Rain tapped gently against the tall windows of Juliet's study, each drop echoing the unease stirring inside her. Outside, the city lights blurred under the drizzle, mirroring the chaos she kept hidden behind a calm façade.
Clara entered quietly, placing a steaming cup of coffee beside her. "Ma'am, your contact from London is on a secure line."
Juliet nodded, setting aside her notes. "Patch him through."
Moments later, the tablet screen flickered to life, revealing an older man with silver hair and a face etched by decades of business dealings. Richard Harlow—retired lawyer, European corporate specialist, and a man who owed Juliet a favor.
"Juliet Moretti," he greeted, voice gravelly. "It's been years. What brings the queen of Moretti Corp to my old files?"
Juliet allowed a faint smile. "I need information, Richard. Discreetly."
"Information comes at a price, my dear. But for you, I'll make an exception—as long as it's not about your husband."
"Not directly," she replied evenly. "It's about one of his employees. Nora Blake—real name Eleanor Blackwood."
Richard's brows lifted. "Blackwood? That name hasn't crossed my desk in years."
"So it's true," Juliet murmured.
Richard leaned back, stroking his chin. "Eleanor Blackwood was the daughter of Charles Blackwood, owner of Regency Global. The company collapsed after a massive embezzlement scandal—millions vanished overnight. Eleanor disappeared right before the investigation began."
Juliet's fingers gripped the edge of her desk. "Was she involved?"
"Officially? No. But whispers suggest she funneled funds into offshore accounts under other names. Nothing was proven."
Juliet's eyes narrowed. "And then she resurfaces as Nora Blake… in my husband's company."
Richard gave a grim smile. "Seems she's found herself another empire to infiltrate."
Juliet exhaled slowly. "Can you find proof? Bank statements, court records—anything linking her to that scandal?"
"It won't be simple," he warned. "Blackwood's case was sealed. But I might know where the files ended up. Give me forty-eight hours."
"Thank you, Richard," Juliet said softly. "You'll have my gratitude—and my silence."
He chuckled. "That's all I ever need from a Moretti."
The call ended, leaving Juliet alone with the rhythmic tap of rain. She leaned back, heart steady, mind racing. Now she had leverage—she just needed proof.
---
At Moretti Corporation, Hendrick's office was tense. He paced, distracted, though his assistant briefed him on quarterly figures. His mind wandered, replaying Juliet's sudden confidence over the past days—her unannounced visits, poised smiles, subtle mastery of every situation. Something had shifted in her.
He used to know her instincts, her fears. Now, she moved like a strategist in a game he couldn't yet read.
When Nora entered, her perfume cutting through the air, Hendrick forced a polite smile.
"Sir, the client from Geneva is waiting for your approval," she said smoothly.
"Leave it on my desk," he replied absently.
She hesitated. "Is everything all right? You seem… tense."
He met her eyes. She was undeniably beautiful, but lately, there was something about her presence that unnerved him. Perhaps Juliet's words had taken root.
"Just tired," he said shortly.
Her smile flickered, but her eyes betrayed a shadow of unease. "If there's anything I can do—"
"You've done enough, Nora. Go home early."
Her expression froze briefly before she masked it. "Of course."
After she left, Hendrick stared at his reflection in the window. Somewhere between board meetings and temptations, he'd let the world slip out of his control. Juliet had warned him once—every man who forgets his home eventually loses himself. Maybe he was beginning to understand.
---
That evening, Juliet arrived at the company's private lounge, where board members often gathered for informal meetings. Hendrick, surprised to see her, set down his glass.
"Juliet," he said. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"I needed a word," she replied evenly. "Privately."
The executives present excused themselves, leaving them alone. Juliet crossed her arms.
"You've been avoiding me."
"I've been busy."
"With work or with Nora?" she asked sharply.
He sighed. "Not this again."
Juliet's tone softened slightly, but her eyes remained icy. "You brought her into our lives. You let her cross lines, and you refused to see what she's capable of. Now, I'm handling it my way."
Hendrick frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means," she said quietly, "when I'm done, there'll be nothing left of Nora Blake but her shadow."
He studied her face—the quiet fire in her eyes, the steel behind her voice. "You're scaring me, Juliet."
"Good," she whispered. "You should be."
She turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply on the marble. Hendrick watched, a chill settling in his chest. For the first time, he wasn't sure if he feared for Juliet—or of her.
---
Two days later, Juliet received an encrypted message from Richard.
Subject: Blackwood Files — Found Something
Her pulse quickened as she opened the attachment. Dozens of scanned pages appeared—financial transfers, hidden accounts, and, most damning, a signed authorization under Eleanor Blackwood's name.
Proof.
Nora wasn't just ambitious. She was a criminal with a carefully buried past. And now, Juliet held her fate in her hands.
She secured the files in an encrypted drive. Her lips curved in satisfaction, though beneath it stirred something colder. Victory always came with a price.
As if on cue, her phone buzzed—a message from Hendrick:
"Dinner tonight. Just us. I want to talk."
Juliet stared at it, weighing the meaning. Olive branch or trap, it didn't matter—she had changed. She was no longer the woman who tolerated betrayal.
She typed back:
"I'll be there."
---
That night, the Moretti mansion was quiet. Juliet stood before her mirror, adjusting her earrings, mind sharp and composed. She was ready.
Downstairs, Hendrick waited with a single candle burning between them.
"Juliet," he began softly. "We've been at war for too long. I want to fix this."
She regarded him silently, voice barely above a whisper. "Then tell me, Hendrick—when the truth comes out, will you still defend her?"
His brow furrowed. "What truth?"
Juliet's lips curved faintly. A glint of knowing in her eyes. "You'll find out soon enough."
Outside, the rain fell harder—a quiet reminder that no matter how deeply one buries the past, it always finds its way back.