Chapter 5

Emily waited quietly in the coffee room, her heart racing. After a few moments, she stepped out cautiously, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby. When she confirmed the coast was clear, she placed her palm over her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

"So close," she muttered under her breath, her pulse still high from the tension.

She walked up to Kaiden’s office door and reached for the doorknob, but suddenly, a thought struck her. In a swift movement, she withdrew her hand.

The surveillance in the office was too sophisticated. If she tried anything now, it would be caught on camera, and she wasn’t ready to be exposed. With a swift glance down the hallway, she hurriedly left the 10th floor, her plans temporarily thwarted.

Meanwhile, Kaiden’s car pulled up in front of a high-end bar. The midday quietness of the area left the bar feeling calm, with only a few patrons inside.

Kaiden and Alex stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance. The door man, recognizing Kaiden immediately, hurriedly opened the door with a smile.

"Welcome, Sir," the man greeted, his voice respectful, as he gave a small bow. Kaiden merely nodded in response.

Inside, Kaiden walked confidently through the space, leading Alex to a door at the back. The sound of masculine voices and laughter echoed from within.

"I won this, Sam!" one of the voices boomed, full of excitement.

"You cheated, buddy!" another voice responded, followed by laughter.

"How can I cheat? I’m too old for that!" the first voice retorted with more laughter.

Just as the door swung open, the laughter suddenly died, and the room fell silent. Everyone in the room exchanged confused glances, caught off guard by the unexpected entrance.

The visitor turned out to be none other than Kaiden Glevon. What was he doing at the bar, and why was he in their private room? Had he made a mistake in coming here? The bar, though upscale, was nothing like the places Kaiden, the CEO of a vast empire, would typically visit. It felt all wrong, so it was clear he must have taken a wrong turn.

"Did I interrupt something?" Kaiden's tone was filled with disgust. He looked around at the old men drinking and gambling at such an hour. What a waste of their lives!

The floor was covered with discarded beer bottles, and the table in the middle was littered with empty cigarette packets and ashtrays filled with half-smoked stubs. The air reeked of alcohol.

No one said a word. It was as if they were too stunned to speak. From Kaiden’s face, they quickly realized that he hadn’t gotten lost. But what did he want with them?

Kaiden’s expression soured further. He couldn’t stand being in that room any longer. He turned to the man he came for and grimaced.

"Inspector Hillary, I'm here to see you, but this place is beneath me," he said coldly. Then, looking at his assistant, he added, "Alex, show him out. And Inspector Hillary, my time is valuable."

With that, he left the room, his presence hanging in the air like a heavy storm.

Alex gestured to Hillary, whose face was twisted with anger and confusion. Why was Kaiden looking for him? How dare such a young man speak to him like that? But, at the moment, he had no choice but to obey. After all, Kaiden was powerful enough to control everything.

Hillary gave his friends a reassuring glance before following Alex into another room, one that seemed to be the most luxurious in the bar. Kaiden was already seated, sipping wine from a goblet, and he gave a subtle nod when Hillary entered, motioning for him to sit.

"With all due respect, Kaiden Glevon, what’s the reason for this unexpected visit?" Hillary asked as soon as he settled onto the couch. He’d never had any dealings with Kaiden before, so why was the young CEO looking for him?

"Inspector Hillary, would you care for more to drink?" Kaiden asked, pointing to an expensive wine bottle on the glass table while he sipped his drink with grace.

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot. You’ve had enough already, judging by the stench coming from you." Kaiden’s words made Hillary’s frown deepen. Was that an insult?

"Let me correct you, Kaiden Glevon. I'm not Inspector Hillary, I—"

"Of course, you retired five years ago," Kaiden interrupted, finishing his sentence for him.

"Retired with no investments, but you spend money every day on women, alcohol, and cigarettes like the elites. The only difference is, you don’t look like one," Kaiden continued, his words dripping with disdain.

What was Kaiden implying? It was clear now that he wasn’t here with good intentions.

"What are you insinuating, Kaiden?"

"Nothing, Inspector. Oh! Sorry, Mr. Hillary." Kaiden spoke with such arrogance that it took all of Hillary’s restraint not to lash out at him. If it weren’t for Kaiden’s powerful status, Hillary would have slapped him across the face.

"You’re no different from your father. Arrogant and rude," Kaiden spat, each word filled with venom.

Kaiden chuckled, his brows furrowing. "Your father," he muttered. "Seems like you've had dealings with him before. I wonder what kind of business that was."

Hillary shifted uncomfortably. He no longer wanted to be in the same room as Kaiden; the young man was too intimidating.

Kaiden took a deep breath and locked eyes with him. "The case from ten years ago. Rowan George. My mother's employee." As soon as the name left Kaiden's lips, Hillary's eyes briefly fluttered before he regained control, but Kaiden noticed.

"As you know, I’m retired, so such matters don’t concern me anymore," Hillary replied, trying to remain composed.

"But you were in charge of that case, Mr. Hillary," Kaiden countered, his eyes never leaving Hillary's face. His unblinking gaze made Hillary uneasy.

"I wasn’t. The case was transferred," Hillary said firmly. He couldn’t allow himself to be intimidated.

"I need the details of that case," Kaiden stated, cutting to the point. He wasn’t here for small talk; he wanted information.

"The only detail I can give you is that the case was transferred to his home country since that’s where the crime occurred. We simply assisted in the arrest. He was tried and sentenced there," Hillary explained, his mind racing. What business did Kaiden have with a case tried in another country?

"I see, Mr. Hillary," Kaiden said coldly. "I’ll take my leave. Thank you for your time." He had gotten all he needed. Without another word, he strode out of the room.

As soon as the door closed behind Kaiden, Hillary quickly pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. When he found the one he was searching for, he dialed immediately.

"Kaiden Glevon is searching for details on the Rowan case from ten years ago," he said, waiting for a response from the other end of the line.

"Okay, I’ll meet you there," came the reply, and Hillary hung up.

His face became tense with worry. Why was Kaiden looking for that information? He silently thanked his luck for destroying the file back then. If he hadn’t, he might have been in serious trouble now.

Once in the car, Kaiden ordered, "Send people right away to watch his every move and keep me updated regularly." From Hillary's face, it was clear there was more to the situation than what appeared. "Let’s see how he handles this," Kaiden thought.

"Got it, Boss," Alex responded. He quickly typed something on his phone, then looked back at Kaiden sitting behind him. "It’s done."