Page 49

CHRISTIAN
I never liked being keptin the dark.
And I hated playing defense.
Scarlett was strong. Resilient. She wasn’t the kind of woman who needed someone to save her.
But after the last few days—after watching her fight battle after battle—I knew she couldn’t keep doing this alone.
And I wouldn’t let her.
So I called in a favor.
"You're sure?" I asked, my grip tightening around my phone.
Eric exhaled sharply on the other end. "Yes. I've already made contact with the investigator. He's the best. If anyone can find out who's behind this, it's him."
"Good."
The restaurant had barely survived the health inspection.
Whoever was behind this wasn't just trying to tarnish Scarlett’s name—they were trying to bury her.
And if they thought I’d sit back and let that happen, they didn’t know who the hell they were messing with.
I hung up and ran a hand through my hair, staring out over the city from my office.
Scarlett had been different lately. Tired more often. Distracted.
At first, I thought it was just the stress of everything.
The restaurant, the sabotage, the fact that she had to constantly be on guard.
But something in my gut told me there was more to it.
I needed to keep her safe.
And I needed answers.
The investigator I hired, Ralph Langley, met me the next afternoon at a private lounge I often used for discreet business dealings.
He was a man in his fifties, a no-nonsense ex-cop who told me he’d seen the worst of people and didn’t give a damn about it anymore.
He didn’t waste time.
"You were right to call me," Langley said, sliding a manila folder across the table. "This isn’t just some competitor playing dirty. Someone has been pulling strings to make sure every setback hurts."
I flipped open the file. My jaw tightened.
Paperwork. Names. Timelines.
And then?—
A photo.
My blood ran cold as I read the name of the woman on the picture.
Victoria Snow.