---
"Mrs. Arianna!" Her name, sharp and urgent, sliced through the morning air.
Arianna halted mid-stride, turning to see Sam, her assistant, hurrying toward her.
"Ma'am."
"Samantha."
"Good morning, Ma'am," Sam greeted, her pace quickening.
"Morning to you too, Sam. How are you?" Arianna replied, her tone calm despite a growing sense of unease.
"I'm well, thank you, Mrs. Arianna." Sam's usual cheerful demeanor was replaced by a serious gravity. "There's something I need to show you, Ma'am."
Arianna's left eyebrow arched, a silent question. "What is it?" She noticed the blue file clutched in Sam's hand.
"Perhaps we should discuss it in your office... privately," Sam suggested, her voice lowered, adding to Arianna's growing apprehension.
Though her exterior remained composed, a knot of curiosity and concern tightened within Arianna.
"Then let's go," she urged, leading the way.
---
The moment the office door closed behind them, Arianna turned, her patience wearing thin.
"So... what is it?"
Sam wordlessly slid the blue file across the table.
"You need to see this."
Arianna's gaze flickered from the file to Sam's serious face and back again. Picking it up, she broke the seal. The first things to catch her eye were several unsettling photographs. She emptied the file's contents onto the table—a collection of papers and disturbing images.
She began with the papers—a dense contract between two parties: Party A - Fabian Marshall; Party B - Daniel Delagado. Confusion clouded her features as she struggled to grasp the implications of the legal jargon.
Her gaze then drifted to the photographs. As she processed each horrifying image, her confusion morphed into stark realization, then shock, and finally, a chilling horror.
Her eyes widened, a silent scream trapped within them.
What in God's name is this?
She recoiled, flinging the pictures back onto the table as if they were contaminated. The horrified look remained etched on her face.
"W... Where did you get these?" Her voice was barely a strangled whisper.
Samantha swallowed hard. "A man brought them to me this morning."
"You mean Collins? The prosecutor?" Arianna sought confirmation, her mind racing.
"Yes, Ma'am," Samantha replied with a small, hesitant nod.
Arianna took a deep, shaky breath, rubbing her forehead, her mind reeling.
"Did he say how he obtained them?"
Samantha shook her head.
"No, Ma'am. He simply dropped it off and instructed me to give it directly to you."
Her answer did nothing to ease the turmoil churning within Arianna.
"Thank you, Samantha. You can leave now."
"Okay, Ma'am." Sam retreated, a worried glance lingering on Arianna’s face.
---
Alone, Arianna snatched her phone and dialed a number.
"Barrister Zuckerberg," she greeted formally as soon as the call connected.
A booming, enthusiastic voice filled her ear.
"Barrister Rodriguez! A pleasure!"
"Sir," Arianna cut to the chase, her urgency palpable. "Are you at your residence?"
YOU ARE READING
DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE
General FictionCurrently under editing. "Choose, Mrs. Rodriguez." The man's voice, thick with self-satisfaction, hung in the air. A mischievous glint sharpened his fat-bellied face. "Your husband or your career." He rose abruptly, the rustle of his expensive suit...
