Chapter 55

The next morning, Brielle turned on her phone, which had been turned off. There were many missed calls inside, not only from the Haywood family but also from Spencer and Faith. As for the messages filling the screen, she didn’t even bother to look at them. She just pressed delete.

After tidying up a bit, she made her way to the estate’s living room. Max was out, likely not to return until the evening. Brielle had committed the information she’d uncovered to memory, but she was eager to get a real feel for the work environment at the North American conglomerate’s towering headquarters. She knew all too well that limited experience narrowed one’s vision, and only by immersing herself in the thick of it could she truly grasp the allure of these financial powerhouses.

Wall Street, for instance, just a stone’s throw away, was the stuff of dreams for any finance professional. The hub of the business world, where within a mere square kilometer, over two thousand financial institutions and nearly four hundred thousand finance professionals converged.

The very thought had Brielle’s blood pumping with excitement.

However, her outing faced a rocky start as a sudden downpour caught her mid-journey. She took shelter under a bus stop awning, watching as dark clouds amassed ominously above. Horns blared in the distance, visibility dropping by the second.

Brielle checked her route on her phone and decided on a shortcut down a less-traveled alley.

“Bang! Bang!” No sooner had she stepped into the deserted lane than the sound of gunfire echoed. A nearby sign clattered violently in the wind.

Under the veil of rain, all discord seemed well concealed.

Brielle halted, not daring to move forward. In a foreign land, especially in carrying firearms was common, running up like that was seeking death.

As she was about to retreat, a rough hand clamped around her wrist. The gr enough to make her bones ache, and in moments she found herself pinned ag mold-streaked wall.

ry where “Aussie?” The man’s tone carried a tinge of confusion, his breath hot against her ne Brielle stiffened, swallowing hard. The cold barrel of a gun pressed against her side m it clear that any sudden moves could be her last.

Several men lay in the depths of the alley, their blood mingling with the rainwater in the gutters. She had stumbled upon a murder.

She didn’t recognize the man, but there was something vaguely familiar about him. Then, In the flash of a synapse, a photograph came to mind.

The young son of Infinity Brilliance, the diamond industry’s most favored and enigmatic figure.

Twenty-some years ago, Infinity Brilliance lost a daughter. Neither the chairman nor this young man had ever ceased their search.

Brielle’s eyelashes fluttered as she managed to speak, “Mr. Lynch, I didn’t see anything.”

It was no secret that Infinity Brilliance had amassed a multitude of enemies. Their domineering rules and sharp practices had nearly cornered the entire diamond market.

Dustin, taken aback that this woman knew of him, scrutinized her before pocketing his gun. ‘Which Aussie family’s daughter are you?

“I’m just an employee at Dorsey International.”

Dustin was not in his usual suit, dressed simply in a white shirt and black pants, looking quite young.

He reached out, fingers wrapping around her throat. “Dorsey International? You know Max?”

Brielle, having researched Infinity Brilliance before, was familiar with Dustin’s profile. It seemed Dustin and Max were not on the best of terms.

She regretted her quick tongue. “I don’t know him.”

The wise know when to yield.

Dustin’s grip tightened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face.

An employee of Dorsey International not knowing Max was like telling tall tales with eyes wide ope open. His hand formed into a claw, intending to frighten her, but in the next instant, the scene before him shifted dramatically.

“Thud!”

With a swift judo move, Brielle had him on the ground and pinned his arm with an efficient twist.

Dustin was stunned, his mind racing to catch up. Instead of resisting, he looked up at her. “What the hell?”