Page 1 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

Prologue

Avery

My heels clicked against the marble floor. The receptionist looked up at me, eyes going wide, but I ignored her. She knew who I was. Everyone knew my face. They just hadn’t seen it around here since I went missing.

“Miss… Miss Daniels?”

I pressed the button for the lift.

“Miss Daniels?”

It dinged just as she came out from behind her desk. I smiled at her before getting in. I hit the button for the top floor. She hurried over to the lift.

“Don’t tell him I’m coming,” I said.

Her face was a picture of bewilderment as the doors closed in her face. Fifty floors later, I stepped out of the lift. I walked along the hallway, my footsteps muffled by the carpet. Arriving at the secretary’s desk, she looked up.

“Hello, how can I… Oh my god,” Clara said.

“Hello Clara. Is anyone in with him?”

She shook her head slowly.

“Good.”

I walked towards the door to his office.

“Miss Daniels…?”

“It’ll be fine, don’t worry. Just don’t let anyone disturb us.”

I opened the office door and walked in. He stood by the window, looking out at the skyline with his hand glued to his ear.

“Yes… Yes… No, I understand… Well, just get it to me by next week. Right… Okay.”

He clearly hadn’t heard me come in.

“Yes… No… Okay, speak soon.”

He let out a long sigh, his shoulders drooping.

“Fuck.”

I took further steps into the room. His back stiffened, but I spoke before he could turn around.

“Hello Uncle Charlie.”

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