Love by the Contract

Chapter 137

The quiet hum of the hospital faded into the background as Emma sat in a sterile conference room, the air heavy with tension. Across the table, Detective Clara Simmons reviewed the preliminary reports on the toxin that had been found in Thomas’s system. The manila folder in her hands seemed unbearably thin for the weight of the implications it carried.

“This toxin,” Simmons began, her voice steady but grim, “is not something you stumble across. It’s rare, and its uses are heavily regulated. Industrial settings, yes, but the specific variant we found… it’s too specific to be an accident.”

Emma’s throat tightened. “You’re saying someone deliberately poisoned him.”

Simmons nodded, her sharp green eyes locking with Emma’s. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. And given the timing and location of exposure, we need to look closely at recent events where Thomas could have been targeted.”

Emma’s thoughts raced. Thomas had been her constant support at the foundation—present at every gala, meeting, and planning session. Her mind immediately went to the most recent event: a high-profile fundraiser held to announce the foundation’s international expansion plans.

The event had been bustling with donors, politicians, and representatives from rival organizations. A perfect opportunity, Emma realized, for someone to slip unnoticed into the crowd with malicious intent.

“Start with the fundraiser,” Emma said firmly. “That’s the most recent large event he attended. If this toxin was introduced there, someone wanted to hurt him—or send a message to me.”

Simmons jotted down a note. “We’ll pull all the attendee records and check the catering staff, event crew, and anyone else who had access to him. In the meantime, I suggest you and your team review your internal security protocols. If this was targeted, there’s a chance someone close to your foundation was involved.”

The words hit Emma like a punch to the gut. Someone within her organization? It was unthinkable, but after the sabotage and cyber-attacks, she knew better than to dismiss the possibility. The foundation had become a beacon of hope, but that light had drawn shadows.

Back at her office, Emma gathered her leadership team for an emergency meeting. Her assistant, Sofia, sat on her right, fidgeting with her notebook, while the head of security, Jason, leaned forward, his expression tense.

“We have a situation,” Emma began, her voice resolute despite the unease twisting in her stomach. “Thomas’s condition wasn’t an accident. He was poisoned, and the authorities believe it happened during the fundraiser. That means this isn’t just an external attack—it could involve someone with inside knowledge.”

A murmur rippled through the room. Jason spoke first, his tone grim. “If that’s the case, we need to conduct a full review of everyone who had access to the event: staff, contractors, even volunteers. Security footage should help narrow it down.”

Emma nodded. “I’ll be working closely with Detective Simmons, but I need all of you to prioritize this. Sofia, gather the guest list and staff records from the event. Jason, I want every second of footage reviewed. If there’s anything unusual, I want to know about it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jason replied. His professionalism was a small comfort in the face of growing suspicion.

Hours later, Emma sat at her desk, combing through the fundraiser’s attendee list. Familiar names jumped out at her—generous donors, esteemed scientists, a few politicians with personal interests in the foundation’s success.

But as she scanned the list, her eyes lingered on names that felt out of place: representatives from rival organizations and former employees who had left the foundation under less-than-ideal circumstances.

She flagged several names and forwarded them to Simmons, her email terse: Possible leads. Cross-check with other suspects.

Emma leaned back in her chair, exhaustion threatening to pull her under. She reached for her journal, flipping to a blank page. The act of writing steadied her, giving her a sense of control in a situation spiraling beyond her grasp.

Day 7

Someone did this. Someone looked Thomas in the eye and decided to hurt him, knowing it would devastate me. But why? To undermine the foundation? To scare me into submission? Whoever it is, they’ve made a mistake. I won’t stop until I find them.

By evening, Jason returned with grim news. “We have a problem,” he said, stepping into her office. His usual composed demeanor had given way to frustration.

“What is it?” Emma asked, her heart sinking.

Jason handed her a tablet. On the screen, fragments of distorted video played, the images flickering and jumping erratically.

“The security footage from the fundraiser is corrupted. Someone tampered with it. We’re trying to recover the files, but it looks intentional—like they wanted to erase something specific.”

Emma stared at the screen, a cold knot of dread forming in her stomach.

“An inside job,” she murmured.

Jason nodded. “It’s looking that way. The footage was stored on a secure server, so whoever did this had access to our systems. It’s the same MO as the cyber-attack.”

The realization hit Emma like a wave. The poisoning, the corrupted footage, the previous sabotage—all connected. This wasn’t just a random act of malice. It was a coordinated effort to destabilize everything she and Thomas had built.

“Focus on recovering what you can,” Emma said, her voice hardening. “Even fragments might give us a clue. In the meantime, I’ll work with Detective Simmons to figure out who had motive and opportunity.”

Emma spent the rest of the night pouring over internal records, trying to identify anyone who might have had access to both the fundraiser and the foundation’s systems.

Her eyes burned from staring at the screen, but she refused to stop. Every name she came across felt like a potential suspect, every gap in the records like a glaring vulnerability.

Around midnight, her phone buzzed. It was Simmons.

“I’ve got something,” the detective said without preamble. “We cross-referenced the toxin with recent purchases. Turns out, a small quantity was ordered under a fake name—but the shipping address was traced to someone on your event staff.”

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