The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 24

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 24: Trapped and Exposed


The supply closet was cramped, the air thick with the scent of cleaning supplies and the tension of their precarious situation. Emelly’s back pressed against Lucas’s chest, her breath shallow as Leo Brown’s footsteps echoed just outside the door. His fingers had stilled on the false documents he’d stolen, and now his voice dripped with suspicion. "Someone’s here." Emelly’s phone had betrayed them, the vibration loud enough to give away their hiding spot. Lucas’s grip on her waist tightened, his lips brushing her ear in a whisper so low she barely caught it. "Don’t move."


But it was too late. The closet door swung open, flooding the dim space with harsh fluorescent light. Leo stood there, his sharp features twisted into a smirk, the stolen files clutched in one hand. "Well, well.


The mighty Lucas York, hiding in a closet with his little assistant." His gaze flicked between them, lingering on Emelly with a predatory glint. "Planning a little corporate espionage of your own?" Lucas stepped forward, shielding Emelly instinctively. "You’re the one holding stolen property, Leo. I’d be careful where you point fingers."


Leo laughed, cold and mocking. "Stolen? These were left out for anyone to take. Careless of you." He tapped the papers against his palm. "But I’m curious—why go through all this trouble? Setting a trap for me? You must be desperate."


Emelly’s mind raced. Their plan had hinged on Leo taking the bait, but they hadn’t anticipated being caught in the act. If he walked away now, their entire scheme would collapse. She needed to think fast. Stepping around Lucas, she forced a bright, almost careless smile. "Desperate? Hardly. We just wanted to see if you’d fall for something so obvious. And you did. Congrats, Leo—you played yourself." Leo’s smirk faltered. "What are you talking about?" Lucas caught on instantly, his expression shifting into cool amusement. "Those documents are worthless. Fabricated. We knew you’d try to steal them, so we let you. Now we have proof of your corporate espionage."


For a heartbeat, Leo looked genuinely unsettled. Then his lips curled again. "Clever. But who’s going to believe you? It’s your word against mine." Emelly crossed her arms. "Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the security cameras?" She pointed to the corner of the hallway, where a small, blinking red light was barely visible. "You’re on tape, Leo. Stealing from York Group. That’s not just a lawsuit—that’s criminal charges." Leo’s confidence wavered. He glanced at the camera, then back at them, weighing his options. Finally, he tossed the files onto the floor with a scoff. "This isn’t over." As he strode away, Emelly let out a shaky breath. Lucas turned to her, his gaze intense. "Security cameras?" She grinned. "Bluffing.


There aren’t any in this hallway." A slow, reluctant smile tugged at his lips. "You’re terrifying." Before she could retort, the sound of hurried footsteps made them both tense. David, Lucas’s driver, rounded the corner, his face grim. "Sir, we have a problem. Brown Group just filed a lawsuit against us—fraud and intellectual property theft. They’re claiming we sabotaged their merger." Lucas’s expression darkened. "That’s impossible." Emelly’s stomach dropped. "Unless…" She looked at the discarded files on the floor. "Unless those weren’t the only documents Leo planted." The realization hit them both at the same time. Leo hadn’t just taken their bait—he’d set his own trap. And now York Group was in serious trouble. Lucas grabbed Emelly’s hand, his migraine momentarily forgotten in the chaos. "We need to move. Now." As they rushed toward the elevators, Emelly couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that this was far from over. Leo had outmaneuvered them, and the fallout could destroy everything.