♣ CHAPTER 27 ♣
Kate sat across from Jeremy in the dim-lit café, her fingers wrapped tightly around her coffee cup. The laptop between them glowed softly.
"You're sure this footage is clean?" Kate asked.
Jeremy leaned forward. "I traced the source. It came from your company's internal feed. It was Unedited. Your uncle's voice is crystal clear. He didn't even bother masking it."
Kate's jaw clenched. "He was so confident. Like he owned the place."
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "He thought no one would touch him. You proved him wrong."
"I need more, Jeremy. I need everything. Emails and Transactions. Anything that links him to the fake firms."
He nodded slowly. "I can dig deeper, But... there's something else."
"What?"
He hesitated, then clicked a file. Another video loaded. It wasn't Mr Carlos this time. It was Gabriella. William's ex.
Kate leaned in. "Why is she on the feed?"
Jeremy didn't answer. He turned the laptop toward her.
In the footage, Gabriella was in a parking lot. Talking to two unfamiliar men.
"She met these guys three times last week," Jeremy said. "Always in public, but never far from your office."
Kate's face darkened. "She's planning something. She's been too quiet."
Jeremy frowned. "Do you want me to follow her?"
"No. Not yet. Just... keep digging."
Jeremy nodded. "And Kate... be careful. These people play dirty."
---
Meanwhile, William sat in his penthouse, reviewing the documents Jeremy had also sent to him.
His phone buzzed. It was a private number.
He picked it up. "Hello?"
Gabriella's voice came through, calm and sweet. "William."
He stood still. "How did you get this number?"
"Let's just say... I still know my way around."
"What do you want, Gabriella?"
She laughed softly. "You always were so sharp. I just wanted to warn you. Kate's getting involved with the wrong people."
William frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"She was seen with Jeremy. The hacker. The same guy who leaked your company's internal reports two years ago."
He paused. "What game are you playing?"
"No game," she said smoothly. "I care about you, William. Even if you don't believe it."
"You don't care about anyone but yourself."
"You'll see," she whispered. "She's hiding something from you."
Click. He ended the call.
William tossed the phone onto the table, his anger rising.
"Why now?" he muttered. "Why start again?"
---
Kate arrived home late that night, her shoulders were heavy.
As she walked into the hallway, William stood waiting, with his arms crossed.
She paused. "You're still awake?"
"I could ask you the same," he said.
Kate walked past him. "I had work."
"With Jeremy?"
She froze, turning slowly. "You're spying on me?"
"I got a call. From Gabriella."
Kate laughed bitterly. "Of course. The queen of lies."
"She said you're hiding something from me."
Kate's eyes locked with his. "And you believed her?"
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to," she snapped. "You listened. Again."
He stepped closer. "Why were you with Jeremy?"
"Because I found out your precious business associate, Mr Carlos, is a snake. And Jeremy helped me prove it."
William blinked.
Kate continued, her voice shaking, "He planned to sell my father's company. He was moving money offshore. I have evidence."
"You could've told me."
"You wouldn't have listened. You never do."
William's expression tightened. "That's not true."
"Then why do you always assume the worst?"
There was a long Silence.
Then Kate shook her head and turned to leave. "I'm tired, William. I'm tired of explaining myself."
But before she could walk away, he grabbed her hand.
"Kate."
She stopped.
His voice was softer now. "Why didn't you trust me?"
Kate looked down. "Because every time I try... you push me away."
He let go of her hand.
"I didn't want you to get dragged into this mess," he said.
"I'm already in it," she whispered. "Whether you like it or not."
The silence between them lingered like a thick cloud in the room. Kate stood still, William was just a few steps behind her. His hand had dropped from hers, but something in the air had changed.
"Wait," he said suddenly.
Kate turned slowly, her eyes tired. "What now?"
William looked away, then back at her. His voice was low. "You want to know why I'm like this? Why I act like I don't care?"
Kate didn't answer. She just stared at him.
He walked past her, and stopped near the glass window, with his hands in his pockets. "I wasn't always like this. I mean been Cold and Distant."
"I find that hard to believe," she said quietly.
He gave a small bitter laugh. "Yeah. Most people do."
Kate stepped closer, watching him. "Then say it. Whatever it is."
William took a deep breath. "Years ago, I was in love. Her name was Clarissa. We grew up together. We go to Same school, ans have the same dreams. I trusted her with everything."
Kate blinked, she was surprised. "What happened?"
"She betrayed me," he said, his voice sharp now. "She sold my company's secrets to my biggest competitor. I lost everything. Overnight."
Kate swallowed. "Why would she do that?"
"Money," he said. "She is Greedy, or Maybe jealousy. I still don't know the full reason. All I know is... the one person I gave my heart to stabbed me straight through it."
Kate took a step forward. "And since then... you never trusted anyone again."
He looked at her. "Exactly. I learned the hard way. That love... trust... it's all a game to some people. And I don't lose twice."
Kate crossed her arms. "So what? Every woman you meet now has to pay for her mistake?"
William's jaw clenched. "It's not like that."
"Then what is it, William? You're always shutting me out. Always assuming I'm like them. Like her."
"I didn't mean to," he said quietly. "But when I saw you with Jeremy, it felt like—"
"Like I was betraying you?" Kate asked. "Just like Clarissa?"
He didn't answer.
Kate shook her head. "You're not the only one who's been hurt, William. But I don't use it as an excuse to punish others."
"I'm not punishing you."
"You are!" she snapped. "You don't even see it, but every time you pull away, every time you assume the worst... it hurts."
He looked at her now, really looked at her. "Then why are you still here?"
Kate's eyes glistened. "Because I believe there's more to you. That somewhere under all this... cold, there's still something human."
William took a slow breath. "You're not like her. I see that."
"But you still don't trust me."
"I want to," he admitted. "But it's hard."
Kate stepped closer, now only a few inches from him. "Then try."
Their eyes locked.
"I'm not Clarissa," she whispered. "I'm not Gabriella either. I don't want your money. I don't want to use you. I just want to understand."
William stared at her, his face unreadable.
Then he said, slowly "I'm scared."
Kate blinked. "What?"
"I'm scared," he repeated, his voice low. "That if I let you in... you'll break me too."
She didn't speak.
He continued, "I can handle business wars,Scandals and Betrayals, But not this. Not... you."
Kate reached for his hand. "I'm not here to break you, William."
His fingers twitched under hers. But he didn't pull away.
"I don't know how to do this," he confessed.
"Then we figure it out," she said. "Together."
There was Silence.
Then, after a long pause, William whispered, "I'm sorry."
Kate looked into his eyes. "Then prove it."
He gave her a nod.
And for the first time in a long time, his eyes softened.