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Chapter 50 : The Darkness That Brought Us Together
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Empire of Deception Chapter 1 : Conflict of Interest
*Amelia*“Don’t get yourself in trouble, Amelia. This case is dangerous as it is,” my friend Samantha mentioned as we said goodbye. “I bet your boss won’t be happy when he finds out that you started interviewing people behind his back.”“I promise I will be careful. I won’t put my life at risk until I get a solid case against them. In Mom’s memory, I need to make it work.”She nodded and gave me a smile, waving a hand and blowing me a kiss as we both parted ways. I sighed, walking back home, Sammy’s words resonating in my mind all the way until I made it to my apartment.I sat in my threadbare, sparsely decorated apartment and looked at the mountain of case files and legal documents piled before me. On top of the stack closest to me, there was a picture of a gorgeous woman with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. She had smile lines that showed grace and poise. She had the most beautiful, kind smile that resembled my own. I caught a glimpse of myself in the window, and I could see
Empire of Deception Chapter 2 : Clash of Wills
*Amelia*I stepped into the well-lit reception area and was surprised by how cozy it was compared to some of the others in the courthouse. There was an assistant’s desk sitting clear and uncluttered other than a calendar, computer, and notepad. There were two comfortable-looking armchairs with a small coffee table between them that held an array of magazines. The adjacent wall had a bookcase full of legal books and crime novels. The walls were painted in a deep shade of green and adorned with paintings and various artwork on the available space on the opposite wall."How can I help you?" a beautiful woman with silky blonde hair styled into an effortless twist asked me. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked up to welcome me, a warm smile gracing her lips. I almost jumped because I was lost in thought, but I recovered quickly and replied, "Hello, I'd like to see Mr. Chase, please."The woman glanced down at the calendar, no doubt checking his appointments. She looked back up and
Empire of Deception Chapter 3 : The Man behind the Name
*Amelia*I wearily trudged up the steps of my apartment, the leather of my work bag creaking with each step. When I pushed open the door, a boisterous rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart filled the air. My roommate, Nina, was spinning around the room, her curly black hair flying in all directions as she gesticulated wildly and sang into a hairbrush microphone."What the hell are you doing?" I yelled over the chaos.Nina spun around with a smile, "Just getting my steps in. The rain kept me from going on a run, so I decided to dance it out. How was work today?"I rolled my eyes and walked to the kitchen to grab a snack, "It was long and tiring, per usual. But I made progress on the wrongful injury case I'm working on with Michael. I just need his final approval before we can move forward."Nina followed me into the kitchen, "That sounds promising! Did you find out anything about the suit against MID?" she asked cautiously.Nina was well-versed in my obsession with justice
Empire of Deception Chapter 4 : That Day
*Amelia**I slumped against the headboard of my bed and surveyed the scene before me. Multiple textbooks, a few highlighters, freshly sharpened pencils arranged in a neat row, and my notepad littered with notes were all laying on my comforter. I had been studying for hours but still felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information needed for this semester's final exams. My second year of law school had been the most brutal yet.I stood and walked to get my third cup of coffee when my cell phone began to ring. I picked it up and saw it was Heart of St. Francis Hospital, and my heart lurched in my chest, "Hello?"The nurse on the other line spoke quickly, her voice laced with urgency, "Ms. Hartley?"I began to feel panicked by the tone the nurse's voice was conveying, and I was barely able to squeak out, "This is she."The nurse spoke again, "We need you to get over here right away.""What's going on? Is my mother okay?" I asked, hot fresh tears developing in the corner of
Empire of Deception Chapter 5 : Working Together
*Amelia*Adrian was seated behind his desk, a picture of poise and power. His tailored charcoal suit fit his frame perfectly, emphasizing the definition of his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Though he was facing away from me, I could feel the energy radiating from him like a force field.His eyes met mine as he turned around in his chair, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. His gaze was piercing and cold, sending shivers down my spine. There was something about him, something in his eyes that exuded danger, intimidation, and sex, a combination that left me feeling completely off-balance.He motioned for me to take a seat across from him with a nod of his head before searching through some paperwork on his desk. My stomach twisted into knots as I sat there waiting for him to start talking; I had no idea what this meeting would entail, and my anxiety was running rampant.I cleared my throat and spoke, "Mr. Chase..."He interrupted me almost immediately, "Adrian, please.
Empire of Deception Chapter 6 : Keep It Professional
*Adrian*I had to keep it professional, no matter what. I had dangerous thoughts about corrupting her body in so many ways. It was dangerously exciting to know she would be under my thumb and, perhaps later, after the case was over and won, she could also be in my bed.As I left Amelia standing in the corridor, my spine prickled with awareness of her eyes on my back. The faint scent of her lavender perfume lingered in the air, and I struggled to keep my focus on the case at hand.Even though I knew I couldn't let my guard down around her, every step away from her felt like a loss. Her stunning beauty had already set me on a dangerous course, but I refused to let it cloud my judgment any further."Adrian?" Evelyn asked, jarring me from my thoughts rather abruptly."Yes, Evelyn?" I asked as if I hadn't just been staring blankly at the ancient marble floors of my office.She stood and walked around the reception desk, straightening her pale yellow skirt as she walked, "I don't
Empire of Deception Chapter 7 : Adrians' Influence
*Amelia* I was so caught up in the details of my personal injury case that I almost missed my lunch meeting with Gregory. I glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly time. I hurried to make sure I wasn't late. A few muttered curses later, I shoved off my desk and packed my bag as hastily as I could.We had plans to meet at a diner around the corner, and if I hurried, I'd make it in time. As I walked, I couldn't help but reflect on how we first met. It was at a conference for private investigators that I had attended out of pure curiosity. During a break between presentations, we'd struck up a conversation about the food, and it resulted in me feeling uncharacteristically comfortable with him.Little did I know, that conversation would be the first of many. I took his number that day and ended up calling him for advice on tracking down a witness in a case I was working on at the time. We became fast friends after that. In little more than a year, we had developed an unbreak
Empire of Deception Chapter 8 : Weakness
*Adrian*Twenty minutes later and without an apology, William "Bill" Donovan came to the table in a cheap suit, thin hair combed over his bald spot in a feeble attempt to conceal it. He didn't apologize for being late, instead, he gave me a smarmy smile and took the chair opposite me. He said nothing at first, just looked around the restaurant with thinly veiled cockiness."The next time you show up late, I'm docking your pay by fifty percent," I informed him angrily.He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Couldn't be helped. I had things ta do this morning. Took longuh than expected.He had the most Jersey accent I'd ever heard, and he was perpetually late and money hungry. There was a list of things I despised about the man, but damn it, he was a great private investigator. If the situation ever called for it, I knew that Bill could be trusted to take care of business without any questions asked. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy who got the job done with ruthless efficiency–eve
Latest chapter
- Empire of Deception Chapter 50 : The Darkness That Brought Us Together
- Empire of Deception Chapter 49 : Insolent Little Goddess
- Empire of Deception Chapter 48 : I Need To Tell You Something…
- Empire of Deception Chapter 47 : A New Life
- Empire of Deception Chapter 46 : I'll Be Here When You Wake Up
- Empire of Deception Chapter 45 : Federal Jurisdiction
- Empire of Deception Chapter 44 : The Death Of A Friend
- Empire of Deception Chapter 43 : It's Not Fun To Be The Prey, Is It?
- Empire of Deception Chapter 42 : Tactical Planning
