The Scandal Spiral

Rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling glass of the Thorne study, a rhythmic, frantic percussion that matched the throbbing in Julian’s shoulder. He sat behind the mahogany desk, his posture rigid, his white dress shirt stained with a faint, jagged shadow of dried blood near the collar—a souvenir from the boardroom scuffle that had officially ended his career as the firm’s heir apparent.

Elara stood before him, the weight of the manila folder in her hands feeling less like paper and more like a live wire. She dropped the folder onto the desk. It slid, stopping inches from his bandaged hand.

"The forgery trail," she said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline spiking in her chest. "It doesn't lead to a third-party consultant or a rogue employee. It leads to the

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