The Rightful Successor

Chapter 47

Alex and Briel exchanged a glance as they entered. The office was silent, and was broken by the soft click of their heels on the polished floor. It was well past working hours, the building was well emptied.

Except for one desk. A lone figure hunched over a computer screen, fingers flying across the keyboard, was Martins. His brow was furrowed in concentration, but as they approached, it creased further into a scowl.

"There you two are," he said, his voice clipped. "Running a bit late, aren't we?"

Briel offered a placating smile, forcing cheer into her voice. "So sorry, Martins. Traffic was a nightmare. You know how it gets in the city."

Martins grunted, unconvinced. "Doesn't explain why Alex is late too. Unless you two decided to turn a business meeting into a late lunch." A flicker of suspicion played in his eyes.

Alex bristled. "It was nothing like that. Just unexpected delays." He wasn't in the mood for Martins' accusa