this, someone who can go toe to toe with them." Thomas' gaze was intense, focused. "And that someone is you. You're the best we have, Amari."

I glanced down at the file, scanning through the documents. The more I read, the heavier the weight in my chest became. And then, it hit me. There, in black and white, was the name that made everything freeze.

Lucas Trail Grant. Chief Executive Officer.

I almost dropped the file.

I hadn't seen that name in years. The memories hit me like a storm.

I took a sharp breath, my voice trembling just slightly.

"Lucas Grant?" I repeated, my mind struggling to comprehend. "The CEO?"

"Yup. We need you to go after him, Amari. This is a chance to bring down one of the biggest players in the game."

"He's the current CEO?"

I felt my hands begin to sweat, my pulse hammering in my ears. This was no longer just a case. This was personal. Too personal.

"Yes, and I heard there's a lot of people resigned in that company after he became the CEO. He's ruthless, I heard. Wait, you went to the same university, right?"

"I-" I started, but the words choked in my throat. I was supposed to be professional, to take control. But my mind was a whirlwind, racing through a thousand thoughts I couldn't silence.

The case... it was everything I had worked for. But him? Lucas? Facing him again... could I really put myself in that position?

Could I really walk into this battle knowing everything it would cost me?

"Thomas, I don't think I'm the right person for this. I can't take this-"

Thomas furrowed his brow, clearly caught off guard. "Amari, you're the best we have. You've been handling cases like this for years now. You've got the legal mind for it, the tenacity. You're exactly who we need."

I shook my head, frustration building.

"You don't get it. I think this... this is too much. I can't go up against him or them. It's too dangerous for us. You said he's ruthless and I don't think I could-" I broke off, realizing how much I was giving away.

Thomas was watching me carefully now, trying to read between the lines.

"Amari, I understand that this might be a big ask, but you're the one who can do this. I could help you but you know I will be going abroad for another case as well."

I opened my mouth to protest again, but then I stopped. The reality of the situation was undeniable. I couldn't back down. Just...shit!

"Please, Amari... Our clients have valid reasons as well. Their lands were taken by the company without legal process with them. A lot of workers are unpaid and there are so many injustices inside. Even the company as a whole seems problematic. That's what our firm thrives on, right? Justice for those in need...and this is not just one, but many are victims of this company, Amari."

With a sigh, I closed the file and sat back, trying to steady my thoughts. "Okay...I'll check the case."

Thomas nodded, relief washing over his face. "Good. You start meeting the clients tomorrow."

When my work ended, I got into my car, the weight of my decision sinking in. I'd said yes to the case, but everything about it felt heavy.

I have never seen Lucas for I don't know how many years already. Maybe almost...ten years...

Accepting this meant Lucas would be back in my life, and I knew that meant trouble.

Trouble I wasn't sure I was ready for.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, my phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the silence. It was a message from Tali, my younger sister.

From: Tali:

Almost home, Ate? Can I call? I have to tell you something.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Tali always had a way of making me feel grounded, even when everything around me felt chaotic.

To: Tali

Yup. I'm driving now. I'll call you once I get home.

A few seconds passed before another message popped up.

From: Tali:

Everything okay?

I stared at the message for a few moments. How could I tell her what was really going on? How could I explain that I was about to take on the Grant Group-and him? I couldn't. Not yet. I quickly typed back.

To: Tali

Yeah, just a long day. I'll call you later.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and focused on the road. But my thoughts kept drifting back to the case. Then, as I turned a corner, I saw it. The GrantTech building. The sleek, shiny glass tower that was part of the Grant Group.

A chill ran down my spine. I'd known that building, known what it stood for. It was part of the empire that had taken everything. And now it was staring me in the face.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, trying to push my feelings down. I had a job to do, but as I kept driving, I could feel the weight of it all. The city seemed quieter, somehow, as I made my way home.

When I pulled to my apartment, I just wanted to get inside and shut the world out. I dropped my keys and bag by the door and kicked off my shoes, the silence swallowing me whole.

I needed a moment to breathe. I entered the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and sat by the window. I stared at the lights in the distance, trying to calm the storm inside me.

Tomorrow, I'll meet the clients. Tomorrow, the fight would begin. But tonight? I just had to make it through. I had to remind myself why I was doing this. It wasn't just for the clients.

