Joe’s step felt heavier than the last, but he couldn't stop. He had to know the truth. The hallway wasn’t bright enough but Joe didn’t care headed the moonlight spilling through the window as his guide. Joe found the study later on. His heart thudded in his chest like a war drum as he pushed open the door and flicked on the light. The study was surprising tidy like it hadn’t been touched, with its polished desk, organized bookshelves, and a laptop sitting atop the table. Joe began rummaging through drawers and files, his movements were hurried but at the same time he tried not to make any sounds. He didn’t want to alert the staffs or draw any attention to him. For the first ten minutes, he found nothing of interest—just neatly filed documents and basic notes. Frustration began to bubble under his skin. “Is this all a waste of time?”he thought. Then his eyes landed on the open laptop on the table. He approached it cautiously, his pulse quickening. The screen was locked,

Joe leaned back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest as he looked at Hannah with concern. She hadn’t uttered any words, and Joe was dying of curiosity. "Alright, Hannah, tell me what's wrong.” He said breaking the silence. Hannah glanced around the house, as if ensuring no one could overhear them. Then she leaned forward, her voice was low as she spoke. "It’s Alfred. He’s threatening me, Joe. He’s demanding a huge sum of money, or else he’ll release some… compromising pictures of me." Joe felt a wave of relief wash over him. For a moment, he had feared it was something connected to the tangled mess with Mr. Creed or the company. "That’s it? It’s just Alfred being a sleazeball?" he asked, trying to sound casual. Hannah’s expression hardened. "It’s not 'just' Alfred, Joe. He’s relentless. I’m scared he won’t stop even if I give him the money." Joe reached across the chair and placed his hand on hers, trying to reassure her. "Alright, alright. Don’t panic. We’ll f

Joe arrived at the address Mr. Adam had sent him. The towering building before him was none other than the headquarters of the city’s most prominent media house, known for breaking explosive stories and shaping public opinion. He glanced around, trying to spot Mr. Adam, when a figure in dark sunglasses and a sharp black coat stepped out of the shadows. It was Mr. Adam, almost unrecognizable in his disguise. “Mr. Adam,” Joe called out, in a very low voice. “What are we doing here?” Mr. Adam closed the gap between him and Joe. It was during that moment, Joe noticed the briefcase in his hands. ‘What was he up to?’ Joe thought to himself. “Relax, Joe. This is part of the plan.” Mr Adam’s voice drew him out of his thoughts. Joe furrowed his brows, his confusion growing. “What plan?” “Why are we at a media house? Is this related to the company, Hannah, or the whole Creed issue?” Joe demanded, he wanted answers. Mr. Adam smirked but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he gestured f

Joe was jolted awake by the constant buzzing of his phone. He was still sleepy and he was struggled to catch up as he blindly reached for the device on his nightstand. When his fingers finally wrapped around it, the bright screen revealed a list of missed calls and messages. The names glaring back at him made his stomach twist: Mr. Adam, Timothy, Mr. Leon, and, of course, Hannah. He wasn’t surprised about Hannah he had ignored her since yesterday night. Groaning, Joe rubbed his temples and squinted at the notifications. “What now?” he muttered, tossing the blanket aside and sitting up in bed. He adjusted himself slightly, with his hands gliding through his phone. He decided to call back Mr. Adam first, and after the first dial. Mr.Adam answered the call quickly. “Joe,” Mr. Adam said, “the deed is done. The news is out.” Joe blinked, his brain still catching up. “Wait—what news?” “The whole scandal. It’s all over the media now. Everyone knows the truth about Creed, Hannah

Joe sat in his study, the remnants of his confrontation with Hannah still weighing on him. The events of the evening replayed in his mind like a broken record. Unable to focus, he picked up his phone and called Timothy. "Joe," Timothy answered almost immediately. "Finally! I’ve been waiting for you to tell me what happened with Hannah. Did you confront her?” Joe sighed heavily. "I did, Tim. And she didn’t even try to deny it in the end. She practically admitted everything—her involvement with Creed, her father's vendetta against my family. It was like I’d never really known her." Timothy let out a low whistle. “Man, that’s rough. I know you didn’t trust her, but still, hearing her admit it...that’s brutal.” Joe leaned back in his chair, his frustration evident in his tone. “It’s not just her betrayal, Tim. It’s the whole thing. The lies, the manipulation...it feels endless.” “Well,” Timothy said after a pause, “I’m not letting you wallow in this. Get dressed—we’re going out ton