Veil of secrets and deception

it felt suffocating. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but her thoughts drifted far from the case at hand. Instead, her mind kept returning

t him? The man who had swept her off her feet, the man who had captured her heart. She trust

ulse quickened, her hand instinctively reaching for the phone, but then she hesitated. There was something about his texts recentl

. "I was thinking we could catch up, ta

d seemed like a casual mention when Luca had first brought it up, but now sh

hts. She picked it up and read Ryan's name at the

the office. We've got somethi

d hoped it would come in a more straightforward manner, something she could

y typed back to Luca: "Something'

g to push the swirling thoughts of Luca aside. There was

-

foreign. The case, Luca, and the growing sense of unease churned in her stomach. Her mind raced as she en

nce room, his brow furrowed in a way th

, her eyes scanning the folders on the table. She could tell he

where to begin." He paused, as if weighing his words. "I've been going

e quickened.

"These payments-millions of dollars-are being funneled through a shell corporation. The name of the company is linked to se

scanning the information. The transactions were carefully disguised, but it

e asked, her voic

ches. Luca's company has a subsidiary

a had never once mentioned anything like this. He had always been open, or so she thought. But this-this

e asked, her voice trem

face. "I don't know. We could confront him, but if he

accuse him of something like this? The man she was falling in love with?

opened, and in stepped a tall, broad-shouldered man in a dark suit. His presence wa

e asked, his voic

, her instincts imme

aid, his gaze never leaving hers. "I

-

posture rigid. He looked every bit the part of someone who worked in th

scanning both Olivia and Ryan. "He wants

t. She couldn't believe what

ing to protect you, Olivia. He doesn't want you gett

o mean? We have a job to do, Graves. If your boss is involved in i

d what you're dealing with here. Luca's not just another businessman. He's... c

before she even realized it. "You're threatening me?" she

ce calm but carrying a dangerous edge. "I'm war

nds clenched into fists. "Get

ares about you. He doesn't want you getting hurt. Think about it, Olivia. If you k

chilling silence in his wake. Olivia stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. E

-

be involved in something dangerous, something criminal. But the evidence was mounting. The warnings were there. And then, of course, there

n, his expression

sing on her chest. Luca was more than just the man she loved. He was entangled in a world s

a message from Luca: "I

e question was, could she trust him? Could she really f