Nora's POV
I stare at Marcus's text, my whole body shaking.
He's starting to doubt you. Good. Soon he'll realize what everyone else already knows—you're a liar who destroys everyone you touch.
The penthouse feels like a cage. Beautiful, expensive, suffocating.
My phone rings. Dominic.
I answer with trembling hands. Hello?
Come to my office. Now. His voice is clipped, businesslike. We need to talk about those files.
Dominic, I swear I don't know how
Just come. Please.
The please softens something in my chest.
Thirty minutes later, I'm stepping off the private elevator into Dominic's office. It's all glass and steel, overlooking Manhattan like a kingdom he rules.
He's at his desk, surrounded by papers. When he looks up, his expression is unreadable.
The files from my office, he says without preamble. They're forgeries.
Relief floods through me. What?
Someone created fake versions of your journalism files. Made them look authentic, but the metadata's wrong. Different creation dates, different software. He gestures to his computer. Whoever broke in wanted me to doubt you. They failed.
You believe me?
I had my forensics team analyze them the moment I arrived. His eyes meet mine, intense. I told you, Nora. I recognize truth when I hear it. Marcus tried to plant doubt. He underestimated how thoroughly I verify everything.
Something warm and dangerous blooms in my chest. Thank you.
Don't thank me yet. He stands, moves to the windows. This means Marcus knows about our arrangement. Or suspects it. Either way, he's escalating.
What do we do?
We fight back. He turns, and there's fire in his eyes. We build our case so airtight he can't escape. And we do it now.
For the next three hours, we work.
Dominic spreads files across his massive desk—financial records, transaction logs, encrypted account information. Numbers and dates blur together.
This is everything I have on Marcus, he says. Eighteen months of suspicious activity. But it's not enough for criminal charges. His lawyers would argue reasonable doubt.
My journalism training kicks in. I study the documents, seeing patterns others might miss.
These timestamps don't match, I say, pointing to a series of transfers. This says Marcus initiated them from his office computer. But look—he was in Chicago that day for a conference. I remember because he posted about it on social media.
Dominic leans over my shoulder, studying the documents. You're right. Which means—
Someone else made the transfers using his credentials. Or he has help. An accomplice inside the company.
He straightens, impressed. Who?
I don't know yet. But Marcus is lazy. He always finds someone smarter to do the actual work while he takes credit. I flip through more files. We need to find whoever's giving him access.
How?
By thinking like Marcus. I tap the files. He manipulates people who worship him. Someone who feels overlooked, underappreciated. Someone who thinks helping him will make them important.
Dominic's eyes narrow. Victoria.
Your cousin?
She's VP, has access to everything. And she's hated me since I took over the company. He pulls up more files on his computer. If she and Marcus are working together...
Then this is bigger than embezzlement. This is a coup.
We work for hours, building connections, finding patterns. I forget this man is essentially a stranger. He's brilliant, ruthless in his analysis, but fair. He actually listens to my ideas, builds on them instead of dismissing them.
It's intoxicating.
Around noon, someone knocks. The door opens and a friendly Asian man walks in, carrying coffee.
Boss, I brought— He stops dead, seeing me. Oh. Hello.
James Wu, meet my wife, Nora. Dominic doesn't even look up from the documents.
James's eyebrows shoot up. Your wife. Right. The one you married yesterday.
Two days ago, I correct.
Two whole days. James grins, setting down the coffee. So you're the woman who finally hooked the ice king. About time someone thawed him out.
It's not like that, I protest, face heating.
Sure it's not. He winks at me, then turns serious. Boss, the board's asking questions about the break-in. Victoria's stirring up concerns about security.
I bet she is. Dominic's voice is cold. Tell them I'm handling it.
Will do. James heads for the door, then pauses. Nice to meet you, Nora. And hey—good luck. You're going to need it married to this workaholic.
He leaves.
I like him, I say.
James is loyal. One of the few people I trust completely. Dominic hands me coffee. Unlike my dear cousin.
We dive back into the files. The evidence against Marcus grows, but we're still missing the smoking gun—proof of who he's working with, where the money's going, what his end game is.
My phone rings. Unknown number.
I look at Dominic. He nods. Answer. Put it on speaker.
My finger hovers over the screen, then I accept the call.
Hello, Marcus.
Nora, darling. His voice is smooth as silk, fake as plastic. Congratulations on your sudden marriage. How... unexpected.
What do you want?
To warn you. Dominic Ashford is a dangerous man. He destroys everyone who gets close to him. I'd hate to see you become his next victim.
Ice floods my veins. But Dominic mouths: Keep him talking.
That's rich coming from you, I say. Considering you're the one who destroyed my career.
Marcus laughs. Is that what you think happened? Poor Nora. Always the victim. Never taking responsibility for your own failures.
I didn't fail. I exposed you.
You tried. His voice hardens. And now you're trying again, aren't you? Married to my boss, digging through files, playing detective. He pauses. But here's the thing, darling. I'm always three steps ahead. I know what you're doing. I know why you married him. And soon, everyone else will know too.
Is that a threat?
It's a promise. You thought you could hide behind Ashford's money and power. You were wrong. I'm coming for both of you. And when I'm done, there won't be anything left.
The line goes dead.
Silence fills the office.
Dominic's face is carved from stone. He knows.
Knows what?
That we're building a case. That we're coming for him. He stands abruptly, paces to the windows. He's going to move fast now. Accelerate whatever plan he has.
What do we do?
We move faster. He turns, eyes blazing. James!
The door opens immediately. James must have been waiting outside.
Get me everything on Victoria. Bank records, communications, travel history. Everything.
Boss, she's your cousin
She's a suspect. Treat her like one.
James nods and disappears.
Dominic moves to his desk, starts making calls. I watch him work—commanding, brilliant, terrifying in his intensity.
This is the man the business world fears. The ruthless CEO who destroys competitors.
And for the first time, I wonder if Marcus is right.
Is Dominic using me? Will he destroy me when this is over?
My phone buzzes. A text from a number I don't recognize.
I open it.
My heart stops.
It's a photo. Of me. From this morning. Walking into Ashford Industries.
Below it: I'm watching you, Mrs. Ashford. Every move. Every breath. You can't hide. You can't run. And soon, you won't be able to lie anymore. The truth about who you really are is coming out. Tick tock. —Anonymous
I look up at Dominic, who's still on the phone, arguing with someone about audit schedules.
My hands shake as I scroll through my photos.
Someone's been following me.
There are dozens of pictures. Me at the grocery store yesterday. Walking in Central Park. Entering the penthouse.
How long have they been watching?
And what truth are they talking about?
I haven't lied about anything.
Have I?
My phone buzzes again.
Another photo. This one makes my blood turn to ice.
It's me and Jennifer. From six months ago. The night before I exposed Marcus.
We're outside a building I recognize—the office where I used to work.
And in the photo, I'm handing Jennifer an envelope.
Below it: Remember this, Nora? Remember what you did? Maybe Dominic should know the REAL reason you're so interested in taking down Marcus. Maybe he should know about the evidence YOU planted. Sweet dreams. —Anonymous
The phone slips from my shaking hands.
No.
That's not what happened.
That envelope it was just
But even as I try to remember, doubt creeps in.
What if Marcus has proof of something I don't even remember doing?
What if he's been setting me up from the beginning?
And what if Dominic finds out before I can explain?