Chantel paced nervously around the living room, her heels clicking faintly against the polished wooden floor. Her hands fidgeted at her sides, fingers brushing against the soft fabric of her dress as she glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. Minutes felt like hours as anxiety twisted her insides. The lawyer, Jeff Kenneth, was supposed to have arrived already, but there was no sign of him.
"Why isn't the lawyer here yet?" Chantel muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with frustration and worry. She cast a quick glance at Henry, who was seated on the couch, his brow furrowed as he tapped on his phone. Chantel checked her watch for the third time in as many minutes, her patience fraying at the edges.
Henry sighed and pressed his phone to his ear, attempting to call Jeff once more. The line rang and rang, but there was no answer. Lowering the phone, he shook his head, his expression grim. "He's not picking up," he said, his voice heavy with concern.
Chantel stopped pacing and turned to face him, her arms crossed. "He told you he'd be here soon, didn't he?" she asked, her tone sharp with worry.
"He did," Henry replied, his voice calm but strained. "Maybe we should just be patient and wait a little longer. He might be stuck in traffic or handling something important."
Chantel nodded reluctantly and sat down beside him, though her restlessness was evident in the way she kept glancing at the door and her phone. Moments later, Henry's phone buzzed on the coffee table. He quickly grabbed it, his eyes narrowing as he read the caller ID.
"Jeff?" Chantel asked, leaning forward slightly.
Henry answered the call, but within seconds, his expression darkened. "What?!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room. The shock on his face was palpable, and Chantel immediately stood up, alarmed by his reaction.
"What's wrong?" she demanded, taking a few steps closer to him. Her heart began to race, though she didn't yet know why.
Henry ended the call slowly, his hand trembling as he set the phone down. His shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world had just been placed on them. He looked up at Chantel, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Jeff is dead," he said quietly, his voice barely audible.
Chantel's eyes widened in horror. "What?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "No, that can't be true. What do you mean he's dead?"
Henry hesitated, struggling to find the words. "He was shot," he finally said, his voice hollow. "Shot dead on his way here."
Chantel gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh my God," she whispered. Her mind raced as she tried to process the horrifying news. "Who could have done something so terrible? Jeff was such a good man."
Henry shook his head slowly, his thoughts clearly scattered. "I don't know, but..." He paused, his gaze locking with Chantel's. "Do you think this could have something to do with the case? Someone trying to stop us?"
Chantel's stomach churned at the thought, and her mind immediately jumped to two people. "Andrew and Claire," she said firmly, her voice laced with conviction. "They had the most to lose if this case went forward. Who else would have a motive?"
Henry leaned back against the couch, rubbing his temples. "You can't be so sure," he said, though his tone lacked conviction. "We don't have any proof that they were involved."
"I don't need proof to know it's them," Chantel retorted. "Think about it, Henry. They already know we're planning to sue them. This is their way of stopping us before we even get started."
Henry frowned, considering her words. "Do you think they know about the recording we have? The one with their voices?"
Chantel shook her head firmly. "There's no way they could know about that. We've been careful."
Unbeknownst to the couple, Lina stood in the corner of the living room, silently observing. She held a tray with glasses of juice, her expression unreadable as she listened to their conversation. A flicker of relief crossed her face as she realized neither of them suspected anyone in the house. "Thank goodness," she murmured under her breath. Plastering a neutral expression on her face, she walked into the room, serving the drinks as if nothing was amiss.
***
Meanwhile, Claire stepped out of her sleek black car, slipping off her sunglasses as she strode toward the entrance of the company. Her heels clicked with a sharp rhythm, announcing her presence. As she walked in, she spotted Sharon at her desk. Sharon immediately stood, her posture stiff as she blocked Claire's path.
"Do you have an appointment?" Sharon asked coolly, folding her arms.
Claire arched an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Stay out of my way," she said curtly, her tone dripping with disdain.
"No," Sharon replied firmly. "I need to confirm if you have an appointment with my boss."
Claire chuckled, removing her sunglasses and meeting Sharon's gaze with icy amusement. "You know," she began, her voice soft yet menacing, "I'm sure you wouldn't want everyone in this office to know the real reason Andrew and I divorced." She leaned in slightly, her smile widening. "How would your colleagues react if they found out you were caught having... let's call it *a moment* with Andrew in his office? Moaning like some desperate little thing."
Sharon's face flushed, and her confidence wavered. "I—"
"Oh, don't even bother," Claire interrupted, her tone sharp. "You might not care now, but let me remind you—if word gets out, the board will hear about it. Your reputation will be in tatters, and I doubt your colleagues will resist sharing the scandal online. How would you like that?"
Sharon fell silent, her gaze dropping to the floor. Claire smirked triumphantly. "That's what I thought. Now, move." Without waiting for a response, she brushed past Sharon and walked into Andrew's office.
***
Inside, Andrew stood from his desk, his expression wary. "Claire," he said, his voice tinged with irritation. "What are you doing here?"
Claire settled into a chair across from him, crossing her legs casually. "You told me Chantel has a recording of our voices," she said. "I thought it best we strategize together."
Andrew frowned, leaning back in his chair. "I already told you everything over the phone. You didn't need to come here."
"Don't be ridiculous," Claire replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "We're in this together, whether you like it or not. If that recording gets out, we're both done for."
Before Andrew could respond, the television in his office, which had been playing in the background, suddenly aired breaking news. "Jeff Kenneth, prominent lawyer, shot dead on his way to Henry Williams' residence," the reporter announced.
Claire froze, her eyes widening as she stared at the screen. "Jeff is dead?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Andrew, however, showed no reaction as he calmly turned off the television.
"You don't seem surprised," Claire said, narrowing her eyes. "Did you have something to do with this?"
Andrew's expression hardened. "What are you implying?" he snapped. "If I did, it's for the best. His death works in our favor."
Claire stared at him in disbelief. "Are you insane? This doesn't solve anything! Henry will just hire another lawyer."
Andrew smirked. "Maybe, but it buys us time."
Claire shook her head, her anger boiling over. "You've just made things worse," she said. "If they suspect us, we're finished."
Before Andrew could respond, Sharon walked in without knocking, carrying a stack of files. Claire seized the opportunity to make her jealous, leaning over and planting a kiss on Andrew's lips. Sharon froze, her face a mixture of anger and hurt, while Andrew pulled back in surprise.
"What was that for?" Andrew demanded, glaring at Claire.
Claire ignored him and turned to Sharon, smirking. "Next time, knock," she said coolly before striding out of the office.
Sharon slammed the door shut behind her, her anger bubbling over. "What the hell was that?" she demanded, turning to Andrew.
Andrew sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have no idea, but she's clearly trying to make you jealous."
Sharon frowned. "You need to stop letting her come here. She's up to something."
Andrew shook his head. "I can't stop her. We're in this mess together, and now Jeff's death complicates everything."
Sharon stared at him, her expression hardening. "Then we need to act fast before everything spirals out of control."