Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Later that day, Roman sat in his office, fingers tapping against his desk in a steady rhythm. The weight of everything he’d just uncovered sat heavy in his chest, but he wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

If Blair’s parents had been set up…if their deaths were more than just a tragic accident, then the people responsible had no idea what kind of war they had just stepped into.

A knock at the door broke through his thoughts. “Come in.”

Peters walked in, holding a file thick enough to signal bad news. “Blair just went to the restroom. She mentioned you didn’t have anyone in here with you.”

Roman gave a nod, granting him permission to proceed.

“I wanted to let you know. We’ve gathered more information since this morning.”

Roman straightened. “Talk to me.”

Peters shut the door behind him and placed the file on Roman’s desk before pulling out a chair. “We went back through Warner Industries‘ financials with the team you arranged today. We also combed through the estate filings and legal transactions following their deaths.”

“And?” Roman’s voice was razor sharp, his patience thinning.

“It was a setup,” Peters said grimly. “Whoever orchestrated this wanted control of Warner Industries. They falsified losses, shifted assets, and created enough evidence to make the company look like it was in trouble. Forcing Peter to step in and ‘Save it?”

Roman clenched his jaw. “Who?” He asked, but he already knew.

Peters opened the file, flipping through highlighted bank statements and transaction records. “It all circles back to Peter Warner. He’s the one who benefited the most.”

Roman’s fists tightened. “That son of a bitch. Low–life scum.”

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Peters nodded. “Vivian Warner benefited too. The is no way to know if she was in on it or not. But Peter was the one pulling the strings. He used a dummy corporation to ‘buy out‘ Warner shares a few months before the plane crash.” Peters turned a page, tapping on a company name. “And that corporation dissolved a year later, and the assets were quietly transferred back to him. Before Blair’s parents died, Peter didn’t have the financial capability to save a struggling company like he now claims.”

Roman exhaled slowly, his fury cold and calculated. “Blair and her sisters have no idea.”

“No. They were kids at the time. They only knew what they were told. And there’s more.”

Roman stilled.

Peters hesitated before flipping to the final section of the file. “The plane crash.”

Roman’s blood ran ice cold. “What did you find?”

level, but the weight behind it was deadly. “The plane had undergone full mechanical service a week before the crash. The issue that supposedly caused the accident? It would have been caught during that service. I spoke

Roman’s vision darkened at

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16:13 Wed, 18 Jun

Chapter 42

fault in the fuel line, like the crash investigators claim.

against the desk. “Who

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“That’s the real kicker. The company that performed the final inspection was owned by one of Peter’s

just financial fraud. Blair’s parents had been murdered. And Roman was going to make sure every single person involved paid

office bathroom, her head still buzzing from everything that had happened today. Finding out about Dan and Laura’s engagement, let alone

nothing compared to Roman’s

head around it.

intense, and powerful

said no. Should’ve told him

figure out a way to handle Jessica

But she hadn’t.

she wanted it. She wanted

she walked toward her desk–only to pause when she saw Dan

get to her office, she’d have

twisted in annoyance.

sight of her and smirked, pushing off

stiffened. “What do you want, Dan?” As if she didn’t already know why

not be civil for two

lost the right to ‘civil‘ when

smirk faltered–but only for a second. Then he grinned. “You really should let that go. It’s in the past. You’re the last person who should be talking. Just how long has

Blair saw red.

dare you?”

playing with you.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I bet he’s already moving on to the next one. Men like Roman don’t settle. You’re nothing

She was

move, a shadow loomed

Roman.

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Chapter 19

in the

turned–only to go pale as death when he saw who was standing behind