It was for justice. Justice that I promised to offer.

But deep down, I knew the truth. The past was never as far behind as I wanted it to be.

The next day, I was early in the office to check some files in advance when my assistant knocked on the door.

"Miss Amari, the farmers from La Union are here to meet you," she said, peeking in.

I quickly put the file aside. "Let them in, please."

I stood up, waiting for them. A few moments later, five people walked into my office. They looked nervous and uncomfortable. An older man led the group. He is wearing a faded shirt and sandals. The others are in simple clothes as well.

"Good morning," I greeted with a warm smile, gesturing to the chairs in front of my desk. "Please, have a seat."

The group sat down quietly, glancing at one another before the older man spoke.

"Good morning, ma'am. I'm Isko, and these are some of the farmers from our community in La Union."

"It's nice to meet you, Mang Isko," I said gently. "I understand you've been facing serious issues. Please, tell me everything."

Mang Isko nodded and his face tight with worry.

"Ma'am, we've been living and farming on our land for generations. It was my parents' parents land so it's all we have. But three months ago, the Grant Group came. They brought big machines and started demolishing the area. Even our crops, our homes. They didn't ask for permission. They just said they were building hotels and resorts."

I leaned forward, listening carefully. "Did they give you any legal notice? Announcement beforehand. Or any documents about this?"

"No, ma'am," he replied firmly. "They said the land belongs to them now. They said someone had sold it. But we never did. We found out they forged documents to make it look like we did."

My jaw tightened. Forgery. A common tactic of big corporations to take land from people who couldn't defend themselves.

"Did you try to report this to your local government?" I asked, my pen ready to take notes.

A woman named Nanay Lita, sitting beside Mang Isko, spoke up.

"We went to them, ma'am. We begged for help. But instead of helping, they told us to stay quiet. They said if we didn't, we could be arrested for trespassing on our own land. That was our land, ma'am! Our land! My ancestors passed it down to us!" she said emotionally.

The room grew silent, hearing her cries louder. Their story wasn't new to me, but it still made my blood boil.

"Do you have your land titles with you?" I asked.

A young man stood up and handed me a stack of papers. "These are copies, ma'am. The originals are safe back home."

I flipped through the documents, scanning them quickly. Everything looked valid.

"Okay. This is a good start," I said while looking to them. "We'll use these to challenge their claims. I'll also need photos of your land before the destruction, any witnesses who can testify, and a list of what's been damaged. We'll build a strong case against them."

"Thank you, ma'am," Mang Isko said, his voice trembling. "We thought no one would help us. You've given us hope."

I gave him a small smile.

"We'll fight this together. My team will try our best as well. The Grant Group may be powerful, but if they don't have the right to take your land, we'll make sure justice is served."

They seemed hopeful. That is what I am hoping too.

This is I think...the most difficult case I will handle. The Grants aren't ordinary people. Grants have this power. This control. But injustice deserves justice.

As they left, a young woman named Marites stayed behind. She looks like she wants to ask me something so I look her in the eye.

"M-Ma'am Amari," she said softly, "do you really think we can win? They're so powerful. We're just simple farmers."

I met her gaze. I understand the pain. The confusion. The worries.

"We'll fight with everything we have. The Grants may have money and influence, but we have the truth. And truth has power."

She nodded slowly, a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes, before hurrying to catch up with the others.

The room was quiet again, but my mind was racing. I knew this case wouldn't just be about land. The Grants were known for their reach-and their ruthlessness.

Later that afternoon, my legal team had a meeting in the conference room to give their updates. They had been digging deeper into the Grant Group's activities.

"Ma'am," one of my senior lawyers began, "we've found more issues with the Grants. Aside from the land grabbing in La Union, they're also involved in illegal mining operations in the area."

"Illegal mining? Are they violating any environmental laws?" My brows furrowed.

"Yes," another lawyer chimed in. "They've been mining in protected areas, and it's destroying the local ecosystem. What's worse, it seems they've bribed the government officials to cover it up."

The room grew tense as the weight of the information settled over us.

"So they're controlling the officials, too?" I asked.

The senior lawyer nodded. "It seems so. That's why the farmers were silenced when they tried to seek help. The officials are in the Grants' pocket."

I leaned back in my chair, my mind already formulating a plan.

