Joana's POV
I woke up with a headache pounding like a hammer inside my skull. The room was not familiar at first, I couldn't figure out where I was.
I sat up, groaning in fatigue as realization slowly took it's toll.
"Dire's room," I breathed.
It wasn't just the headache or the fact that my body felt like it had been through a wringer. It was the sick feeling of having actually enjoyed last night. I never thought I could feel pleasure from a man who might be complicit or behind my father's murder.
I sat up, the sheets sliding off my body, and took a deep breath. I tried not thinking about it because I had other things to do. I forced myself out of the bed and stumbled toward the bathroom.
A cold shower was the only thing that could help my case at the moment.
***********
I hated how I had let him get to me. Dire wasn't just trouble, he was the kind of trouble that wrapped itself in a suit, whispered sweet nothings, and made you forget the world was burning down around you. I couldn't let that happen again. And it wasn't like the man had found a way to be tied to me, but not forever. I would find a way out soon.
As I got dressed, I continued suppressing the memories of the previous night. The harder i tried, the more difficult it became.
My office was calling, and I had more important things to deal with than thoughts of my reckless night with Dire. Besides, I had a plan.
I planned to be more proactive and concise. I was going to sell him out, something he would never expect me to participate in.
By the time I got to my car, my headache had dulled, but the fire in my gut hadn't. Dire was going down. I just had to make sure that there was no collateral damages in the process.
As I drove, I saw one of the company workers walking along the side of the road with his briefcase in hand. It looked heavy. I recognised him, and decided to give him a lift. Slowing down, I pulled up next to him, rolling down my window.
"Need a ride?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
He smiled, a little surprised.
"Uh, yeah, sure! Thank you so much."
"Hop in." I said, unlocking the passenger door.
He climbed in, setting his briefcase on his lap. As I started driving again, I looked over at him. He seemed nervous, fidgeting with the handle of his briefcase.
"You okay? We're going to the same place." I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I recognized you. I'm Chris, from finance." He said, nodding.
"Nice to meet you, Chris. You look like you've got a lot on your mind. What's up?" I asked, trying to sound casual, and Chris shook his head.
"Nothing much. I've just been thinking a lot about work."
I gave a small laugh.
"Tell me about it. What's got you thinking so hard this early in the morning? Good to know we have such good employees, though." I said.
He hesitated before speaking.
"I guess I can tell you about it. It's just that I've noticed something strange with the company's assets. There's been quick liquidity in places that don't make sense."
"Quick liquidity?" I repeated, frowning.
"Yes. Stocks reduced to nothing , Large amounts of money moving out of the accounts, but no clear explanation of where it's going or why."
I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. This wasn't a surprise, but hearing it from someone else made it real.
"Tell me, you think someone's siphoning money?"
He nodded slowly.
"I can't say for sure, but it feels that way. I've been trying to track it, but it's hard to pin down."
"I bet." I tapped my fingers against the wheel, considering my next move. "What if I told you I planned to sell one of the shareholders out?"
Chris blinked at me.
"Really? Which one?"
I didn't answer right away, letting the silence linger between us. I wasn't about to tell him it was Dire, not yet.
"Let's just say it's someone who's been playing fast and loose with the company's finances."
Chris looked thoughtful for a brief second.
"Well ma'am, if that's the case, you need to be careful. Selling out a shareholder could get messy. We need to follow proper procedure."
"Proper procedure?" I scoffed. "Do you think I have time for that?"
He gave me a pointed look.
"We don't want to make any mistakes. If this is as serious as it sounds, we need evidence. I have a list of potential shareholders who could be involved in this. It's in my apartment."
"Your apartment?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I've been keeping track of everything on my personal files. Didn't want to risk leaving anything on the company's server. Too easy to trace."
I couldn't help but smirk. Smart.
"All right then. Let's go get that list."
Without a second thought, I turned the car around and headed toward Chris's apartment, following his directions. I had a good hunch that Dire was involved in whatever this liquidity issue was, and if Chris had the names, it could be the leverage I needed.
We were driving down a quiet street when it happened.
Out of nowhere, I heard a loud pop, like the crack of a whip. Chris jerked in his seat, his face twisting in pain.
"What the actual—" I paniced, but then I saw th
e blood. A dark, spreading stain on Chris's shirt.
He'd been shot.
My heart pounded in my chest as I fought to regain control, but it was too late. We were heading straight for a tree.