After I was discharged from the hospital, the days took off sooner than I expected. My condition gradually improved, even if I've been awake most of the day followed by the night.

The sheer pressure of finalizing the documentation of Mr Stone along with the continuous nagging of the threat of The Andersons coiling on my head made me uneasy. Three whole days I didn't go home but just wandered back and forth from SAMS to my private office.

"Liara?" A gentle voice brought me back from my train of thoughts. I glanced at the source and found Shan Li looking at me worriedly.

"Stop that look already, Li. You are pissing me off," I warned him, throwing a glare at him.

"Liara, you realize the consequences of what you are going to do, don't you?" Shan Li who was sitting at the other side of my office desk moved a little closer, resting his elbows on it. His jet black hair falling on his milky face. His specs rested on his nose, which he pushes back every so often.

"I know!" I responded through gritted teeth, trying to get past this conversation already. Soon, as if hearing my silent plea, Agnes came rushing inside my room.

"Liara, Carter D'Luka was sighted in the eastern borders of Manhattan. According to my peers, he purchased some drug shipments from the Mexican mobsters that he is going to trade to the youngsters today in his club." She handed me the documents. Turning through the pages, I found some pictures revealing the exchange between the two parties.

"We don't want to be on the wrong side of the Mexican mobs. We have to focus on Carter as of now." I said skimming through further sheets and that's when something hit me.

"Isn't he executing human trafficking? We have to find evidence that links him to drug dealing and human trafficking." I declared hitting the pen on the table breaking it into two. I heard someone chuckle from around the corner. My gaze settled on Aaliyah, who was looking at me with pure admiration?

"Aaliyah?" I drove her attention back.

"Oh, my! I'm sorry, did I disturb you guys?" She said rushing towards me, Chloe and Vikrant tailing her.

"Not at all, but why were you laughing?" I inquired a little frustrated as that disturbed my trail of thoughts.

"She already collected the proofs of his human trafficking and is dying to implement the plans." Said Vikrant, rolling his eyes at Aliyah and lying comfortably on the adjacent couch.

"What!" Asked the surprised Agnes and Shan Li. I swear their eyes will pop out of their skull if they opened it a little more widely.

"Guys, " I warned them to behave.

"What? She had the proof and still let him go with it? The poor girls will be in trouble!" Responded Agnes, anger bubbling on her face.

"Agnes, it's almost midnight. I'm sticking around for the stock market to open. Now that I'm here and you guys have the information, I guess it's the perfect time to release it. "I said glancing at the clock, it's long strides towards the number twelve making my heart beat faster giving me deja vu.

"He is on his way to hand over the lads to the purchaser. We have to hurry up quicker." Aaliyah said worry itching on her face, fury bubbling in all our nerves. I nodded, acknowledging her thoughts.

"Liara, you've been keen to ruin the Andersons and D'Luka industries. Don't you get that you are losing your estates to get what you've planned?"

I groaned when I heard Shan Li. He always proved himself as the financial professional in the team and today is no less. "You know I can bear that loss now. Don't fret about it." I said waving my hand dismissing the topic, but I am worried sick if I can pull this off or not.

"Liara! It has begun! I have contacted my friend who is the press editor of The New York Times. And he is more than thrilled to assist us." Chuckled Chloe who was constantly updating me how the things were going on the reporter's end.

"Let's do this," I declared, clicking on the television and switching to the news channel where there flashed "Breaking News" showing Carter along with the Andersons shaking hands and then it changed to some children helplessly lying on the floor guarded by the police officers and some men handcuffed standing heavily beaten up.

The next thing I saw was the shares of both the companies decreasing at an alarming rate. My mind in a frenzied mess because of immense nervousness along with excitement stirring in my blood.

"Start buying the shares, now!" I announced when I looked at the number on the screen falling down as per my calculation.

"On it!" I heard Shan Li rushing towards the computers and the clicking on the keyboard sounds increasing my heartbeat even more.

" is found that Carter D'Luka has been having connections with Mexican mobsters along with the Andersons...." My breath hitched when the reporter reported about the mobs.

"Fucking hell!" I heard Vikrant curse under his breath. "Act nothing rash! Let things work as they are. Just keep purchasing the stocks. I need to be the highest shareholder of both companies!" I said, glancing at the share status on the screen. I could hear my heart thumping so loud.

"Liara! The Andersons are detained as the police found some evidence against John Anderson and his son!" My breath fastened when I realised that they arrested my father. I shouldn't care about him. No, I will not. I recited this again and again.

"Carter D'Luka has been arrested. Wait! He's issued a non-bailable warrant." Chloe rushed towards me, showing a report on her cell phone.

"He better rot in hell for all I care. How are the rescued children?" I inquired about the kids.