"Alright. We're going to build this case step by step. First, we'll focus on the land grabbing and forgery. Then, we'll connect it to the illegal mining and government corruption. This isn't just about the farmers' land. It's about holding the Grants accountable for everything they've done."

My team nodded.

As the meeting ended, I sat alone in the empty conference room, staring out the window. The Grants had power, money, and influence. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.

This fight wasn't just about justice for the farmers. It was about standing up to a system that let people like the Grants get away with everything.

While I am looking at the skyscrapers, I couldn't help but think about what happened.

I knew Lucas was not a saint nor a good man. But I never thought he would be this kind of person. Selfish...Manipulative...Evil.

I experienced it first hand. He was ruthless back then. But I didn't know how he became someone like this.

But why are you asking for more of this, Amari. As you said, you experienced it, he was never good.

( 11 years ago )

Life was never easy for me.

It never gave me a choice.

I was thirteen when everything fell apart. Our parents died in an accident, and my sister was far away. That left me-just a kid-alone with my little sister who's only eleven years old, looking at me like I could fix everything.

But I couldn't. I didn't even know how to fix myself.

I had to grow up fast. Too fast. Carrying a weight that crushed me every single day. Reality hit hard, and it didn't care that I was just a child.

For a long time, there was nothing. No hope. No help. Just anger, swallowing me whole. I hated the world for what it had taken from me. I hated myself for not being enough. I carry that hatred growing up.

But then, somehow, life gave a little back. My sister returned to us, and for the first time, we weren't alone.

That's when I knew: I couldn't fail again. I couldn't let down the people who still believed in me.

No matter how broken I felt, I had to keep going. I had to be stronger than the pain.

With everything that happened to my sister, I realized I have to stand up for her. Not only for her but maybe for people who experienced something like hers.

Now, I was weeks away from graduating with my pre-law degree, and every moment of my life was carefully planned to build the future I wanted.

I had no time for mistakes. No room for distractions.

But Luke Trail Grant was a distraction I hadn't been prepared for.

"Amari, he's staring at you again."

Krystal's voice cut through my focus, low and teasing. I looked up from my laptop, pretending I hadn't already noticed. Still, my chest tightened.

"He's not staring at me," I said lightly. "If he does, maybe it's just a glimpse or something. I'm a nobody."

Krystal rolled her eyes dramatically. "Please. He knows exactly who you are. You're probably the only girl on campus who hasn't thrown herself at him."

"Maybe because I have standards," I replied, though my racing heart betrayed me.

Lies...

We were sitting in the campus garden, my favorite study spot. I'd been here for hours trying to finish a paper, but Luke Grant had made concentrating impossible the moment he walked in. He was at the opposite side, chatting with some women.

He was almost unreal. He's tall, broad-shouldered, with black hair that fell in perfect, careless waves. His piercing brown eyes burned with an intensity that could make you forget to breathe, and his slow, confident smirk carried the kind of heat that could melt resolve in an instant.

And he knew it. He knew that he had this effect.

Everyone did.

"Look at him," Krystal whispered, barely containing her excitement. "He's like a bad decision wrapped in a perfect package. And that smirk? Ugh, it's unfair."

"He's a trouble," I muttered, forcing my eyes back to my screen. "His hair looks so messy and I don't like his fashion style."

Lies again. I like it. No, I love it.

Krystal studied me, tilting her head. "For someone who doesn't care, you sure notice a lot about him."

I froze, heat creeping up my face. "I don't-"

"Oh, please," she interrupted, grinning. "It's okay to like him. He's pretty hard to ignore."

"He's more than that," I admitted before I could stop myself. "He's... complicated."

Her grin grew. "Complicated, huh? Sounds like you've been thinking about him a lot."

I didn't reply. She wasn't wrong.

I had been thinking about him. Watching him for almost two years. Wondering what it might feel like to step into his world, to be noticed by him, even if just for a moment.

But guys like Luke Grant didn't see girls like me. I was the quiet pre-law student, always with my nose in a book, planning a future that didn't allow for distractions. He was the heartbreaker of the business department, leaving a trail of admirers without a second thought.

"Let's drop it," I said finally, keeping my voice steady. "I have enough to deal with."

Krystal shrugged. "Fine. But if you're not going after him, maybe I will."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Go ahead."

