Chapter 690
Chapter 690:
He reached for the tablet hidden under his pillow. He tapped the screen a few times and turned it toward me.
It was a live feed of a bank transfer interface. The numbers were staggering.
“Because you shut down her legal routes, she’s desperate,” Julian explained, his voice turning cold. “She thinks I’m comatose and that the board is paralyzed. She initiated a transfer ten minutes ago through a shadow account. She’s not just moving money; she’s using the Syndicate’s laundering network because she has no other choice. That is the evidence we needed p>
“She thinks she has power of attorney,” I realized, the pieces falling into place.
“She has a forgery,” Julian corrected. “And the moment that money hits the Cayman account, it triggers a federal flag I set up six months ago. She’s not just stealing from me; she’s walking into a federal trap for embezzlement and wire fraud p>
I looked at the screen. The zeros marched across the display, a digital noose tightening around Eleanor’s neck. It was brilliant. It was ruthless.
It was exactly what I would have done.
“You’re terrifying,” I said, sitting back down. The adrenaline was fading, leaving me exhausted.
“I had a good student,” Julian countered. He set the tablet down. “But the job isn’t done. While I’m playing corpse, I need you to be my legs p>
“Name it p>
“Haven City,” Julian said. His eyes darkened. “My usual contacts there have gone silent. Since Lucian’s arrest, the power vacuum has made the district unstable. Eleanor’s transfer is being washed through the underground entertainment district, specifically the Neon Abyss. I can’t go there without blowing my cover. I need you to find out who is authorizing the wash on the other end p>
“Haven City,” I repeated. The district was a neon-soaked cesspool of vice and gambling. “Fine. I’ll look into it. But you owe me. A Michelin-star dinner. And no hospital food p>
“Deal p>
𝖮𝗿𝗴𝘢𝘯𝗶𝘻e у𝗼𝗎𝗿 𝗿𝘦𝖺𝗱𝗶n𝗴 𝗅𝗶ѕ𝗍 𝗼𝘯 𝗯𝖾𝗹ո𝘰v𝖾𝘭𝘀.𝘤𝘰𝗺
Heavy footsteps approached the door. Liam’s signal—a double knock.
Julian dropped back onto the pillows instantly. His eyes closed. His breathing became shallow and ragged. The transformation was instantaneous and flawless.
The door swung open.
Liam walked in. He was holding two paper bags that smelled of grease and comfort—burgers from the diner across the street. His hair was damp from the rain, and his eyes immediately sought mine, checking to see if the confrontation had settled.
“Hey,” he said softly. He scanned my face. “Did you get the briefing p>
I looked at Julian. He looked so pale, so still. If I hadn’t just seen him winking, I would have believed it.
“The doctor says…” I paused, clearing my throat to hide the tremor in my voice, playing along for any listening ears in the hall. “He says it’s a waiting game. We just have to… watch p>
Liam walked over to the bed. He set the food down on the rolling table. He looked at Julian for a long moment, a knowing smirk touching the corner of his lips before he masked it.
“Well,” Liam said, turning his back on the bed and handing me a burger, “he’s a fighter. He’ll wake up when the time is right. Until then, you need to eat. You’re no good to him if you pass out p>