The air in the firm buzzed with energy as Scott juggled a mountain of tasks at his desk. Papers piled high, he meticulously filed documents while answering ringing phones and coordinating with clients eager to meet Mr Adam about their cases. Overwhelmed and feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him, he paused for a brief moment to collect his thoughts. That's when he spotted Miss Shelley striding toward him, her annoyance etched clearly on her face as she exited the elevator, heading straight for Ben's office. Scott sensed the storm brewing in her eyes and opted for a simple nod of acknowledgement, knowing better than to inquire about her destination. He could only imagine the trouble Ben was about to face.

Meanwhile, Ben sat surrounded by a sea of paperwork at his desk, deep in concentration. The sudden creak of the door snapped him from his thoughts. He glanced up, ready to scold whoever dared to barge in without knocking. But the stern look disappeared from his face when he locked eyes with Shelley. His heart raced as he stood up, a mix of surprise and warmth flooding him. "Hello, my love! What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to see you today," he exclaimed.

But Shelley's anger hung thick in the air, cutting through his excitement. "Don't ‘my love’ me, Ben!" she shot back, her voice sharper than usual. "We agreed you would be resting at home for the entire week. So why on earth are you here working?"

The tension crackled between them, and Ben felt the weight of his choices bearing down as he scrambled for the right words to calm her fury.

"My love, please just breathe for a moment," he pleaded, searching her eyes for understanding. "I know I promised to take a full week off before diving back into work, but the truth is, boredom was gnawing at me. I couldn’t shake the haunting images from the accident, and I needed something—anything—to pull me away from that dark place before I did something I’d regret. That’s why I’m here, back at work. I’m really sorry for breaking my promise to you."

Shelley exhaled deeply, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "I get where you're coming from, really. But I made a promise to your mom too. She trusts me to make sure you're resting properly. Can you imagine what she’ll say if she finds out I let you work before you were ready?"

"But I’m not pushing myself too hard, I swear," he countered, his voice earnest. "Scott is monitoring my caseload, and I promise I’m scheduling breaks. I even leave early some days! You don’t need to worry."

“Alright, I’ll take your word for it, but please, let’s not do this again. Breaking promises isn’t something I take lightly. If things aren’t working out, just talk to me. We can figure it out together, instead of you deciding everything on your own,” she replied, her gaze softening.

Ben nodded, appreciating her concern. “I promise to keep you in the loop next time.”

“Good. Now tell me you’ve eaten something,” she urged, her brows furrowing in motherly concern.

He smiled sheepishly. “I was actually thinking about ordering some food.”

“Perfect. I’ll stick around until you’ve eaten,” Shelley replied, her tone lightening.

***

-Shelley-

As Shelley sat in the car, the city lights blurred through her anxious thoughts, each passing moment weighed down by concern for Ben. The details of his accident replayed relentlessly in her mind, a haunting question echoing: who would want him dead? Was it a bitter business rival, or could it be someone lurking within their own circle, cloaked in familiarity? These past few days had been a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty, and only her resolve to keep a brave face for Ben kept her from unravelling. He couldn't afford to see her worry; he needed her strength now more than ever. But the truth was, the thought of losing him was enough to shatter her composure. Thankfully, her friends stood by her side, offering support that anchored her in this storm of anxiety. What would she do if the love of her life was taken from her? The mere idea was unbearable.

-Adam-

Today, Ben decided to cut his workday short, driven by a sense of urgency. He made his way to Joanne's Cafe, where he was set to meet Detective Bruce. The detective had hinted at something promising—a tech whiz on his team had managed to snag a clear image of the culprit responsible for his accident. Now, it was time to uncover the truth.

As they settled into a cosy spot by the window, Ben's heart raced as he glanced at the photo of the assailant in Bruce's hand. A nagging suspicion nagged at him—was it really him? Confronting this possibility was both exhilarating and terrifying. Detective Bruce broke the silence, asking, “So, what’s the plan now that we have this evidence?”

Ben leaned in, determination etched on his face. “Now, we need to dig deeper. This isn’t enough to pin him down. If we rely solely on this image, he could wriggle out in court, claiming his car was stolen for the crime. We need concrete evidence that leaves no room for doubt about his involvement.”

“How do we plan to get that?” Detective Bruce pressed, intrigued.

Ben lifted his gaze from the picture, his mind racing. “We already know he loves to record himself, whether it’s celebrating a big win on a construction contract or boasting about a romantic conquest. If he’s cocky enough to think he’s outsmarted me, there’s a good chance he might have recorded himself bragging about the crime. The challenge now is figuring out how to get our hands on those tapes.”

With a mix of determination and excitement, they both realized they were on the brink of unveiling a potentially explosive truth.

As the café buzzed with the sound of clinking cups and quiet conversations, Ben sat alone, a storm swirling in his mind. Detective Bruce had just left, but the weight of their conversation lingered heavily in the air. Deep down, Ben had always suspected Nathan was somehow involved in his accident, but discovering a photograph of Nathan trailing him just days before the fateful incident ignited a fury within him. How could he have been so blind? Now that he had undeniable proof of Nathan’s treachery, the flames of vengeance began to rise. Ben steeled himself; he was determined to make Nathan pay for the pain he had caused.

"He had better pray that I don't get my hands on those tapes!"