[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-2603134E5B19-36":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},36,18,"Chapter 18: A Shot at Redemption","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The three-year marriage was a debt he couldn't escape, a resentment he deserved. If she wanted to hate him, so be it. As long as her memory wasn't fully back, he still had a shot at redemption. He'd bend over backward to make it up to her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The Reynolds Residence.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The night was a hazy, moonlit affair, everything hushed and still.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Only Archer Reynolds's room blazed with light, a low growl of frustration and anger emanating from within.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You're delusional! There's no way in hell I'm letting you marry him…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You pushed me to this, didn't you? I gave up everything to come back to you. Don't even think about ditching me…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Thud! A heavy object hit the floor, followed by a long, suffocating silence. It wasn't until the night bled into dawn, the sky lightening at the edges, that the all-night vigil of the lamp was finally extinguished.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Did you hear? Miss Isabella Lopez swung by Mr. Reynolds's place yesterday and left bawling.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No way! When? How'd I miss that?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Shhh… keep it down! It was after work yesterday. I was burning the midnight oil…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Their voices trailed off into murmurs as Celine Evans emerged from the bathroom stall, sure they'd moved on.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Isabella and Archer? What was their deal? Wasn't she Dante Williams's girlfriend?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Could it be that Dante's \"be careful of Archer\" warning was for this reason...?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine cupped her hands, splashing cold water on her face. The deeper she dug, the more convinced she was that these people were a whole damn mood board of secrets.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She needed to investigate.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A name popped into her head. A college buddy, now deep in the government's intelligence game. She'd done him a solid once.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A quick favor, looking into a few folks? Totally doable.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She fired off an email, pitching her favor. Archer had also been overseas, right? He'd probably know something.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A rapid reply confirmed he was on it, though he warned detailed intel might take about a week.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine was fine with waiting.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">No sooner had she hit send than Archer himself materialized behind her, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Mr. Reynolds! How long have you been standing there?\" Celine jumped, a prickle of panic. Had he caught her snooping?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Just got here. You busy?\" Archer's tone remained smooth as silk.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Nope, not at all. Is there something you need?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The initial shock hadn't faded, and a creeping sense of unease began to unfurl.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I was wondering if you could help me track the progress of a construction project. It's a government gig, way up in the mountains. I hate to ask, but I can't trust anyone else with it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer’s apology seemed genuine. Honestly, he dreaded sending her on such a grueling assignment.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But the last few reports were a hot mess – nobody could pinpoint the issues or push things forward.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He needed someone he could trust, someone competent.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine let out a silent sigh of relief. Just work.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She nodded, her voice steady. \"The Pine Ridge project, right? I can handle it, Mr. Reynolds.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer sighed. She was sharp and got it, but she was still a woman.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"How about this: I'll have someone go with you. Be safe.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sounds good.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine readily agreed. The project was a beast with a long timeline, but the constant delays screamed underlying problems. A site visit was the only way to get to the bottom of it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">And honestly, she was stoked. The bigger the challenge, the more she'd learn, the sharper her skills would get.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It's all set. Our partner company is sending someone to join you. They'll pick you up at the office first thing tomorrow.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer seemed pleased. He clapped her on the shoulder and turned to go.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">What Celine didn't see coming was that the \"partner company\" representative would be Dante Williams.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As she slid into the car, Celine still looked baffled.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Do your engineering projects now require the CEO to personally babysit them?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Dante offered a smile but kept mum about the fact that this project was a dumpster fire and he absolutely had to see it for himself.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The mountain road was a marathon. Celine, fighting off a wave of car sickness, drifted off. When she blinked awake, darkness had fallen.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The car was pulled over, Dante leaning against the driver's side door outside her window, a cigarette glowing like a defiant ember in the Stygian blackness.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine climbed out, checking her watch. Past eight in the evening, and her phone was completely dead.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Dante, any signal on your phone?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He stubbed out his cigarette and shook his head. \"Nope. Zero bars in this whole area. Didn't Archer mention it when he sent you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Mention what? Mr. Reynolds just said the mountains were a bit sketchy and to be careful.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Celine had chalked it up to standard corporate boilerplate, but now it felt like a red flag.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It's a government facility up there, they've got signal jammers everywhere. Once you're in, you're off the grid. And also…\" Dante trailed off, a heavy pause hanging in the air.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"And also what?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">And also, someone's likely in cahoots with shady underworld types, smuggling weapons, even skimming project funds. That's why the money's late, the materials are junk, and the workers aren't getting paid…\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But there was no point spilling all that. Better he dealt with it himself than drag her into his worries.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Huh? Then how am I supposed to check in with Mr. Reynolds?\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272932402]