Chapter 51: The Broken Chessboard

Raphael stood in the doorway, chest heaving. His dark coat was unbuttoned, his tie loose. He looked like a man who had just run a marathon to deliver a miracle.He walked quickly to the glass desk. He slapped the thick folder down onto the smooth surface."Claire, you have to look at this," Raphael said. His voice was breathless and completely filled with victory. "It is all here. The bank transfers. The shell companies. Daniel Hayes is Aegis Capital. He funded Sophia. He set up the delays for the Halcyon Hotel Group project just to play the hero. He is a complete psychopath."Claire did not move.She sat perfectly still in her leather chair. She looked at the folder. Then, she slowly lifted her head and looked at his face.Her eyes were completely dry. They were hollow, cold, and entirely dead.Raphael's triumphant smile slowly faded. The air in the room suddenly felt incredibly heavy. He took a small step back, his dark eyes scanning her pale face."Sweetheart?" Raphael asked softly

Chapter 52: The Empty Penthouse

The cold night air hit Raphael like a physical blow as he walked out of the glass doors of Ellis Designs.He did not look back. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. His chest felt completely hollow, like someone had reached inside and ripped his heart out.A sleek black Maybach was idling at the curb.Raphael opened the back door and slid onto the leather seat. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the headrest.Ethan was sitting in the driver's seat. He looked at Raphael through the rearview mirror. Ethan expected to see the victorious, arrogant CEO who had just crushed a rival.Instead, he saw a completely broken man."Boss?" Ethan asked quietly. "What happened up there? Did you show her the file on Daniel?""Just drive, Ethan," Raphael said. His voice was completely dead. It held no anger and no energy.Ethan frowned. He put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. He drove for ten minutes in total silence. The atmosphere in the back seat was suffocating.Et

Chapter 53: The Worst Burglar

The morning sun streaming through the blinds was absolutely entirely too bright. Raphael groaned. He threw his good arm over his eyes, trying to block out the harsh light. His head was pounding with the worst hangover he had experienced in a decade. "You look like a raccoon that got run over by a garbage truck," Ethan announced cheerfully. Raphael moved his arm just enough to glare at his cousin. Ethan was standing in the small kitchen of his downtown apartment, wearing a perfectly pressed suit and holding a steaming mug of coffee. He walked over and set the mug on the coffee table right next to Raphael’s head. "Drink," Ethan ordered. "You smell like a distillery, boss." Raphael sat up slowly, wincing as his ribs flared with a sharp, burning pain. He looked down at himself. He was wearing a wrinkled white t-shirt and a pair of Ethan’s old, baggy sweatpants that had a faded fraternity logo on the thigh. He was the CEO of Kingston Corporation, and he looked like a broke college

Chapter 54: The Night I Remembered

Raphael stared down at her, his breath catching in his throat.He did not dare to move. He was terrified that if he blinked, or if he reached out to touch her, the illusion would shatter and he would wake up back on Ethan’s uncomfortable couch."You lied," Raphael repeated, his voice barely a rough whisper."I lied," Claire confirmed. She didn't look away. "I did not want you to leave, Raphael. I was just so hurt. I was so incredibly exhausted from being manipulated."Raphael slowly shook his head, his dark eyes filled with absolute desperation. "I swear to you, Claire. I never froze your accounts. I never touched your company's money. Sophia used her executive clearance to plant those digital logs. She wanted to build a wall between us.""I know," Claire said softly. She reached out and gently rested her hands flat against his chest, right over his plain white t-shirt. "Ethan told me. He told me she initiated the security freezes right before he locked her out. She set you up, and I

Chapter 55: The Checkmate

The ride back to the penthouse was completely peaceful.Ethan drove the car, constantly looking in the rearview mirror and shaking his head. He looked exhausted, but there was a massive, relieved smile on his face."I still cannot believe you ambushed me in a closet," Ethan grumbled, looking at Claire."I did not ambush you," Claire smiled softly from the back seat. Her hand was firmly laced with Raphael's. "You drop things when you get scared. That is not my fault.""I was traumatized," Ethan argued, pulling the black Maybach up to the luxury high-rise building. "Okay. Get out. Both of you. I am going back to sleep, and I do not want to hear from either of you until tomorrow.""Thank you, Ethan," Raphael said. His voice was incredibly genuine.Raphael and Claire stepped out of the car and rode the private elevator up to the top floor.When they stepped into the penthouse, the heavy, suffocating tension that had haunted the apartment for three years was completely gone.Raphael droppe

All Chapters of Mr Kingston, It's Too Late: Chapter 51 - Chapter 55

Chapter 51: The Broken Chessboard

Chapter 52: The Empty Penthouse

Chapter 53: The Worst Burglar

Chapter 54: The Night I Remembered

Chapter 55: The Checkmate