The Billionaire's Dangerous Redemption (by Claire Winters) novel Chapter 43

43 A Desperate Gamble at a Secretive Address

I paced around my apartment, my fingers knotted into fists so tight my nails left crescent marks on my palms. Sebastian’s texts had left me confused. What financial situation had he handled? I hadn’t told him about my money Troubles W

My phone pinged with a notification from an auction site. The listing for my mother’s jade bracelet had updated–the reserve price increased by thirty percent. My stomach dropped.

“No, no, no, I whispered, staring at the screen.

Ivy. It had to be her. After my call with Alistair, she must have found out about the bracelet. Now she was driving up the price just to spite me, just like she’d done with everything else in my life.

I called Vera.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Is it Alistair again?” Vera answered immediately

“Worse. The bracelet’s reserve price just jumped. I think Ivy’s behind it.”

“That witch,” Vera hissed. “How much do you need now?”

I told her the new figure. The silence on the other end said everything.

“I’ll figure something out,” I said, more to myself than to her

Hazel, no. Whatever you’re thinking-”

only have two days left before the auction closes. I’m not losing my mother’s bracelet to Ivy

After hanging up. I stared at Sebastian’s text again. An advance on our arrangement?! wasn’t even sure what our arrangement was.

I pulled up the contact for Sebastian’s butler. It felt less intimidating than contacting Sebastian directly. After three rings, a crisp voice answered.

“Ms. Shaw, good afternoon.”

sepreis Camblata Secretive Addres

Mr. Porter, hope I’m not interrupting anything”

“Not at all How may I assist you?”

4 swallowed hard. “I need to speak with Mr Sinclair about the dress design. There are some details I’d like to review with him in person.

A pause “I see. Mr. Sinclair is at the office today. I’ll text you the address. Please go to the building directly across from it and ask for him at reception

Strange instructions, but I wasn’t in a position to question them.

“Thank you

Twenty minutes later, I was in a taxi heading across town. The address led me to a part of the city I’d never visited before–an industrial area with tall fences and security checkpoints. My phone GPS showed we were approaching the destination, but I saw nothing that resembled a normal office building.

“Are you sure this is right?” the driver asked, slowing down.

“It should be,” I mumbled, rechecking the address.

We turned a corner, and the taxi stopped abruptly. Before us stood a massive compound with a sign that read: “Armament Research Institute – Authorized

Personnel Only”

“This can’t be right.” I said.

The driver pointed across the street. “Maybe it’s that building over there?”

Across from the military facility stood a sleek glass tower without any visible company

name.

“I try that one,” I said, paying the driver.

As I approached the unmarked building, a security guard stepped forward.

“Ma’am, can I help you!”

“Tm here to see Sebastian Sinclair

His expression changed immediately. He nodded to another guard who approached

with a handheld scanner.

“Arms out, please”

“Excuse me?”

“Standard security procedure, ma’am.

1 stood frozen as they scanned me and checked my purse. What kind of office required this level of security?

“Ms. Shaw? A woman in a crisp suit appeared. “Mr. Sinclair is expecting you. Follow me, please

She led me through a series of security doors, each requiring different clearance levels. The interior was minimalist and spotless, more like a high–tech laboratory than

an office.

“What exactly is this place?” I asked as we entered an elevator.

“Mr. Sinclair will explain,” she replied, pressing the top floor button with her keycard.

The elevator shot upward silently. When the doors opened. I stepped into a space that felt more like a command center than an executive suite. Floor–to–ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city, but what caught my attention were the multiple screens displaying what looked like satellite imagery and data streams.

Ms. Shaw

I turned to find Sebastian standing near a conference table, dressed in what appeared to be tactical gear rather than his usual bespoke suit.

“What is all this?” I asked, gesturing around us

Sebastian studied me for a moment. “This is where I work”

“And what exactly is it that you do?” I pressed, suddenly feeling very much out of my depth.

That’s a complicated question.” He motioned for me to sit. “But I suspect you didn’t come here to discuss my career

took a deep breath. “No, I didn’t”

“Then wiry are you here, Hazel?

The direct question made me falter How could ask this powerful man for money? A man whose workplace apparently required military–grade security?

“I need to borrow some money. I blurted out, deciding honesty was my only option “It’s for something personal. Something important.”

Sebastian didn’t seem surprised. “How much?”

I told him the figure, watching his face for any reaction. There was none.

“And what is this important personal matter?”

“My mother’s jade bracelet. It’s being auctioned in two days. It’s the only thing I have left of her.

Sebastian nodded slowly. “I see.”

“I wouldn’t ask, but-”

“You believe your stepsister is trying to take it from you,” he finished.

Iblinked. “How did you know that?”

Instead of answering, he walked to a desk and pressed a button. A screen on the wall lit up, displaying the auction listing for my mother’s bracelet

“The price increase came from an anonymous bidder using a proxy server in Switzerland,‘ he said matter–of–factly. “The same proxy your stepsister used last month to access medical records she shouldn’t have had access to

“How do you know all this?” I asked, horrified and fascinated at the same time.

Sebastian turned to face me fully. “Because I make it my business to know. Hazel Especially when it concerns people I’m interested in.

Achill ran down my spine. “And you’re interested in me?”

Very much so.

2

Derek te oble & Sapretive Adarmer

His directorss left me speechless. I glanced around the room again, taking in the monitors, the security, the glimpse of the military facility across the street

“What is this place really? Who are you?”

Sebastian stepped closer, his expression unreadable Thead the cybersecurity and

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