Steven returned to Be’s side after finishing his duties.


    “Are you nning to let Ms. Hoffman off the hook, Ms. Be? That’s too nice of you.”


    Steven watched with a doting and helpless smile as Be knocked things over with her stilettos. He


    went and tucked her heels under the table.


    Be was gaming to take her mind off things, ughtering many in the virtual world.


    Her character, Lucifer, had reached god-level in the eyes of yers. Thousands tuned in to watch


    every time she streamed her gaming live.


    “What are you thinking? Let her off the hook? I’m a charitable entrepreneur, not Mother Theresa. I’m


    not going after Zoe now because I don’t have solid evidence to put her away. She made Bethany a


    scapegoat, so all suspicions about Zoe are circumstantial. My hands are tied for now.


    “I don’t think that’s thest we’ll hear of Ms. Hoffman.” Steven added angrily, “Instead of showing


    remorse, she red at you before storming out.


    “She bettere at me with everything she has or just back off. I won’t want to be her if the whole


    thing blows up in her face.


    Her phone vibrated, channeling a call from Asher.


    “Hey, Ash!” Be answered the call with a sweet voice.


    “Are you at the hotel, Be?” Asher asked.


    “Yes. I’m in the office.”


    “So you’re with Steve?” Asher spoke in hushed tones.


    Be was witty enough to read between the lines. She got up and walked out as if she were heading to


    the bathroom.


    If she were to dismiss Steven, he would pick up that she was shying away from him.


    She stepped into her personal bathroom and shut the door behind her “What happened, Ash? Does it


    have something to do with Steve?”


    “You can say that, but not directly. I can’t be straight with you if he’s around.”


    Asher paused before carrying on in a steady tone. “Gregory sought help from Steven’s brother, Hunter,


    to get his daughter out. Hunter is heading to the police station to release Bethany on bail as we speak.”


    Be narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Hunter is Bethany’s get-out-of- jail-free pass.”


    “Hunter is cutthroat, contributing to his sess as a defense attorney for over a decade. He won’t


    allow himself to fail. He will give Bethany a clean state by any means necessary.”


    Asher gave Be the heads-up. “If I were Hunter, I would start with the journalist, Be. She is the top


    witness to testify against Bethany.


    “I get what you’re trying to say, Ash, but Xena Gordon is not with me. Justin is holding her captive.”


    Be took a deep breath to pull herself together. “I’ll handle it. You, and especially Axel, should stay out


    of it. He works for the government. He can’t be caught engaging in misconduct while helping me. That


    will just y into the hands of those wishing us harm.”


    The mood was heavy at the end of the phone call.


    Be never took a small fry like Bethany seriously because Shannon was the big fish she was after.


    She was worried that the news would upset Steven. The silly boy w highly sensitive and heavily bound


    by a sense of duty. He might jue to her in tears again.


    Lost in her thoughts, Be made her way to her office.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    “Be.”


    The husky voice caused her to halt her footsteps. Feeling a pit in her stomach, she looked back.


    There was no one behind her.


    Be shook her head and kneaded her temples, attributing the sound to her sleep deprivation.