bChapter /bb217 /b

ADRIAN’S POV

“Themissioner sent in an apology email this morning,” James said, his voice calm, as he sat across from me at the dining table. “He also stated that he had fired the guys who got you arrested and took the video down from the media. So, for those who didn’t see anything, you’re clean. And for those who did? Well, they’ll eventually forget it. They’ll brush it off as some kind of mistake, a glitch in the system. Just noise.”

The sound of the television buzzed in the background, somete morning news program I wasn’t paying attention to. I barely heard the cheerful voice of the anchor, too distracted by the weight of my thoughts. I didn’t look at James as he spoke. My knife sliced through the beef steak on my te with slow precision, like it was the only thing I had control over at the moment.

I didn’t bother responding. What James said? I already expected it. That was always going to be the oue. Officers like those, trigger- happy and arrogant probably thought they were making a name for themselves bying after me. But they underestimated who they were dealing with. And like I told James from the moment it happened, they got what they deserved.

But that didn’t erase the deeper issue. The real problem had been gnawing at the back of my mind since sunrise, and it only grew louder with each passing hour.

Who the hell gave them that information?

That question had been ying on a loop in my head, circling like a vulture waiting for something to die.

Because those officers didn’t act on a hunch. Someone fed them details, specific, sensitive details. Someone close enough to me to know what happened with the Greysons. Someone who knew the truth, and turned that knowledge into a weapon.

A traitor.

It wasn’t just about the arrest. That was a symptom. A warning shot. If I didn’t act fast, if I didn’t find whoever was behind this, the next hit could be worse. Much worse. I’ve worked too hard, and buried too many secrets to let it all fall apart because of one Judas hiding in my

midst.

I leaned back in my chair, still not looking at James, my mind scanning through the possible suspects like a deck of cards.

It’s a short list.

Dan. My right–hand man. He was there with me the day everything went down with the Greysons. Not just him, his guys were there too. He’s seen the things I’ve done. Hell, he’s helped me do them. Dan has been loyal since day one. He’s stood beside me through chaos and calm, never asking for more than what he was owed.

But loyalty doesn’t alwaysst forever.

Still, if Dan was the one who cracked, why now? Why this incident? Why not any of the dozen other secrets he’s sitting on? Why go to the cops about the Greysons, specifically? If it were revenge or ckmail, he could’ve gone bigger. More personal.

Then there’s James.

My best friend. My brother, in all but blood. I’ve known him longer than I’ve trusted anyone. We’ve survived the fire together. But it’s James who tried to stop me from going after the Greysons in the first ce. He pleaded with me. Said I was crossing a line.

What if he still thinks that?

What if turning me in was his way of… punishing me?

The thought turned my stomach more than the bloody steak on my te. I hated even considering it. But I had to be honest with myself.

Sentiment doesn’t belong in situations like this. Someone close to me is trying to dismantle everything I’ve built. If I let emotion cloud my judgment, I’ll be toote.

If he was the mystery person… it would be truly heartbreaking.

Just the thought made my stomach twist. I couldn’t bring myself to say his name, not yet. The idea that someone so close could betray ime /imade everything else feel pointless. But no, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Not without proof. That’s how people lose everythingb, /bacting on hunches instead of facts.

Still, the doubt was there. Creeping. Infectious. Dangerous.

Another name shed through my mind, Olivia. As much as I didn’t want to think about her, I couldn’t ignore the possibility. But she was dead, I shook my head slightly. No. Olivia was gone. I needed to stop reopening that wound.

So, who could it be?

Dan’s men? They had the guts to do a lot of dirty work, but this? Would they really be reckless enough to challenge me head–on? They weren’t the brightest, but even they knew the kind of storm that woulde their way. Unless… they’d been promised protection.

A more disturbing thought hit me, I couldn’t trust anyone.

Not anymore.

Not even James, my best friend

I hated this version of myself. Paranoid. Suspicious. Cold. But it was survival. In my world, people smiled at you in the morning and stabbed you in the back by nightfall.

“Are you alright?” James‘ voice jolted me out of my spiral.

I blinked. My fingers were still wrapped tightly around the spoon. My food had long gone cold.

“You’ve just been staring at that cup,” James added, frowning slightly.

I forced a weak smile and put the cup down. “Yeah. I was thinking about something.” I reached for the napkin and wiped my mouth, though I hadn’t eaten more than two bites. “What about Marcus? Anything from him?”

James sighed, rubbing his jaw. “He’s been all over the newstely. And just a few moments ago, he made a statement about your arrest.”

My brows shot up. “He saw that? I thought themissioner took the video down. Scrubbed it clean.”

“It looks like Marcus has other ways of getting what he wants,” James said. His voice was low butced with frustration. “You know how he is always one step ahead, or at least he likes to think so.”

I leaned back in my chair, feeling the weight in my chest grow heavier. “If he said anything, it’s just as damaging as the video going viral again. He might as well have uploaded it himself. The fact that he’s mentioning it publicly… it’s going to raise questions.”

“Especially from our investors,” James added quietly.

I nodded. “Exactly. We’ve only just begun to regain their trust. This could unravel all of it.”

“So,” James asked cautiously, “do you have any n to get this under control? Silence Marcus? Release a statement?”

“You said he spoke about me a few moments ago, right?“.

“Yeah.”

“Then he’s probably still live.” I stood up, pushing my hall eaten breakfast aside. “Switch on the TV. Find the news station.”

We left the dining room and moved quickly to the living area. James grabbed the remote. He scrolled through several news channels, each headline worse than thest, corporatewsuits, international scandals, economic forecasts.

And then he stopped.

He froze on a channel, and before I could ask, I saw it, the screen. What was on it made my heart drop. My breath caught in my chest. My body reacted before my mind could fully process it.

Fear caught me by the throat as I took a step back.