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159
Laila’s POV

I sat there, the glass of cold water in my hand, but the chill did little to calm the boiling frustration inside me. Nolan’s words echoed in my head, each one a harsh reminder that nothing in my life had been normal for weeks now. I could hardly believe what had just happened—Mara, of all people, was free. How had it all happened so fast?

I had thought that her actions, her betrayal, would cost her everything. After all, how could anyone possibly let her off the hook after she had taken a loan worth billions, used it to impersonate my father’s company, and run away with her mother? It didn’t make sense. She had admitted everything, gone to the police, confessed her guilt. And yet here I was, sitting in the parlor, still reeling from the news that she was out there, breathing, planning her next move as if nothing had happened.

I clenched my fist around the glass, the water sloshing slightly. I could feel my pulse quickening, my chest tightening with the weight of unanswered questions. Why was she released? Who had signed off on it?

“Did you notice how fast it all happened?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and growing anger. I looked at Nolan, hoping for some kind of explanation that would make sense of this madness. “How could Mr. Williams cancel her loss so quickly and bring her out of prison? It doesn’t make sense. How could he have done that?”

Nolan didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he gave me a steady, almost knowing look. There was a calmness to him that I didn’t feel. But then, after a beat, he handed me another glass of water, this time cool and fresh.

“Drink this, Laila,” he said softly. “I know everything seems off right now, but you're not thinking straight. Take a deep breath.”

I hesitated for a moment, staring at the glass. But something in his voice—something reassuring, like a quiet anchor in a storm—made me take the glass. As I drank, I let my gaze wander to the window, trying to make sense of the mess my life had become.

“Don’t worry,” Nolan continued, his voice more steady now. “Mara hasn’t gotten off the hook. Not yet. She and her mother might have plans, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get away with it. As soon as we gather enough evidence, we can put her back where she belongs. And this time, she won’t be able to escape.”

I closed my eyes and sighed, relief flooding me in small waves. The coolness of the water had worked, but it wasn’t enough to wash away the unease that clung to me.

“You’re right, I know,” I said, my voice quieter now, but still laced with disbelief. “I just... I can’t wrap my head around it. How could they just let her go? And why? Who’s behind this?”

“Mr. Williams,” Nolan’s voice was matter-of-fact, almost cold. “He's been playing a bigger game than you realize. He’s not just trying to cover for Mara. He's trying to use this situation to his advantage. And when the time is right, he’ll be in a position to take everything from you.”

My heart dropped into my stomach as his words sank in. My father’s company—the legacy he left behind—was in jeopardy.

“What do you mean?” I asked, barely able to keep the panic from rising in my chest. “What is he planning to do?”

“Mr. Williams is very close to signing a collaboration contract with a company he’s been building. Once that happens, he’ll be able to funnel all of your father’s money, your assets, and shares right into his own pockets. He’ll bankrupt your company, Laila. That’s his plan,” Nolan explained.

I felt the world tilt on its axis. I had to hear this again, had to be sure I understood it. “Wait. So he’s trying to use my father’s money for his own company? That’s what he’s been planning all along?” My voice shook, the words feeling like daggers in my throat.

“Yes,” Nolan said grimly, his jaw tightening. “But that’s not the whole truth. He’s been lying to you. That company of his? It’s not his at all. It’s Hamilton’s company—he’s just a figurehead, a pawn. Hamilton made Mr. Williams her biggest shareholder. He’s exploiting his position to take advantage of your father’s fortune. Once he’s taken everything from your company, he’ll be set for life.”

I felt dizzy. My whole world had just been upended, and the pieces were too scattered to make sense of.

“But we can’t let that happen,” I said, determination creeping into my voice. “I won’t let it. My father’s company means everything to me. I can’t let it go down the drain just like that. And Lila’s father’s company—I can’t let the same thing happen to them. Not after everything.”

“I’m with you,” Nolan said firmly, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. “We’ll stop this. But first, we need to focus on gathering the evidence, exposing the truth. We need to prove that you’re the rightful heir to your father’s company. Once we have that, we can take them down, piece by piece.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. The pieces were starting to fall into place, but there was still so much to do, so much more I needed to understand.

“What about the imposter?” I asked, my mind racing. “Have you made any progress in your investigation? Who is this person?”

Nolan hesitated for a moment, his expression darkening as he spoke. “I’ve learned some things. The surgery that the imposter underwent was performed overseas, in a place connected to one of your father’s partners—a company called Morels Group. They’re based in the United States. The imposter is somehow tied to them.”

I swallowed hard, my mind whirling. Morels Group... that name sounded so familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

“What does that mean?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “What does this have to do with everything?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Nolan said. “But it’s important. Very important. And don’t worry about Mr. Williams and his plans for the CEO position. I’ll do everything I can to stall the process and keep him from taking control. We won’t let him destroy everything your father built.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Relief washed over me in waves, but it was fleeting. There was still so much at stake. My mind buzzed with the enormity of what was happening.

“Thank you, Nolan,” I said, my voice full of gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re a godsend.”

He gave me a small smile, though there was a teasing glint in his eyes. “It’s nothing,” he said. “But I expect something more substantial in return, you know. Like... a kiss, maybe?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension in my chest easing just a little. I playfully swatted his arm. “You’re impossible.”

He grinned, pulling me into a light-hearted moment that felt like a brief escape from everything we were facing. “I’m just saying, if you’re staying in my house, you could at least show your gratitude somehow.”

I couldn’t help but smile, the absurdity of it all momentarily taking the edge off my anxiety. But even as we joked, the weight of everything still hung heavily in the air, and I knew that the real battle was just beginning.

“You’re a good person, Nolan,” I said, the words slipping out more sincerely than I’d intended.

He gave me a look, something between amusement and admiration, before replying, “I’m not doing this for you, Laila. I’m doing this for your father, for what he built. And I’m doing it because I know you’re stronger than you realize.”

I met his gaze, feeling a surge of gratitude mixed with something else—something I wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge. For now, all I could do was focus on what lay ahead, and trust that with Nolan by my side, I wouldn’t be alone in this fight.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt like I had a chance..