Chapter 1
Outside the conference room, Juliet walked quickly down the hallway.
Robinson followed.
The moment they reached a quieter area, Juliet turned around.
“What do you want?”
Robinson stared at her.
“I already told you.”
“Twenty million dollars?”
“Yes.”
“You cannot be serious.”
Robinson stepped closer.
“I survived an attempt to kill me because you and Melinda wanted me gone.”
Juliet's face went pale.
“Keep your voice down.”
“You should be afraid.”
Juliet's eyes flashed with anger.
“You were paid to keep quiet.”
“I was promised twenty million dollars.”
“You received something.”
“I received nothing.”
Robinson's voice became bitter.
“You used me to forge Stephanie's signature. You used me to make it appear that she willingly sold her house. Then you and Melinda took control of the property and abandoned me.”
Juliet's breathing became heavier.
“That was years ago.”
"Exactly.”
Robinson reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
“I kept copies.”
Juliet froze.
“What?”
"Documents. Messages. Recordings.”
Her face lost its color.
Robinson looked directly into her eyes.
“If anything happens to me, those files will not remain secret.”
Juliet felt a cold sensation move through her body.
“You're threatening me.”
“No.”
He smiled faintly.
“I'm protecting myself.”
Juliet clenched her fists.
“You don't understand what you're doing.”
“I understand perfectly.”
He leaned closer.
“I want my money.”
Juliet stared at him.
“And if I refuse?”
Robinson's expression became cold.
“I go to the police.”
Juliet's heart slammed against her chest.
“You wouldn't.”
“I would.”
He turned away.
“And I would also speak to Stephanie.”
Juliet's eyes widened.
“Give me time.”
“You have until next week.”
He walked away.
Juliet remained standing in the hallway, breathing heavily.
She had thought the past was buried.
Now it had returned to destroy her.
Inside the conference room, Stephanie sat beside Brendan.
She was still staring at the door.
“I know something happened between them.”
Brendan looked at her
“What are you planning?”
Stephanie's expression became determined.
“I am going to find out where Robinson lives.”
Brendan's eyebrows lifted.
“How?”
“I will send someone from the company to follow him secretly.”
She paused.
“I don't want Robinson to know that we are investigating him.”
Brendan nodded.
“That is the right thing to do.”
Stephanie looked toward the CCTV footage still displayed on the screen.
“And I will investigate this video too.”
She pointed toward the image of the mysterious man.
“I know Juliet has a hand in this.”
Brendan's eyebrows furrowed.
“You think she arranged for someone to put the money in your house?”
“I don't think so.”
Stephanie's voice became firm.
“I know she did.”
She stood.
“She has been trying to destroy me from the moment she returned.”
Brendan rose beside her.
“Then we need evidence.”
“I know.”
Stephanie looked toward the conference-room door.
“And Robinson may be the person who gives us the evidence we need.”
She paused.
“Years ago, he was my lawyer. He knew about my property and my father's company.”
Brendan's expression changed.
“You think he knows what happened?”
“I believe he does.
Stephanie took a deep breath.
“And I intend to recover everything that belongs to me.”
Outside the building, Robinson walked toward the parking area.
He looked calm, but his mind was racing. He had returned because he wanted his money.
But he knew that returning to Juliet and Melinda was dangerous.
They had already tried to make him disappear once.
He had spent years rebuilding his life and keeping evidence of what they had done.
Now he wanted what he believed he was owed.
Twenty million dollars.
He reached his car and stopped.
For a moment, he looked back at the building.
He could feel that Stephanie was suspicious.
That worried him.
If she began investigating the past, she might discover that he had betrayed her trust.
Guilt tightened around his chest.
He had once been her lawyer.
And he had used that trust against her.
Robinson had helped make a lie look like the truth. Now that lie was beginning to unravel.
Inside Brendan Group, Stephanie quietly called one of the employees she trusted.
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Yes, ma.”
“I want you to follow Robinson when he leaves.”
The employee looked surprised.
“Follow him?”
“Yes. Secretly.”
She paused.
“Do not confront him. Do not let him know you are following him. I only want to know where he lives and who he meets.”
“I understand.”
“Send me everything you discover.”
The employee nodded and left.
Stephanie returned to Brendan.
“He may lead us directly to the truth.”
Brendan folded his arms.
“And if he does?”
Stephanie looked at him.
“Then I will finally learn what happened to my property.”
Her voice softened.
“I have spent too many years wondering what really happened.”
Brendan reached for her hand.
“You won't face it alone.”
Stephanie squeezed his hand.
“Thank you.”
Meanwhile, Juliet returned to her office.
She closed the door and leaned against it.
Her breathing was unsteady.
Robinson was alive and he had evidence. He also wanted twenty million dollars.
She picked up her phone and immediately called Melinda.
The call connected.
“Juliet?”
“He's alive.”
There was silence.
Melinda's voice became tense.
“Who?”
“Robinson.”
Melinda stopped breathing for a moment.
“What?”
“He came to the company.”
“That's impossible.”
“I saw him.”
Melinda's voice dropped.
“Are you sure?"
“I am certain.”
Juliet paced across the office.
“He wants twenty million dollars.”
Melinda became silent.
“And if we don't pay?”
“He will go to the police.”
Melinda's breathing became heavier.
“Does Stephanie know?”
“Not yet.”
“But she suspects something.”
Juliet stopped walking.
“She knows there is a connection between us.”
Melinda cursed under her breath.
“We have to do something.”
Juliet looked toward the window.
“We already tried once.”
Melinda became silent. They both remembered the plan.
The attack and the reports of a body being found in a canal.
The certainty that Robinson had been eliminated.
But he had survived.
Juliet's fingers trembled around the phone.
“He is going to destroy us.”
Melinda's voice was barely audible.
“Then we cannot let him talk.”
Juliet closed her eyes.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Juliet whispered,
“We need another plan.”
Across the building, Kennedy was still struggling with his own fear.
He knew Robinson's return could expose everything.
He had helped Juliet with the false accusation against Stephanie.
Now the entire scheme was beginning to collapse.
He looked at his phone.
Another threatening message appeared.
His face went pale.
He did not know whether Juliet was behind the message.
But he knew one thing.
The truth was getting closer.
And somewhere outside Brendan Group, the employee Stephanie had sent was already following Robinson.
He watched Robinson's car from a distance and carefully followed it through the streets.
He had no idea that he was about to uncover something that could connect Robinson, Juliet and Melinda to Stephanie's stolen property.
Inside Brendan Group, Stephanie stood beside the window.
She looked at Brendan.
“This time, I am not going to defend myself blindly.”
Brendan frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“I am going to find the truth.”
Her eyes hardened.
“And when I find it, whoever took my house, whoever betrayed me, and whoever has been trying to destroy me will answer for everything they have done.”
Brendan nodded.
“That is exactly what you should do.”
Stephanie turned back toward the window.
For years, the truth had been hidden behind forged documents, lies and betrayal.
But Robinson's return had opened a door that Juliet and Melinda had desperately tried to keep closed.
And once that door was opened completely, Stephanie might finally discover what had happened to her house, her father's company, and the people who had secretly plotted against her.
But Juliet was already preparing to fight back.
And Melinda was no longer willing to remain in the shadows.
The battle for the truth had begun.
And this time, there would be nowhere for the guilty to hide.
