Chapter 7 - The Sabotage Attempt
Julian, backed into a corner and facing federal charges, decided to play dirty.
If he couldn't have my money, he wanted to destroy my reputation. He and Eleanor leaked a story to a bottom-feeding tabloid blog, claiming that NovaCore’s recent software patents were stolen from a smaller competitor. They fabricated emails and used Julian's insider knowledge of my schedule to make the timeline look convincing.
The morning the article dropped, NovaCore’s stock took a minor hit. My PR team was in a frenzy.
I was furious, pacing my office, when Liam walked in. He didn't look panicked; he looked like a predator who had just spotted his prey.
“They overplayed their hand,” Liam said, dropping a thick manila folder onto my desk. “Julian is stupid, Maya. He used a burner IP address to send the fake emails to the tabloid, but he logged into his personal iCloud account on the same device to check his fantasy football league.”
I stopped pacing. “You traced it?”
“My private investigator did,” Liam grinned. “We have undeniable digital forensics proving Julian manufactured the entire story to tank your stock. That crosses the line from petty revenge into corporate sabotage and federal wire fraud.”
“What do we do?” I asked.
“We don't go to the press,” Liam said, his eyes glinting with a dangerous kind of justice. “We go to the FBI. And we let them handle it.”
That afternoon, I sat beside Liam as we handed the evidence over to federal investigators. As we left the building, it started to rain. Liam opened his umbrella, holding it over me, entirely unconcerned that his own shoulder was getting soaked.
“Thank you,” I said, looking up at him.
May you like
He looked down, his gaze softening. “I told you, Maya. I protect my partners.”
He leaned in, and right there on the steps of the federal building, in the pouring rain, he kissed me. It wasn't rushed or desperate. It was confident, grounding, and absolutely perfect.
