THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.
Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Chapter 67

At that moment, James’ lips trembled slightly, and his breath became uneven. His hands were shaking as he stared into the empty safe. The words that came out of his mouth were slow and broken, like a man trying to convince himself of a reality that made no sense.

"What... what is going on?" he muttered, his voice almost a whisper. "I clearly remember... I kept it here. Right here. Where... where did it go?"

His eyes darted around the safe, as if hoping the flash drive might magically appear in a corner he had somehow missed. But the truth was staring him back cold and undeniable.

Emily, standing right behind him, felt a chill run down her spine. Her brows furrowed, and her voice dropped to a careful tone as she asked, "Wait... are you sure you actually kept it here? Like, completely sure? Could it have been somewhere else? Maybe another safe? Another drawer?"

Immediately James whipped his head around, his frustration bubbling out. "No! How do you even say that, by the way?" he snapped, then ran his hand through his hair. "I remember I kept it here. This is the only place I kept that flash drive. I made sure, damn sure that nothing else was inside this safe. It was just the flash drive. Alone. Nothing more. Nothing less."

He turned back to the empty box, as if still trying to comprehend how it could be gone.

His mind was racing. His heart was pounding. And his face slowly began to change not just confused anymore, but terrified.

Emily looked at him for a long second. Then slowly, she turned her head toward the door of the storage room, her eyes narrowing in thought. Something wasn’t adding up.

She turned back to James and said softly but with weight in her voice, "Could it be... that the same person who wiped your laptop also opened the safe... and took away the flash drive?"

At that moment, James stepped back from the open safe, his chest rising and falling as disbelief washed over him like a cold wave. His voice trembled as he spoke, barely able to believe his own words.

"It’s not even possible," he said, shaking his head slowly. "Like... how?"

His eyes scanned the interior of the safe again, as if somehow the flash drive would miraculously reappear. His fingers hovered above the empty shelf, then curled into fists. "The safe is highly secured. The password, it’s not something I’ve used before. I made sure of that. It’s something I created only for this."

He paused, eyes darting around the storage room. "So how is this person able to open the safe cleanly, quietly, without triggering anything, without even a scratch on the door? I mean, look at it," he said, pointing with a shaky hand. "There’s no damage. No signs of tampering. No broken locks, no forced access. It’s just... open. Like someone knew the password."

His voice cracked slightly, his pride beginning to crumble under the weight of what had just happened. "This is not some random burglary. This is not coincidence. Someone came here for this," he said, tapping his chest with trembling fingers. "Someone came here to destroy me... and they knew exactly what to look for."

He stepped back and leaned against the wall, the realization hitting him harder than he expected. "Has Cora really grown this big? Big enough to hire a professional thief? One who can bypass every layer of my security without leaving a trace?"

Then he closed his eyes for a second, trying to keep himself together, but the silence of the room made the panic inside him even louder.

"What kind of professional does something like this so cleanly?" he muttered, almost to himself. "Who did she gave the job to?"

At that moment, Emily would then tell James, her voice firmer than before, "James, this is serious. You need to stop thinking that Cora is going to back off or weak. She’s not." She stepped closer, her eyes burning with concern. "This woman isn’t acting on her own anymore. Somebody is backing her. Somebody with serious reach. And whoever that person is, they are helping her cover every angle."

Then she pointed toward the empty safe, her tone sharp. "This wasn’t a break-in. This was a silent message. She’s showing you that she can get to you right here, in your own home, in the one place you thought you were safe."

James gritted his teeth, trying hard to remain calm. But the muscles in his jaw were twitching, and his clenched fists told a different story.

Emily continued, "If you don’t find out who is behind her, and fast, she’s going to keep making moves like this. You need to know who’s pumping her full of confidence, who’s helping her rise this fast. That’s the only way to turn the table. Get them out of the picture—and she’ll lose her power."

James nodded slowly, his eyes dark with rage, his mind replaying everything from the moment he lost control of the company to this second. "Cora... Cora," he muttered, his voice low and bitter. "That trash. That useless thing I thought I would be able to trash away... now she’s the one hurting me?"

His voice cracked slightly, not from weakness, but from disbelief. His hands shook, not out of fear, but out of fury.

He stepped back, dragging his fingers through his hair as his breathing deepened. "She’s not just trying to ruin me, Emily. She’s toying with me. And I can’t let her win."

**

Cora was seated in her living room, legs folded beneath her on the soft couch, a bowl of untouched fruit beside her. Her eyes were fixed on the television screen, but her mind was far from what was playing. She had been restless since she came back, waiting for news. Then suddenly, her phone rang.

She didn’t even check the caller ID. Her heart already told her who it was.

She picked it up quickly. "Hello?"

Malisa’s voice came through immediately, calm but with an undertone of urgency.

"Levi just called me. He said he’s done it. Everything went smoothly."

Then Cora’s eyes lit up with satisfaction. She exhaled a sharp breath she didn’t even know she was holding. "Perfect," she said, trying to suppress the smirk forming on her lips. "So... it’s done?"

Malisa’s voice dropped a bit. "Yes!it’s done"

Then Cora uttered.

" confirmed everything yourself, and transfer the money."

However There was a short silence. Cora leaned forward slightly, waiting for Malisa to respond.

But then, Malisa’s tone shifted.

"However," Malisa said, her voice more serious now, "we have a little bit of an issue."