MY FOREVER LOVE

ainting in her small, modest art studio when her phone rang. She w

id, her voice c

was tense. "Miss Ross, your

hitched. "W

ails, but you need to get

te, grabbed her bag, and rushed out the door. She hailed a

-

ut it brought in enough-over a million in revenue each year. Still, Ariana knew things hadn't been good lately. Bills were pi

a heart condition. He had no idea the company was struggling, and no

-

briskly and people murmured in hushed tones. Ariana approached t

Ross," she said, for

e counter glanced at

oss. His

e. After a short conversation,

detective stepped out.

nd racing. "What's going on?

ations. Someone reported financial

d. "That's impossible.

tective interrupted. "You can see h

This had to be a mistake. Or

-

saw him. His usual confident posture

d, sitting across from

ials were fine-at least, I thought they were. The

uld do

to figure that out. Maybe a competito

father in the hospital and the busine

this," she

eak smile. "I hope s

ght of their problems pressed down o

on her. She pulled out her phone, hesitated, then dialed her younger si

r that morning before Kiara returned to school _she lived in the

one. "Always. Just chec

roaned. "But my dance rehearsal went great to

y. "That's amazing,

d suspicious. "Wait... why do you

e phone. "Yeah, just tired. B

oled. "Ari, tel

lie, not when things were this bad.

rp intake of breath

.. tax evasion... some other stuf

"But-that's impossibl

g. Grandpa's still in the hospital, and the business is sink

r a long moment. "

e midterms and that solo. We can't

ut

e this. Just focus on scho

ed. "This i

ed her eyes

-

en cover a good lawyer. And the charges-tax evasion, money laundering, even drug trafficki

. The ride felt longer than usual, every stop stretching the tension coiled in her chest. When she finally r

ithout thinking, she grabbed a glass from the kitchen cabinet and filled it with water,

her's longtime friend and their family lawyer-a middle-aged man who wasn't the most elite in the field but ha

gruff voice answe

voice tighter than she intended. "I n

heard. The charges are serious, Ariana. Fraud, tax evasion-they're even throwi

rafficking? That's ridiculou

is aggressive. They've been building the case for

free hand clenching into a

Right now, we need to focus on proving his innocence. I'll requ

d. "What do we do

ng that faults the allegation. And don't talk to the press or a

ldn't see her. "I'll go through h

this is a setup, that person woul

ent before Ariana whispered,

t you need to prepare for the worst, Ariana. Th

the lump in her throat. "Just

as I have updates," he

uch, staring blankly at the half-finished painting leaning against the

to find out who was behind