"They have been drugged heavily. Some are on the verge of dying." A whimper left Aaliyah's lips when she reported about them.

I sighed, my head throbbing because of the unbelievable amount of tension in the room. I strode towards the balcony, releasing a sharp breath.

"Mom, I need you now," I said gazing at the sky where the moon and the stars light up the atmosphere making it breathtakingly wonderful.

I recalled her words, "Princess, in this world full of evil creatures, be the moon who shines bravely in her skin, outnumbered by the stars." I never understood what she meant by that until today when I felt satisfied when I saw the kids who were rescued from the horrible nightmare that awaited them. I sat in the nearby chair, slowly drifting off to nothingness.

*********

I felt a tug near my hands, lazily opening my eyes. I was greeted with clear ocean blue sky, birds chirping in the massive trees that enveloped the edges of the balcony.

"Liara, everything is scaled down. You have 58% shares of Andersons and co and 63% shares of D'Luka Industries. But.." Sighed Vikrant. I gazed back at him and saw his shoulders hunched. Standing on my almost numb limbs, I strode towards him, I squeezed his shoulders, gesturing to him to continue whatever he was going to say.

"You have lost some valuable estates in the transaction. And uh the resort in Italy is one of them." Tears started rolling down my cheeks, hitting the floor. Taking a deep breath, I dusted the tears away as I was confident I would get that back.

"No worries, anything else?" I asked, motioning him to enter inside the building. His eyebrows rose, watching my reaction.

"Uh, that John and Gilbert Anderson were bailed out by an unknown person, but Carter ran away from custody. He is in hiding and the police can't find him anywhere." He said rushing his thoughts into words. Their crime is so big, and they just got away with it? How heartless the world is. I pondered clenching my hands into a fist.

"You guys should relax. I've to go back to SAMS and analyze the next Directors Meeting as now I'm the CEO of those two companies." I suggested to all five of them who were stretching like dead fish all over the room.

"Aye Aye Captain!" They raised their hands in unison.

I left my private office, driving aimlessly towards SAMS. My mind is in a turmoil mess over how I will deal with the investors of the other two companies and how to cover-up the losses.

"Jesus!" I said out loud, hitting the brake harder when I felt something or somebody hit my car. Fear overwhelmed me at once when my mind adapted to what took place just now. Turning off the engine, I instantly got out of the car to check on the injured person whose body I found lying on the ground unmoving.

Slowly but steadily, I stepped near the guy who fell facing the opposite direction. "Hello?" My voice quivered, I hesitated before extending my hand to turn the guy and check his vitals.

When I swung the guy towards me, instead of a bloody face, I came face to face with a handgun and instantly my body smashed to the ground, hitting my head to my car's bonnet. The abrupt jolt of pain growing inside my brain blurred my vision, but soon I ascended to my feet when I felt not that dire.

"You bastard! How dare you?!" I heard a familiar voice. "Anthony?" I was not sure whether it was a concussion or real.

"Get inside the car, Liara! Now!" He exclaimed at me, making me aware of the condition that I'm in right now. Instead of interrogating him, I dashed inside the car, locking it. Then I saw Anthony hitting a guy square on his face who I think was the killer.

My blood went cold when I saw an approaching figure near the driver window. His face covered, showing only his creepy grey eyes making me recoil. He punched the window hard, but that didn't damage the window. I looked at Anthony and saw him taking blows after blows by the other guy.

My stomach twisted into a very clumsy knot when I saw him struggling to remove the door of my Lykan from its hinges. Breath caught in my throat and my mind whirled with the possibilities. When I saw the door almost popping out, I kicked it hard from all my might. That dazzled the intruder, and he collapsed on the ground holding the door. Soon one hand grasped my ankle and forced me out of the car. Pain shot up my entire body when I knocked over the police coming our way and twisting my ankle.

The attackers didn't see this coming and got caught by the police. I finally saw four giant men handcuffed and shoved inside the police car. I looked at Anthony and his subordinates rushing towards me, worry itching in his eyes. He held me up and drove me away from my Lykan. My car stood lonely over there with its hands detached and scratches everywhere. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for some time.

********

"Drink up!" Anthony was resting beside me after we gave our statements to the police and returned to SAMS. Aria worriedly handed us tissues and cleaned out wounds when the doctor came rushing inside my room.

"Doctor it's so nasty!" Whined Anthony making us laugh.

"Aw come on now." Said the doctor and handed him some painkillers and juices.

"Thank you, Doctor," I whispered, the lack of energy clear in my voice.

"Maam!" I heard Aria shout out loud, her phone kissing the ground making a vast noise of glass shattering.

"What is it?" I asked instantly, standing and rushing towards her. My heart almost caught up in my throat and I panicked.

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