TANGLED IN THE TYRANT'S TRAP

the glass boardroom, fifteen board members shot up from their seats like puppets yanked

oice turned icy cold. The air conditio

t massive diamond ring digging right into my skin. My only anchor agains

em. "An anonymous whistleblower sent a signed confession using Julian Vance's login. It claims the multi-million-dollar trading glitch wasn't an accident. Says Ju

p sliced right through

ped against the marble, every step more condescending than the last. "A federal criminal, Sebastian? You skipped over my family's e

errified, absolutely nowhere near all this. Someone hacked his login. Someo

oice razor-thin. "Sebastian, please, you've got to believe me I've never

me, locked onto the boardroom doors. Inside, the board members were already scrambling for their phones, ba

ly calm, almost dead. "Block any federal agents from coming into the pr

sistant bolted tow

d up, her sneer vanishing. "Get off my floor before I have you thrown out for ind

"Enjoy your fifteen minutes, Sebastian. I'll buy your company

of expensive perfume, lea

on me. The cold mask slipped, and something raw flared in hi

my chest. "They're about to open that door and demand my resignation. If I walk in compromised, th

s up the perfect makeup someone did for

y scared me. "We change the story. They think you're a saboteur? Fine. We're about to te

heart pounded so hard it hur

out, fingers folding tightly around the glass door handle. "But inside that room, you don't show an ounce of fear.

react, Sebastian s

oed in on me my green dress, the giant diamond ring catching th

both hands on the table. "What's the meaning of this circus? The FBI's d

and everyone else was just a spectator. He parked himse

ss walls, "let me introduce you to my fiancée, Clara. And the woman w

ablet. "Stopped it? The news says she caused

esting his hand on my back-a steady, warm weight against my spine. "Clara's been working with my private security to

ed scowl. I felt like I might puke. If his team

ng into me, "where's the decryption drive? News says the

ign I'd crack. My heart thrummed so loud I almost missed Sebastia

"In fact, if you check your encrypted corporate email, you'll see the first batch of p

s tablet, while the rest of

loded. Glass everywhere as three fed

ing straight on me. "Clara Vance, you're under arrest f