CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

In another part of the company, a group of employees huddled together, gossiping and chatting. The topic of discussion was Jerome, the company's enigmatic CEO.

"I heard he's married," one of the ladies whispered.

"No way," another colleague countered. "He's not wearing a wedding ring."

The group continued to speculate and gossip until suddenly, everyone's heads turned towards the entrance. Jerome was approaching, his eyes scanning the room as he made his way towards them.

Panic set in as the employees quickly scrambled to their seats, trying to appear busy and focused. The room was filled with the sound of rustling papers and nervous typing.

Jerome watched the commotion with an amused smile. "Nice eye service," he muttered to himself, his eyes twinkling with knowing.

As he passed by the group of gossiping employees, they couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. They quickly turned away, avoiding eye contact with Jerome, who continued on his inspection, his presence commanding attention and respect.

*****"**********************

ava sat confidently in the office, facing the woman who had been trying to deceive her. The woman, seemingly convinced that Hava was a desperate job seeker, smiled sweetly.

"Okay, I think we've discussed everything," the woman said, pulling out a contract. "All you need to do is sign this, and we'll finalize the details."

ava's eyes narrowed slightly as she took the contract. With a quick flourish, she scribbled a fake signature and handed it back.

The woman's eyes scanned the contract, a smile still plastered on her face. But before she could look up, Hava's expression changed.

With lightning-fast speed, ava pulled out a gun and a square shaped badge. "You're under arrest," she declared, her voice firm and authoritative.

The woman's eyes widened in shock. "Who are you?" she stuttered.

"I am Detective ava from the High Police Station," she preplied, her badge glinting in the light. "And you're under arrest for forceful kidnapping, lies, and deception."

ava swiftly hancuffed the woman's hands, her movements practiced and efficient. The woman's face turned pale with shock and fear.

As ava tried to lead the woman outside, she quickly called for backup. "I need assistance here," she said into her comms device. "I've apprehended the suspect."

But before the backup team could arrive, the woman suddenly broke free and made a desperate dash for the window. She tried to climb out, but her hancuffed hands made it impossible.

With a cry of despair, the woman lost her grip and fell to her death. Ava's eyes widened in horror as she screamed, "No!"

The police officers watched in horror as the woman fell to her death, her brain cracked on the hard ground. They were frozen in shock, unable to move as they watched her fall to the ground.

Ava immediately rushed down to meet her colleagues.

Thompson was the first to break the silence. "What happened?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

One of the officers shook his head. "I think she was trying to escape through the window."

Thompson's eyes narrowed. "Now how are we going to find the rest of the people working with her?"

The ava's face set in determination. "We're not going to give up yet. We'll keep looking for a way to catch them."

Just then, the ambulance arrived, and the paramedics carefully lifted the woman's body onto a stretcher. As they drove away, Thompson's eyes scanned the surrounding area, his mind already racing with the next steps in the investigation.

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Jerome walked into the meeting room, where Mister Frederick was waiting for him. They exchanged warm smiles and firm handshakes.

"Nice to meet you," Jerome said.

"Likewise," Mister Frederick replied.

Mister Frederick gestured for Jerome to take a seat. "Let's get down to business."

The two men launched into a detailed discussion about the jewelry business. They talked about designs, production timelines, and marketing strategies.

As the meeting progressed, Jerome and Mister Frederick delved deeper into the specifics of their potential partnership. They discussed the finer points of their agreement, including profit margins and distribution channels.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting finally drew to a close. Jerome and Mister Frederick stood up, shook hands once more, and exchanged pleasantries.

With a sense of satisfaction, Jerome walked out of the meeting room, feeling confident about the future of his jewelry company.

As Jerome walked out of the meeting room, his phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. He glanced at the caller ID and couldn't help but smile when he saw Ava's name.

"Hey, babe," Jerome answered, his voice warm and affectionate.

"How are you doing? How's work?" Ava asked, her voice sweet and melodious.

"Everything's fine," Jerome replied. "How about you? How's it going over there?"

Ava's tone turned slightly somber. "Well, everything's not really going as planned, but we're hoping it'll get better soon."

There was a brief moment of silence before Ava spoke up again. "Anyway, I'll be closing early and coming over to the company."

Jerome chuckled. "As you wish, my lady."

Both of them laughed, and with a pleasant tone, as the ended.

*********************

Julian emerged from the trash can, gasping for air. The stench and confinement had almost suffocated him. He didn't care if the police were nearby; he just needed to escape.

As he looked around, he realized there were no officers in sight..

"How did my life fall apart?" Julian wondered, shaking his head. But he refused to give up. "I won't go down without a fight," he muttered to himself.

Julian began walking through the cold afternoon, his stomach growling with hunger. He spotted a food stall and approached, pretending to be interested in buying something.

While the vendor was distracted, Julian snatched some fish and other food items, quickly shoving them into his pocket. "I'm not buying anything," he said abruptly, turning to leave.

The vendor looked confused, but Julian was already walking away, his stolen food clutched tightly in his pocket. This was the life he'd been forced to live, driven to desperation by circumstances beyond his control.