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He chuckles, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my back. “First time I’ve seen you left speechless, Cordelia Marin.”
I lift my head to gaze at him, my eyes shining with unshed tears. “You have no idea how much I needed that.” My confession comes in a voice thick with emotion as I add, “With you.”
He brushes a stray lock of hair from my face, his eyes filled with a mixture of desire and something softer, something that looks suspiciously like love. “And it’s only the beginning. I intend to make you feel this way a thousand times over.”
Chapter Fourteen
Basil Jakes
My stateroom has been turned into a private office on the Mystic Princess and it’s buzzing with energy. After reluctantly leaving Cordelia to sleep, I walked into an already in progress team meeting, all being shown to me virtually. High-tech equipment hums, screens flicker with data, and the air feels charged. This is where I excel. This is my domain.
Simone’s efficiency never ceases to impress me. She handles the data like an artist wielding a brush, painting a picture of our victory against Ardan. With an hour’s notice, she organized the office, complete with a two-man tech crew, being loaded onboard in Skagway. I watch her image on one screen as she taps a few keys, lighting up the main screen with Victor Ardan’s accounts. “We’ve traced the offshore accounts. His assets are ready to be frozen on your command.”
“Good. Begin the process. We need to hit him from every angle.”
The corporate team members are huddled around their workstations. I see them, eyes glued to their screens, fingers flying over keyboards, behind Simone. The sharp click of keys is a staccato background in my room, blending with the steady hum of servers. Each click and tap represents a step closer to dismantling Ardan’s empire.
“Mr. Jenks, we’ve got his Cayman account pinned down.” An excited analyst calls out without turning from his screen.
“Lock it down.” Decisive action is the rule at this stage. My tone brooks no argument.
Simone flips through more documents on her tablet, her face set in concentration. “We’re also seeing movement in his Swiss accounts.”
“Freeze them too.” My mind races, balancing multiple strategies simultaneously. Each decision must be precise; Ardan’s resources are vast and slippery, but I’m determined to outmaneuver him at every turn.
“We’ve got movement on his primary holding company.” Simone pops the account details on the main screen for me to view.
I lean in closer to the screen displaying a web of interconnected subsidiaries and shell corporations. “Disassemble it piece by piece.”
The exhilaration of this corporate battle courses through me. But it’s different. Better than usual. This time, the battle protects real people.
“How long until we see results?” I ask one of the financial experts.
“Minutes for some accounts; hours for others.” His response comes fast without missing a beat as his eyes remain glued to his monitor.
Minutes feel like an eternity when every second counts. This takedown needs to be flawless; it’s not my reputation at stake—it’s Cordelia’s world.
My phone buzzes on the desk beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts. The message is urgent—no doubt signaling another critical development in our multi-pronged attack against Ardan.
I grab the phone, text a reply, and glance at Simone. “What’s next?”
As we continue issuing commands and adjusting our strategy on the fly, each move brings us closer to our goal: stripping Ardan of his power and safeguarding the magical waters that have become more than just an investment—they’ve become a cause worth fighting for.
Every action taken by my team echoes through this high-stakes game of chess we’re playing against Ardan. And as each piece falls into place, I realize that this fight is reshaping not only our corporate landscape but also my very purpose. Each page I flip through holds the potential to dismantle Victor Ardan’s empire.
“Simone, where are we with those affidavits?” My voice cuts through the buzz of conversation.
“They’re here.” She shows me a thick stack of papers. “Everything is ready. Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely. Do it.” I don’t hesitate. The legal documents are laid out in front of me to review. Each document is meticulously prepared to expose Ardan’s crimes with documented proof of our assertions. I scan through them, ensuring every detail is airtight. Fraud, embezzlement, illegal experiments—it’s all there, ready to be unleashed upon him like a tidal wave.
“Coordinate with law enforcement and financial institutions. I want this to hit him from every angle.”
The room buzzes with activity as calls are made and emails are sent. The hum of voices blends with the steady clicking of keyboards, each sound a step closer to bringing Ardan down.
I feel a protective fury building within me. This fight is personal. Cordelia and the shifters deserve better than to be exploited by a monster like Ardan.
“Basil, we need your signature on these final documents.” Simone places a fresh stack of documents into the digital reader.
