MY FOREVER LOVE

. Her art studio, no bigger than a small bedroom, smelled faintly of paint thinner and dry clay. Sunlight streamed through th

d, her voice cal

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

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

-

riskly and people murmured in hushed tones. Ariana approached the

Ross," she said, forci

e counter glanced at

ss. His da

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

ts. This had to be a mistake. O

-

e opened the door to a

oulders slumped, his usually calm eyes filled

saw him. His usual confident posture

d, sitting across from

voice was hoarse. "I didn't

y said you were suspected of fraud and

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

uld do

to figure that out. Maybe a competito

ather in the hospital and the business

his," she sa

ak smile. "I hope so.

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

ne. "Always. Just checki

ut my dance rehearsal went great today. The instructor

y. "That's amazing,

d suspicious. "Wait... why do you

e phone. "Yeah, just tired. B

led. "Ari, tell

lie, not when things were this bad. "

rp intake of breath

.. tax evasion... some other stuf

"But-that's impossibl

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

r a long moment. "

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

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

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 answere

voice tighter than she intended. "I n

rd. I'm sorry. The charges are serious, Ariana. Fraud, tax evasion-they're even th

? That's ridiculous. You know Dad woul

rosecution is aggressive. They've been building the case

free hand clenching into a

aid. "Right now, we need to focus on proving his innocence. I'll r

. "What do we do i

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