Page 103 of My Big, Fat, Accidental Billionaire Husband

Arthur texts back.On it.

It’s a stall tactic. Because honestly, I still don’t know what I’m going to do with my baby brother.

Shit. So much going on. Too much. I’m going to crack.

My mind circles back to the supplier.

I pour myself coffee from the carafe the housekeeper left and call Jake.

“Morning, boss,” he answers on the first ring.

“I want an update on the Eco-Source situation,” I say, skipping pleasantries. “Everything you’ve got.”

“I was planning to brief you this morning anyway,” Jake says. “How about I come to the penthouse in thirty?”

“Make it the office. I’m heading there now.”

“Roger that.”

I hang up and finish my coffee, my mind racing through possibilities. Something about the supplier pulling out so suddenly doesn’t sit right, especially this close to our financing close. If it was just bad luck, I’d accept it. But in my experience, luck rarely factors into billion-dollar deals.

Someone wants this project to fail. And I need to know who.

Jake is waitingin my office when I arrive, his expression grim. I can always tell how serious a situation is by the level of stoicism on his face. Today he’s at about an eight out of ten.

“Talk to me,” I say, dropping my briefcase by my desk.

He places a folder in front of me. “The fire at Eco-Source was definitely arson. Local authorities haven’t made the connection yet, but our contacts confirmed it.”

I flip open the folder to find photos of the damaged warehouse. “Casualties?”

“None. The fire was set after hours. Aimed at inventory, not people.”

Small mercies. I study the photos. “What does this have to do with us specifically? It could have been a competitor targeting Eco-Source directly.”

Jake slides another photo across the desk. It’s a clearer, higher-resolution image compared to the initial CCTV footage he’d shown me yesterday. Morgan Weiss now caught in perfect focus, shaking hands with Eco-Source’s operations director.

“Got confirmation from our second source inside Eco-Source,” Jake says. “Weiss wasn’t just there for a casual visit. He spent over three hours in closed-door meetings with their executive team.”

My jaw tightens as I study the image. “And mysteriously, the next day half their inventory goes up in flames. Not even trying to be subtle, is he?”

“He’s getting bolder,” Jake agrees. “The police forensics team found accelerant traces that match exactly the pattern used in two other warehouse fires last year. Both competitors to Mark Blackwell’s properties.”

“So we’re officially confirming he’s still working for Christopher’s father?”

Jake nods solemnly. “Our contact inside Blackwell Senior’s organization verified it yesterday.”

I lean back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. “Why? What’s his angle?”

“We don’t know yet.”

I tap my chin. “Mark Blackwell is a vindictive old bastard on his best day. He and Christopher had a following out before he married Lucy... could be he’s simply pissed that Christopher treatsmemore like family thanhim.”

“Could be,” Jake agrees. “In any case, with financing set to close shortly...”

“The timing is too perfect to be coincidence,” I finish. “He’s trying to derail the project at the eleventh hour. Make us miss the deadline.” I clench my fist.

Jake watches me carefully. “There’s something else.”

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