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Chapter 13
Harper Industries headquarters–the boardroom atmosphere was suffocating.]
The CFO slammed financial reports onto the table, his voice shaking: “Mr. Harper, the ‘Aurora‘ project has lost 1.2 billion dollars, and Chase just froze our fucking credit lines!“]
Kieran sat at the head of the table, his face like stone.
Three months ago, Aurora had sweet–talked him into funding her fashion brand. He’d approved the massive budget without proper evaluation, and now the project was dead in the water, investors were bailing, and Harper Industries‘ cash flow was fucked.]
“Contact Credit Suisse. We’ll use our stock portfolio as collateral,” he ordered coldly.[]
“But that’s our last resort!” The CFO was sweating bullets. “The board of directors will-“]
“I said do it.” Kieran’s icy stare shut everyone up instantly.]]
Meanwhile, at the Harper family estate, chaos was erupting.[]
“What the hell is this?!” Elara stormed into the living room clutching a stack of bank statements, her perfectly maintained face twisted with rage.]
Aurora was sprawled on the couch painting her nails, lazily looking up: “Oh hey, Mrs. Harper. What’s got you all worked up…“[
“CRACK!” The slap echoed through the room.[]
“You gold–digging whore! You’ve been siphoning money from the Harper accounts to buy private fucking islands?!” Elara shook the evidence in her trembling hands. “And these auction records–you’ve been selling off Kieran’s assets!“]
Aurora clutched her cheek, tears instantly streaming: “I was just borrowing some cash… Kieran told me I could spend whatever I needed!“[]
“That’s generations of Harper family wealth!” Elara was shaking with fury, suddenly clutching her chest and stumbling backward.[]
The butler rushed to steady her, screaming: “Ma’am! Someone call 911!“]]
As the ambulance sirens wailed, Aurora quickly fired off a text.
“Kieran, your mom just collapsed. She’s totally misunderstanding everything. I’m so scared…”
Outside the VIP hospital room, the board members cornered Kieran the moment he arrived.]
“Kieran, that bitch gave your mother a heart attack!” Director Carter pointed at Elara hooked up to machines behind the glass. “The company’s circling the drain, and you’re still protecting that parasite?“]
Kieran loosened his tie, his voice ice–cold:
“Aurora’s innocent. She wouldn’t do this. As for the money situation, I’ll handle it.”
“Handle it? By mortgaging the family legacy?” Director Williams slammed his hand down. “We just found out she’s got shell companies in the fucking Caymans!”
The ICU door burst open, and Aurora ran into Kieran’s arms, eyes red with tears: “They’re all ganging up on me… I was just trying to help you by learning about investments…“]
Kieran instinctively held her, scanning the directors: “Where’s your proof?“]
The men went silent.
Aurora had already cleaned up the paper trail–those offshore accounts couldn’t be traced back to her.
“That’s enough.” Kieran scooped up the sobbing Aurora. “We’ll deal with company business tomorrow.“[]
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As they walked down the hallway, Aurora’s face was buried in his shoulder, but her lips curved into a slight smile.
Late night in the Harper Industries C–suite, the assistant delivered more bad news: “Goldman wants the margin call covered in 72 hours, or they’re liquidating everything.”
Kieran stood by the floor–to–ceiling windows, the entire city’s lights spread below him, but they couldn’t brighten the darkness in his eyes.[]}
His phone lit
up
with a shopping list from Aurora–some haute couture jewelry that cost more than most people’s houses.]
He closed his eyes and hit the transfer button.[]
His assistant hesitated, then handed over a file: “There’s something else… that designer Lora, we found her temporary address in Paris for the design expo.”
Kieran spun around, papers scattering everywhere.]]
In the photo, a woman in a white dress stood by an exhibition display, beautiful as a painting–it was Lorraine Castillo, who’d been missing for three months.
Thunder cracked outside the windows.
The storm was coming.
