Chapter 38 - The Phantom Contract | That evening, I returned to my penthouse. The security was tight—guards posted at every elevator, every hallway, every door. I was the safest woman in the world, living inside an impenetrable cage.
I poured myself a glass of water and walked out onto the balcony, looking at the city lights twinkling miles below.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. A private number.
I hesitated before answering. "Hello?"
"Congratulations on taking the company private, Claire," a calm, smooth voice spoke through the speaker. It wasn't Richard, Arthur, or Julian. It was a voice I had never heard before.
"Who is this?" I demanded, my heart racing.
"I am the Managing Director of Aegis Protocol," the voice replied casually. "I'm calling to extend my condolences regarding the loss of your friend, Mara."
"Your men killed her," I growled, my hand tightening on the phone. "And your contract is void. The money was seized."
"Oh, the money from Richard Vance was seized, yes," the voice chuckled softly. "And Mara’s contract is dead. But you see, Claire... Aegis Protocol operates under a very strict policy."
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I froze, the cold wind whipping my hair across my face. "What policy?"
"When a client dies or fails to pay, the target of the contract is automatically offered a choice," the caller explained calmly. "You can either spend the rest of your life wondering which of your new allies will place the next order... or you can pay us a retainer to ensure no one ever takes a contract against you again."
