CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT – HOW DEEP IS THE CONSPIRACY

They all turned to see Detective Laura Gomez step out of the shadows, her badge glinting in the moonlight. Behind her, several uniformed officers appeared. "Linda Hawthorne, James Forrester, you're under arrest for embezzlement, corporate fraud, and conspiracy," Laura announced, her voice ringing with authority. As the officers moved in to handcuff Linda and James, chaos erupted. James made a desperate lunge for the railing, as if to jump, but was quickly subdued. Linda, in a last act of defiance, spat at Miguel's feet. "This isn't over," she hissed as she was led away. "You have no idea how deep this goes." As the terrace cleared, Miguel and Karina found themselves alone, the sounds of the gala continuing obliviously inside. They stood in stunned silence for a moment, the weight of what had just transpired settling over them. "We did it," Karina breathed, disbelief coloring her voice. "We actually did it." Miguel turned to her, his eyes shining with a mix of relief and something