Chapter 12 - The Security Briefing
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By late Thursday afternoon, the studio was quiet. The junior designers had gone home for the day, leaving me alone with the soft hum of the air conditioning and a stack of invoices. I was deeply focused on my laptop screen when the heavy glass door swung open. Mark walked in, wearing a tailored charcoal suit that barely concealed the muscular build of a man who had spent years in private security.
He locked the door behind him and flipped the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' before walking over to my desk.
"You are working too late again, Clara," Mark scolded lightly, pulling up a modern acrylic chair and sitting across from me.
"I am just finishing the billing cycle for the month," I sighed, closing the laptop and giving him my full attention. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a personal visit from the CEO of the city's top security firm?"
Mark’s expression shifted from friendly to strictly professional. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I ran a routine background sweep on your digital footprint this morning," Mark explained, his voice low and serious. "James has been poking around. He tried to access your old joint checking account, the one Luke legally forced him to close six months ago. The bank flagged it and notified my team."
A cold, familiar ghost brushed against my spine at the mention of my ex-husband's name, but I didn't tremble.
"Did he get access to anything?" I asked, my voice completely steady.
"Absolutely not," Mark assured me instantly. "Luke's legal walls are impenetrable, and my digital firewalls are even stronger. He is just grasping at straws, Clara. His new mistress drained his accounts, and now he is desperate."
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"He is not my problem anymore," I stated firmly, looking Mark directly in the eyes.
"I know he isn't," Mark smiled, his protective posture relaxing slightly. "But I wanted you to hear it from me. You are safe, Clara. Your studio is safe, and Maya is safe. He can't touch you."
