Chapter 19

"Is it? Tell me, who suggested you for this research position?"

"Ethan mentioned it, but..."

"Ethan Cross's family's medical group has extensive business relationships with Blackwell Industries."

The room seemed to spin around her. Every conversation with Ethan, about the research opportunity – had it all been manipulation?

"You're saying the interview is a trap?"

"The people trying to destroy you are using your academic ambitions against you."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"While I was still gathering proof. My wife was busy being defiant."

The disappointment in his voice cut deeper than his anger would have. She had disappointed him by not trusting him, but he had also disappointed her by not trusting her with the truth.

"What am I supposed to do now?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lucien studied her face. When he spoke again, his voice was softer but no less intense.

"You're going to that interview tomorrow."

Lior blinked in confusion. "What?"

"You heard me.You'll be there."

Her heart lurched. "But you just said it was a trap!"

"It is." Lucien moved around his desk with calculated precision. "But don't worry, nothing will happen to you."

"Are you insane?" Lior shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. "You just told me that these people are trying to destroy me, and now you want me to give them the perfect opportunity?"

Was this guy tired of her this soon now that he secures the merger?

"I thought you wereso bold." His voice carried a dangerous edge that made her shiver. "Since you agreed to go,you should. If you suddenly change your mind, they will suspect you know something. Act clueless and leave everything else to me."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument. Lior felt her pulse hammering in her throat as the implications sank in.

"OK." She found herself agreeing though it sounded dangerous. He was a man of his word.

"Go to your room. Rest. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day. "

Lucien pulled out his encrypted phone and dialed a number from memory.

He had known from the start that the little woman's stubbornness wouldn't let her pass on the opportunity.

"It's me," he said when the call connected. "Lior is going tomorrow, make sure everything is in place. Nothing must happen to her."

"Sir, are you certain Mrs. Pembroke is ready for this?" Marcus's voice carried concern. "The risks are considerable."

"That's why you must tighten the security."

Lucien moved to his safe, entering the complex code that granted access to documents most people would never see.

"If we don't act tomorrow, we may not get another opportunity any time soon."

"Understood. I've confirmed Dr. Harrison's schedule. He has the interview with Mrs. Pembroke at three, followed by a private meeting with Ms. Blackwell at four-thirty."

Lucien pulled out a folder marked with security classifications that would make government officials nervous. "How is the surveillance equipment?"

"Already in place. We installed micro-cameras and audio devices throughout Dr. Harrison's office during last night's cleaning shift. The receptionist area, the conference room, even the private bathroom – we'll have complete coverage."

"And our inside contact at the medical school?"

"Dr. Patterson been suspicious of Dr. Harrison's funding sources for months. When we approached her,she agreed to cooperate fully."

Lucien nodded with satisfaction. Her involvement had been a stroke of luck – a respected faculty member who could provide credible testimony if needed.

"Mr Cross has under full surveillance."

"Good." Lucien pulled out his laptop, connecting to a secure server.

"He made three calls to an unlisted number this afternoon. We traced it to a disposable phone registered under a false name, but we believe it belongs to Rebecca Walsh."

The private investigator who had terrorized Elena. Lucien's jaw tightened.

"He also visited an electronics store and purchased several items that could be used for recording devices. Small cameras, audio equipment, digital storage devices."

"They're planning to document whatever happens tomorrow." Lucien's fingers moved across the keyboard with practiced efficiency, accessing surveillance footage from the electronics store.

"That's our assessment as well, sir."

On his screen, Lucien watched grainy security footage of Ethan Cross purchasing equipment with cash. The young man looked nervous, constantly checking over his shoulder, clearly out of his depth in whatever game he thought he was playing.

"Stupid boy," Lucien muttered.

"Sir, there's something else. We intercepted communications between Victoria Blackwell and your mother earlier today."

Lucien's hand stilled on the mouse and listened. Looked they like they couldn't wait to act.

"A phone call, approximately fifteen minutes in duration. We only caught fragments, but it appears they're concerned about your recent security measures. Mrs. Pembroke's hospital transfer, the changes to your household staff, the increased surveillance around Sterling Heights."

"They know we're onto them."

"Partially, yes. But they seem to believe you're simply being cautious rather than actively investigating. They're proceeding with tomorrow's plan."

Lucien closed the laptop and moved to the window, looking out at the grounds where his security team maintained their invisible perimeter. "Any word from our contact inside Victoria's organization?"

"James has confirmed that Victoria will be at Dr. Harrison's office tomorrow, but not during Mrs. Pembroke's interview. She plans to arrive afterward to review whatever evidence they collect."

James Benjamin – Victoria's executive assistant who had been feeding information to Lucien for the past month. The man had his own reasons for wanting to see his employer destroyed, reasons that Lucien had been happy to exploit.

"Perfect. That gives us time to set the secondary phase in motion."

"Sir?"

Lucien smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Victoria needs to rest."

He ended the call and immediately dialed another number.

"Alexander? It's Lucien. I need you to be ready tomorrow afternoon."

Alexander Kane – federal prosecutor, Harvard Law graduate, and one of the few people in the justice system that Lucien both trusted and respected. They had been friends since college, and Alex owed Lucien several significant favors.

"It's so rare of you to need me. Are we saving the galaxy?" Alexander teased.

"It's something you will definitely like. So get ready."

"Jesus, Lucien. What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Haven't you always wanted to meet my wife?"

"Come-on, tell me what is happening. What has my presence got to do with your wife?"

"I will tell you the details tomorrow,be ready. "

After ending the call, Lucien spent the next few hours reviewing details of the arrangements in place.

His phone buzzed with a call from Marcus.

"Mrs. Pembroke's phone has been compromised. Tracking software installed, probably during her time at the coffee shop yesterday."

Lucien's blood turned cold. They had been monitoring Lior's communications.

"When was it installed?"

"Preliminary analysis suggests 48 hours ago. They've had access to her texts, calls, and GPS location."

"But not to our conversations in the study?"

"Correct. The study is protected by signal jamming equipment. Any conversations there would be unmonitored."

Relief flooded through him. They didn't know their plan at least for now.

"Work on it."

"Already in progress, sir."

Lucien set his phone aside and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, pouring himself two fingers of the expensive scotch. Tomorrow would determine the future of his marriage, his business empire, and possibly his wife's safety.

He had been in high-stakes situations before – hostile takeovers, federal investigations, corporate espionage attempts. But none of those had involved someone he actually cared about.

When had Lior stopped being simply a business arrangement and started being something more?

The question bothered him more than it should have. He wasn't supposed to develop feelings for his contract wife. She wasn't supposed to matter beyond her usefulness in securing the Chen-Nakamura merger.

But watching her handle his mother's subtle attacks at dinner, seeing her care for Elena during the medical crisis, witnessing her quiet strength in the face of increasing pressure – somewhere along the way, protecting Lior had become about more than just protecting his business interests.

A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."