?Chapter 945:


    Leah’s brows knitted together in a frown. With slow, cautious movements, she reached for the button and rolled the window down. Matias stood outside, a faint smile curving his lips—a smileced with mockery.


    Her heart gave an uneasy stutter. A cold prickle crept up her spine, and an ominous sense of foreboding washed over her in a suffocating wave. Behind Matias, a sleek ck Rolls Royce glided past, its polished surface gleaming beneath the dim light.


    Leah’s eyesnded on the license te—one nce was enough to make her stomach churn. There was no mistaking it.


    Nate had returned.


    Her eyshes fluttered, panic flickering in her eyes like a candle in a storm. Why now? Of all times, why did he have to return at such a crucial moment?


    Matias’ smile deepened, though it never reached his eyes. The chill in his gaze felt like a de pressing against her skin. “Ms. Burgess, the police are currently investigating an organized crime and smuggling operation. To prevent any information leaks, authorities have issued orders that no one is allowed to leave the premises. I trust you and your father will cooperate.”


    Corey, ever attuned to subtle shifts in atmosphere, felt the tremor in his daughter’s hand. Without betraying any of the growing anxiety churning inside him, he offered Matias a polite nod. “Understood. We will cooperate fully.”


    Matias’ smile thinned, though his eyes never softened.


    The moment he disappeared from view, Leah’s grip on her father’s arm tightened. “Dad, what are we going to do now? If Nate finds out that we were the ones plotting against Corrine, he will never let us off. You know what he is capable of.”


    The memory of the Becker family’s downfall was still fresh in her mind, the brutal precision with which Nate dismantled them piece by piece. That same fate would be waiting for them if the truth came to light.


    Corey exhaled slowly, lighting a cigarette with steady hands. “Calm down.” Smoke curled around his face as he spoke. “Without solid evidence, who can convict us based on suspicion alone?”


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    His words, rational and grounded, chipped away at Leah’s panic. Her breathing gradually steadied, though the fear never fully left her eyes. “That is true. Corrine is the one holding the bag for assault. If anyone takes the fall, it will be her.”


    The hired men had been careful, leaving no traces that could be tied back to them. Without evidence, there was no case.


    Leah’s nerves slowly eased under the weight of thatforting logic. “I will warn Andromache. She needs to be prepared before she meets Nate.”


    Outside his car, Jules leanedzily against the hood, cigarette smoke curling from his lips. The moment he caught sight of Nate stepping out of the Rolls Royce, he jolted upright, flicking the cigarette onto the ground and grinding it underfoot before hurrying over.


    His voice was low, but the tension was unmistakable. “Are you really going to go this far against your own family?”


    Nate’s gaze met his, cold and unwavering. “What do you think?” Jules raised an eyebrow, but there was no surprise in his eyes, only a glimmer of something darker. “Blood may be thick, but it does not drown out betrayal. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, I would be more than happy to handle it for you.”


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