Married for His Empire

ictoria Island Road, their lights painting everything red and blue. Water arced from

ricade allowed. We got out into air thick with smo

nd me," El

evidence

a target if whoever set th

kind of credential that got us through. An inspector met us near the building

. Didn't expe

have an interest in what happened." Elijah gestured to me

yes sharpened. "F

e day

records room. Fourth floor, southeast corner. Someone bypassed securit

onal," El

nutes before the fire started. Came back up ten minutes after." The ins

needed to be preserved for regulatory purposes." I watched another w

pector made a note. "We'll investigate, but without wit

l have my security team send over anything our ca

ke still poured from broken windows. Everything I'd doc

hey've won,"

jah's hand found the small of my back. "They d

-fifties, silver hair, expensive suit despite the hour. He moved

e body went ri

man trying to s

concern, but his eyes stayed calculating. "Elijah

on't exist in o

nd you must be the mysterious wife. Congratulations on your

family only." Elijah's voi

to settle down." Thomas stepped closer, studying me like I was an acquisition he

's ri

er their records burn." He smiled. "O

things," I said. "None o

ephew. A hasty marriage to a woman from... uncertain backgr

wn futures once the forensic

require proof. And proof, as we can see-" he gestured

ographic, actually. Every transaction she ever reviewed is still right here." He tapped his te

nt. Though judges tend to prefer documents to memories. People

hreatening

traightened his cufflinks. "See you both at the boar

e of his men looked back-a hard stare that

eave," Elijah

poke until we were blocks a

penthouse immediately." Pause. "Yes, I know it's two a.m. I don't care. And pull the footage

"You're not going anywhere

live in

ed it hard. "They just showed their hand, Eniola. This isn't c

Unknown number. I

zzed again

ered.

torted through a modifier: "

ne wen

checked the number, his expression d

now whe

." He leaned forward to the driver. "Take t

didn't recognize. Twenty minutes of doubling back,

security had tripled. New guards, new p

d the rooms personally. Windows, loc

uard outside you

s exce

not sure what would qualify as excessive at this point." He sto

ause that's

have the security review at seven, then media training at n

s deli

ave, then stopped. "Eniola. What you said to Th

y good at ba

a smile. "It's one of

ed out at Lagos, at the distant glow where

tonight. Burned the evidence

I'd break. Ru

ation three days ago had nothing left to lose. And the woman st

nd with unlimited resources

Guard is posted. Press the panic but

tstand. Sleek, black, probably connected t

*And Eniola? Thank

expected me to bolt. To deci

I shou

ck: *I don't run. I

eared. Then: *

nto bed. Just stood at the window, watch

ove. The fire, the th

was o

e, smile on my face, diamond ring on my finger, ready to prove that

wante

was about to