But I didn't mean it. Because deep down, I didn't want her...or anyone else...to have him. Even if I couldn't admit it.

He wasn't just another name on campus-he was the name. The golden boy of the business department. The heir to a fortune so big it made his life seem untouchable. Luke was the kind of man who made headlines before he even graduated. Of course, for someone who has generational wealth, just flashing his money, women will kneel for him.

But, I wasn't one of those girls. At least, I told myself I wasn't.

I was the practical. Ambitious. Guarded. I spent my days buried in legal textbooks, skipping parties to study, and interning at firms where I had to prove, every single day, that I was good enough. Like I wasn't the kind of person who fell for a guy like Luke for his money.

I want him to like me because I am smart. I am brave and bold in my dreams.

But, maybe this time, I will let myself. I will let myself to be one of them. To be crazy. To be wild like the girls around him.

"Shot, Amari?" Krystal grinned, pressing a glass into my hand.

I downed it before I could second-guess myself, the heat pooling in my chest. It was reckless. Stupid. And for the first time in forever, it felt good.

"You'll just stay here? Let's have fun!" she said in a loud voice but I shook my head.

Krystal left me so I took the courage to ask for another shot. One after another.

And then I saw him.

Luke.

He leaned against the bar, his sleeves rolled up on a crisp white dress shirt, the top buttons undone like he'd just escaped a formal event. His dark hair was tousled, like someone had been running their fingers through it. Probably one of the gorgeous girls circling nearby. He always has women around him.

But then his eyes found mine.

And he smiled.

Shit! Did he just-

"Amari, right?"

His voice was warm and teasing, as he appeared before me, carrying the scent of expensive cologne and I don't know... danger.

"The pre-law genius everyone's whispering about."

I blinked, my brain short-circuiting. "Y-You... know me?"

His smirk deepened like he found my surprise amusing.

"Of course I do. Hard to miss someone who walks into a room like she owns it."

I laughed nervously, unsure if he was mocking me.

"I'm sure I don't exactly scream 'life of the party', Mr. Lip Service."

"No," he said, his voice dipping lower, more intimate. "You're something else entirely."

The way he said it made my heart race like he saw something in me no one else ever had.

"I'm not one of those girls who'll fall for a few compliments," I said, suddenly defensive.

Luke stepped closer, his gaze locking onto mine.

"Who said I'm trying to make you fall for anything?"

He leaned in, his voice brushing against my ear like a secret.

It made my cheeks burn, and I immediately turned to walk away, nearly breaking into a run. My heart raced as embarrassment consumed me. How could I possibly face him after this?

I thought I had escaped when I reached the garden outside. The cool breeze provided some relief-until I felt his presence right behind me.

"What?" I spun around, trying to mask my unease with a firm expression.

Luke crossed his arms, his gaze unrelenting. "Why did you walk away? I wasn't done talking to you."

"Well, I was done," I shot back, though my voice wavered slightly. I took a step back, but he closed the distance, gripping my arm gently.

Before I could respond, a third voice cut our talk.

"Sir Luke, your grandfather just arrived at the family house, and-oh... girlfriend?"

I froze, turning my head toward someone who had just appeared out of nowhere. His brows lifted in amusement as he glanced between Luke and me.

My own brows furrowed as I waved my hands dismissively. "Girlfriend? No, no. You've got it all wrong-"

Luke smirked, clearly enjoying the misunderstanding.

"Relax, genius." He turned back to the man, his voice nonchalant. "Tell my grandfather I'll catch up later."

The man nodded but didn't hide the knowing grin on his face as he walked off.

"Sir Luke," I began, trying to salvage my dignity, "I just wanted to chill. Inside was too loud-"

"If you really want to know what it feels like to unwind," he interrupted, a teasing glint in his eye, "come with me."

My breath caught. "Come with you?"

He tilted his head, his expression laced with mischief. "Relax. Just for another drink. My place. No crowds, no noise." His lips curled into a faint smirk. "Unless you're scared."

"I'm not scared," I said quickly, though my heart pounded as if trying to contradict me.

"Good." His smile deepened, slow and deliberate, as he held out his hand. "Let's go."

I hesitated, every logical part of me screaming to walk away. But then his hand hovered there, waiting, and without fully understanding why-I took it.