Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 127

Chapter 127

Annie tightened the straps of her bag, ensuring her disguise was flawless. She had opted for a very pink wig and a mask that blocked the features of her face completely. The risk of being caught on airport surveillance was too high, and she wasn't about to let a single misstep ruin her plan. Her heart thumped with adrenaline as she walked out of the airport, her head down, blending perfectly into the hustle and bustle around her.

She hailed a taxi outside and gave the address of some condemned warehouse at the outskirt of the city. The others were already there, of course; they had arrived before her. The preparations had been meticulous, every detail planned.

All that was left was her presence to give the final command. As the taxi whizzed through the city streets, Annie's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, reassuring herself that no one was following her.

What she did not know was that the sleek, blue luxury car a few paces behind was Emma's. Inside, Emma sat in the back seat, her eyes fixed on the stack of documents in her lap. Her personal assistant had handed her the files as soon as she landed, and she wasted no time getting down to work she had neglected while she was away.

Emma, unaware of who was in the taxi ahead, glanced out the window briefly, her thoughts drifting. She had been back in the city for less than thirty minutes and already the weight of responsibilities felt overwhelming.

After a few minutes, Emma's car pulled in front of Diana house, a gigantic tower overlooking the city. The building meant so much to Emma. She blinked back the tears threatening to spill as she stepped out of the car, her head held high, exuding the grace and authority of a queen returning to her domain.

Inside, hundreds of workers ceased work, their heads bowed in respect as Emma walked past them. She gave them a slight nod, her heels clicking on the marble floors as she headed to her private office. She had been away for too long, and the mountain of work that was piled up for her required her undivided attention.

Emma sat in her chair, her eyes scanning through the first file of the pile. She hurriedly scans through the files, her mind focused to address the most pressing issues.

The setup of the seminar scheduled at 2 PM had been completed, thus allowing her just the necessary time to clear off as much work as possible. AAAAA

Annie stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, her heels clicking sharply against the cracked concrete floor. The air inside was thick with the scent of oil, sweat, and dust. Around her, towering men with grizzled faces and scars that told stories of violence stood at rigid attention. Their sheer size and ruggedness made her look like a fragile doll in their midst, but not a single one dared to meet her gaze.

She was a figure of respect and even a touch of fear. Here, she was the one calling the shots, and they knew better than to cross her. Annie had promised them a hefty sum, enough to make even the most hardened criminal salivate. But she had also made it clear that failure was not an option.

Reaching the center of the room, Annie pulled a folded piece of paper and two photographs from her bag with deliberate, precise movements as if each second wasted was an insult to her fury. She handed those over to the gang's leader, some hulking man with a thick beard and cold, calculating eyes.

"This is the place," Annie said, her voice smooth as ice. She rapped the paper. "I want you to bring me these two people or at least one of them. This man." She laid her finger on the first picture, the owner of the playhouse. "Or this guy." Her finger hovered over the second photo, the guy she had slept with and even more anger rushed through her.

The leader glanced at the photos, his face unreadable, before nodding. "Understood." His voice was gravelly.

He turned to his men, barking orders for a small team to gear up and follow him.

Annie stepped back, folding her arms tightly across her chest as she watched them disperse. She was calm on the outside, but inside, a whirlwind of impatience and rage stirred in her. She moved to a chair near the center of the room, sinking into

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it cockily.

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As the minutes ticked by, her fingers drummed against the armrest of the chair while her mind was racing. The faces in those photos were everything that she despised at that moment. She had worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to let some lowlife destroy her life with a few videos and threats.

The men she had hired were ruthless, and she knew they would get the job done. But every second of waiting felt like an eternity. Her mind replayed every interaction, every moment of vulnerability that had brought her to this point. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. They'll pay for this, she thought. Both of them.

As the hours ticked by, Annie began the countdown in her mind, hardening her resolve with each second that passed. She would not sleep, would not stop, until those responsible for her misery faced her. They had stirred a fire in her belly, and she would burn their worlds. AAAAA

Derek slung the bag over his shoulder and caught his reflection on the cracked mirror hanging crookedly on the wall. The dim light in the room illuminated the shadow of a man he had become over the last four years, a ghost haunted by his failures. The room itself was a testimony to his downfall: peeling wallpaper, a sagging mattress on the floor, and an odour that clung to the air. It wasn't only the room that looked ugly, but his life had been reduced to nothing. Now it was time to act.

He reached for his chipped coffee mug, lifting it to his lips to savor the bitter brew. It was lukewarm, far from pleasant, but in his mind, a toast.

This was going to be his last drink, and with that bitterness, there was a sort of odd satisfaction. He placed the empty cup back on the counter, the sound echoing in the silence of the room. "Emma must be back by now," he said in a low gravelly voice.

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