Chapter 553

Chapter 552:

“A man named Conrad Sterling is blackmailing us,” Carmen said, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. “He threatened to expose the details of my mother’s death to ruin Justin’s career. He used to be Justin’s Chief of Staff. He knows everything. He’s the one who cleaned up the mess p>

Jocelyn exhaled sharply. The pieces were clicking together in her mind, forming a very dark and very political picture.

“Carmen, Justin,” Jocelyn said. Her voice was no longer that of a comforting friend. It was the voice of the matriarch of the Collins empire. “You were right to come to me p>

“We don’t know who to trust in Washington,” Justin added, his voice grim. “Sterling’s influence runs deep p>

“You trust me,” Jocelyn said, her tone leaving no room for doubt. “You are not alone in this anymore. I have resources that Conrad Sterling cannot even comprehend. I will find out exactly what he’s hiding p>

J𝗈i𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝖼𝗈𝗺mu𝘯і𝘵у 𝘢𝘵

Carmen closed her eyes as a wave of relief washed over her. “Thank you, Jo p>

“Go home. Act completely normal,” Jocelyn instructed, already rising from her seat, her mind calculating the next move. “Let me handle the shadows p>

The morning sun reflected harshly off the glass facade of the Collins Group headquarters.

Jocelyn stepped out of the private elevator onto the executive floor wearing a tailored beige silk suit that radiated quiet, untouchable power. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor.

She did not turn toward Gaston’s massive corner office. Instead, she walked directly to the sleek, glass-walled bullpen that housed Gaston’s core team and stopped in front of the Executive Assistant’s desk.

The man was a machine — the one who managed the logistics, the intelligence, and the quiet dirty work that kept the Collins empire running smoothly. He looked up from his dual monitors, his eyes widening slightly. He immediately stood and buttoned his suit jacket.

“Mrs. Collins,” he said respectfully. “Do you need me to announce you to Mr. Collins? He is currently on a call with the Tokyo branch p>

“No,” Jocelyn said, offering a polite, perfectly measured smile. “I am actually here to see you. We need to have a private conversation p>

A flicker of caution crossed the assistant’s face. “Of course p>

He led her into a small, soundproofed conference room down the hall and closed the heavy glass door behind them. The room was sterile and quiet.

Jocelyn did not sit. She stood by the table, projecting absolute authority.

“I need you to run a full, deep-dive investigation into a man named Conrad Sterling,” she said, her voice crisp and direct. “I need his financial records, his travel logs from seven years ago, and any connection he has to a fatal car crash involving the Golden family in Massachusetts p>

The assistant’s posture went rigid. The color drained slightly from his face.

“Conrad Sterling,” he repeated slowly. “Mrs. Collins, Sterling is a major political power broker in Washington. Investigating him leaves a digital footprint. It is highly risky p>

“I am aware of who he is,” Jocelyn replied, her tone cooling. “That is precisely why I am giving this to you, and not some amateur private investigator p>

The assistant shifted his weight. He glanced toward the door.

“I understand, ma’am. I will brief Mr. Collins immediately and get his authorization to allocate the resources p>