THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

Cora stared for a few long seconds, her mind racing. Her voice came out low and sharp. "This is how people try to play smart under my nose. But I'm not going to let that happen. Not again. Not ever."

Malisa took a slow breath before speaking again. "That's why I said you need to act fast. But before you do anything rash, there's something else. I just got a piece of news concerning James…"

Cora's eyes narrowed. "What about James?"

Malisa leaned forward a little and lowered her voice.

"It just broke out not long ago. Something big."

At that moment, Cora gripped her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Her voice came out low but sharp, "What news is that, Malisa? What news actually broke not long ago?" There was tension in her voice not fear, but a stern demand for clarity. Whatever it was, she needed to know, and fast.

Malisa didn't rush. She leaned forward, her voice calm but grave, like someone about to deliver a truth that might shake the room.

"It's about James Leck," Melissa began, watching Cora's eyes narrow. "Kingstone Investments remember the huge investment they made in James' company? They pulled out. They recalled everything. Every dollar, every agreement, every clause that was holding him up. And guess what? He couldn't pay back."

Cora didn't blink. Her silence screamed louder than words.

Malisa continued, "His house? Seized. All his cars? Gone. Even the luxury one he flaunted around during the last shareholder meeting. All taken."

She paused before delivering the next blow. "And it doesn't stop there. James was actually a gambler, Cora. A big one. He had a major casino outside the country. I dug into it. That too? Seized. Shut down. Everything's frozen. His bank accounts, assets… all of it is going to be liquidated and handed back to Kingstone Investments."

The silence in the room was thick. It wasn't just news. It was justice. Cold. Final.

Malisa leaned back slightly. "From every indication, James is broke. Completely down to zero."

Hearing that, Cora stayed frozen for a few more seconds, her lips slightly parted. Then, as if slowly absorbing the weight of the information, she sat back and let out a quiet breath.

Her expression didn't show pity. Not even surprise. It was satisfaction. Cold, sharp satisfaction.

"That's exactly what he deserves," she said finally, her tone firm. "I'm not going to feel sorry for him. Not even for a second. People like him people who walk around hurting others without remorse they deserve everything that comes for them."

Her voice grew stronger with each word. "This? This is his fair share. His reward for all the evil he's done. He thought he was untouchable. Well now, he's touched."

She lifted her chin, as if reclaiming something inside her. "And if this has nothing to do with him, then good. That means I've got someone else to focus on. Someone else who thinks they can take what's mine."

Her lips curled slightly not in a smile, but something more dangerous. Satisfaction and warning wrapped into one.

She looked at Melissa and said firmly, "But I'm not scared. I'm just getting started."

At that moment, Malisa nodded, but looked a bit worried. "So," she said slowly, "how are we even going to find this Mr. B?" Her voice wasn't loud, but there was a heavy concern in it. "He's not someone we should joke with. I mean it. Something inside me, like a strong gut feeling, keeps telling me this man… he's planning something right now this very moment."

She leaned forward and looked directly at Cora. "We can't just sit back and fold our arms like everything is okay. That would be foolish. It would be a big mistake, Cora."

Malisa paused for a second, then added, "No, we must push forward. We must find out who he is and what he really wants. I don't like the silence around his name. It tells me this man is dangerous. Very, very dangerous."

Cora didn't interrupt. She just watched Malisa quietly, her lips slightly pressed together. The silence between them was thick, but it wasn't cold it was thoughtful.

Then Malisa straightened herself and said firmly, "I'm not going to sit down and wait for the worst. No way. I need to start putting my plans in order, even if I don't know everything yet. But first... I need to know who this person is. I must know him."

She glanced sideways for a second, then turned back to her desk. Her voice dropped a little. "I do have someone," Malisa said carefully. "Someone who might be able to help us. But I'm not sure you'd agree to it, Cora..."

At that moment, Cora narrowed her eyes a little, still gripping her phone as she let out a small sigh. "Okay," she said, her voice low but firm. "Let me hear about it. Who is this person you're talking about? Talk to me."

Malisa didn't hesitate. She leaned forward slightly and said, "It's someone we've used before. Not someone new. He's a bit unorthodox, I'll admit, but if there's one person who can pull this off, it's him. Lovi. He's the only one I can think of right now who has the reach, the connections, and the brains to find out who Mr. B really is."

The moment the name left Malisa's lips, Cora's face instantly changed. Her expression tightened, and she didn't even let Melissa finish before cutting her off sharply.

"No," Cora snapped. "No, Melissa. I'm not going to accept that. Lovi? Again? Absolutely not. I don't trust that guy. He's corny, shady, and something about him just rubs me the wrong way. We haven't even settled what happened the last time, Malisa. He still hasn't accepted the money for the job he did. And now you're proposing another deal with him? No way. I don't want that guy involved in anything we're doing."

Melissa kept her calm, though her expression was now mixed with frustration. She sighed and slowly replied, "If you don't want Lovie involved, then I'll be honest with you, Cora… it simply means you're not ready to uncover the identity of this Mr. B. That's just the hard truth. We can't afford to be picky about help, not now."

There was silence for a moment.

Cora stared at the ground, her jaw clenched. She wasn't ready to admit it, but Melissa had a point. This wasn't the time to let personal feelings get in the way of strategy.

Malisa continued to press, her tone more persuasive now, "Listen, I'm not saying we let him walk all over us. This time, we draw the line. We set the plan straight for him upfront. No negotiation, no back and forth. We give him clear terms, and he either accepts or walks away. It's that simple. But we both know he's good at what he does, Cora. That's the only thing I can say about him. He's not perfect, but he delivers."