---
Sophie drew in a shaky breath, willing herself to remain calm, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs. The weight of her suspicions, the creeping dread, all of it surged within her, but she forced her voice to remain steady.
"Why did you steal the funds for the State School Project?" she asked, her tone biting and controlled, refusing to let him see the turmoil beneath her composed exterior.
Ben's head snapped up, and a sneer twisted his lips, his gaze slicing through her with cold disdain. He spat out the word, "Steal," with a scoff, as if her question itself was beneath him. "I did not steal the funds, Sophie. That company never truly belonged to him, nor does it belong in your hands."