Justin's POV
Kept reminding myself,I don't need to have a woman in my life right now.
I just need my mother.
She's the only woman who never hurt me.
And as if she could hear my thoughts from miles away… my phone lit up.
Mom calling.
My finger hovered over the screen.
But I didn't pick up.
I couldn't.
I needed to sort this out myself.
Just me.
Just me!!!
The pressure in my chest tightened as I set the phone back down on the marble table.
I walked toward the balcony and leaned against the railing, my jaw clenched. The lights of Paris blurred in the distance, and the cool air bit into my skin like it was punishing me for something I couldn't name. Distance.
That's what I needed from Elena.
I'd been losing focus. Slipping into emotions that had no business creeping up on Letting my gear beat faster than I needed .
But I didn't even have time to process what had happened tonight, because that's when the call came in.
"Sir," my assistant's voice rang through my phone, tight with panic. "You need to come back immediately. There's been a situation at the company."
I stiffened. "What situation?"
"One of our biggest investors pulled out."
"What?"
"There's been… an issue. The numbers we sent out last quarter the investor claims they were falsified."
My blood went cold.
"That's not possible," I barked.
"They claim the profit margins were inflated. I've looked into it....it seems someone internally manipulated the figures before they reached the board."
"Who?" I asked sharply.
"We're still investigating. But sir, it's a mess. We've already lost thirty million in projected funding and more are threatening to pull out. We need you back. Now."
I didn't waste another second.
"I'm on my way."
I hung up and ran a hand down my face.
Just what I needed. The fire I needed to quench this stupid thing building up within me.
I walked to the bedroom door and knocked once.
"Elena," I called out. "We're leaving. There's an emergency."
Her voice was faint, surprised. "Now?"
"Yes. Pack light, someone would come and pack the rest. The luggage would get to the house the next day" I said
Fifteen minutes later, we were in a car headed to the airport. I didn't say much. My mind was already in battle mode, already calculating losses, solutions, and damage control.
She didn't ask questions. Maybe she knew something serious had happened. Maybe she knew better than to speak to a man who was seconds away from erupting and my face was cold as ice.
The jet was ready when we arrived.
We boarded in silence. The pilot car and exchanged pleasantries.
I sat across from her, eyes fixed on my phone, scrolling through internal reports, financial breakdowns, and suspicious activity logs.
The numbers didn't lie.
Someone had tampered with the reports.
But who?
I had protocols in place. Systems that were supposed to prevent things like this. But clearly, someone found a way around them.
I didn't sleep during the flight. I couldn't. My brain was a machine now, grinding nonstop.
Elena slept, or at least closed her eyes. I didn't watch her. I didn't allow myself to look. There was too much to lose, and she wasn't my priority right now.
When we landed, I didn't go home.I didn't escort her back.I couldn't .I didn't even say a word. The tension between us was a lot that ice could break when put in the middle.
One of the drivers took her.And I went straight to the office.
The city felt colder than usual. Grey skies, heavier traffic, and the kind of energy that only ever came when bad news was in the air.
The moment I stepped into the glass doors of JUSH Enterprises, I could feel it—panic. Tension. Shame.
"Sir," my assistant, gift rushed to me, her heels tapping frantically across the marble floor but ensured she kept her distance as always. She is very efficient in her job and doesn't slack.That's why I kept her in this job but she maintains boundaries "They're waiting for you in the boardroom." she said
"Who?"
"Legal, Risk Management, and the investor's legal counsel."
Perfect.
I didn't break stride.
We stepped into the boardroom where twelve people sat, some in suits, others in defense mode, with folders, laptops, and accusatory expressions.
The tension was a brick wall. I took my sit in front.
"Mr. Shawn," the investor's lawyer stood. "We expected transparency when we entered a partnership with your company. What we received was doctored financials and projected earnings that upon investigation don't reflect your actual performance."
I narrowed my eyes. "If that's true, then I will personally ensure the people responsible are exposed and dealt with. JUSH doesn't operate on lies."
He scoffed. "I'm afraid the damage is done. Mr. Khan has pulled out his funding. And we're preparing a civil suit."
I didn't flinch.
"You'll do what you must," I said coolly. "And I'll do what I must. The truth always finds its way to the surface." I promise to get to the surface if this and nae things right" and the meeting ended.
I turned to my team.
"Bring me the logs from the last two quarters. Full access trail. Who sent what and when. I want all internal communication flagged."
They jumped into action.
I spent the next twelve hours dissecting every spreadsheet, every email, every memo. Somewhere, buried in this mess, was the saboteur.
And I was going to find them.
By midnight ,we had something.
A report had been altered before final submission. The IP address? Belonged to Derek Malloy.
My CFO.
I slammed my fist on the desk.
He'd been with the company since year two. I trusted him. Promoted him. Gave him access to everything.
And he used that trust to burn me.
I called security. "Get Derek Malloy. I want him in my office in ten."
Brenda entered, wide-eyed. "Sir, he left an hour ago. Dropped his badge and said he was resigning immediately."
Coward.
I leaned back in my chair and ran a hand down my face.
Betrayal.Again.Just like Ivy.
Just like I feared Elena would someday do.
The pattern was clear.
Trust. Break. Bleed.
I picked up my phone and stared at the screen.
Still no messages from Elena.
I wasn't sure what I expected.
But for now… I had a company to save.
And a war to win. I always come out victorious and this won't be an exemption.