Chapter 374

The erotic atmosphere in the room evaporated instantly as Miranda stared at Luis with complete confusion.

Luis now gripped his phone tightly. When the call connected, his voice carried its characteristic controlled authority. "Isaac, last night one of my contacts happened to be at the same club. She witnessed Sherwood conducting business with Clokron's top contraband supplier. This confirms he's absolutely determined to frame the Sampson family for drug trafficking. I've got photographic evidence to back it up."

On the other end, Isaac straightened in his seat, his expression shifting to deadly seriousness as his fingers began drumming a steady rhythm against the table.

"That manipulative snake is really pulling out all the stops." Isaac's mouth twisted into a frigid smile,darkness clouding his features. "Looks like surveillance was the smart play. He's planning to destroy the Sampson family completely so he can seize control of the entire Ochrerayd market. What's your strategy for handling this evidence?" "Turn his own weapons against him." Luis' eyes narrowed dangerously, fury creeping into his tone."Since he wants to use this trafficking scandal to demolish our family, we'll let him think he's winning while we prepare his downfall."

Hearing this response, Isaac's eyes sparked with genuine satisfaction. "My thoughts exactly."

Luis continued, "I'll reach out to trustworthy contacts within law enforcement and deliver the evidence through secure channels. We'll have them prepare everything but hold back until we give the green light.When the deal goes down, Sherwood will have every detail perfectly orchestrated. We'll trap him using his own elaborate setup. This operation won't just expose his framing scheme but also destroy his whole empire."

After considering the plan carefully, Isaac replied,"Understood. I'll coordinate from my end. I've got several expert investigators on my payroll. I'll deploy them to trace Sherwood's financial connections and uncover additional criminal evidence. We're going to expose every dirty secret he's hiding."

Something else occurred to Isaac, prompting him to add,"Another crucial point: you need to exercise extreme caution when working with police contacts.Sherwood might have planted informants within the department." This warning made Luis' expression grow even more serious.He responded with unwavering determination,"You're absolutely right. This situation is critical, and l know exactly how to proceed."

After ending the call, Luis set his phone aside.

When he instinctively turned back toward Miranda, he suddenly realized she'd been observing him intently throughout the entire conversation, curiosity and intrigue dancing in her eyes

Simultaneously, he became aware that at some point during the call, he'd unconsciously pressed Miranda's waist against the desk's edge while his right hand had remained firmly planted on her shoulder.

Recognition of their intimate position caused Luis 'eyes to darken slightly as he swallowed with visible difficulty.

He immediately stepped backward, straightened his posture,and awkwardly ran his hand along the back of his neck.

A subtle smile played across Miranda's lips as she straightened up, crossing her arms with deliberate confidence.

Her head tilted at an angle that managed to be both innocent and mischievous. "Luis, you're incredibly attractive when you're handling business matters.However, I'm not entirely pleased with that thank you gesture from earlier."

Luis cleared his throat uncomfortably, averting his gaze toward the window. "Without your help, we would have wasted considerably more time and resources..."

Before he could complete his deflection, Miranda closed the distance between them with measured steps, and then angled her face upward to capture his eyes directly.

Her expression held layers of playfulness, mock indignation, and something deeper that remained tantalizingly unspoken.

"Nice try, but you're not wiggling out of this," she said,her smile becoming more pronounced. "I'm genuinely dissatisfied with your previous attempt at gratitude.I understand you have pressing matters to handle, so l won't keep you now. But you definitely owe me a proper thank you later."

Luis' attention remained fixed on her face for several heartbeats. Despite understanding perfectly what she was implying, he chose to maintain his facade of innocence. He arched one eyebrow with feigned confusion. "Really? What exactly would constitute an appropriate expression of my appreciation?"

Miranda saw straight through his calculated performance, her eyes dancing with pure delight.

She drew out her words with deliberate emphasis, her tone dripping with playful threat. "Don't worry, I won't make this too difficult for you. But I'm definitely keeping track of this debt, and there's absolutely no escape. And another thing..." She paused,one eyebrow lifting with subtle mischief. Her slender finger extended to tap gently against Luis' chest. "Next time,perhaps you could be more mindful of our positioning?I was practically trapped against that desk."

With that playful reprimand delivered, Miranda gracefully collected her bag and glided toward the exit.

Her departure carried an effortless elegance that left Luis completely mesmerized, his attention fixed on her retreating form.

His hand rose instinctively to press against the spot where her finger had made contact. Even through the fabric of his shirt, he could feel his pulse hammering wildly, as though his heart might actually break free from his ribcage.

His gaze remained locked on Miranda's figure until the office door swung shut, finally cutting off his view Only then did consciousness fully return to him.

Luis drew in a shaky breath, desperately attempting to slow his frantic heartbeat. Yet his thoughts refused to cooperate, continuously replaying every gesture,every smile, every subtle movement Miranda had just displayed.

He found himself questioning what kind of enchantment Miranda had woven around him that could so effortlessly reduce him from a composed,intimidating force in the corporate world into someone who could barely maintain his equilibrium.