Naughty Nice [chapter 3] 【POPULAR – 2027】

Elena felt the last of her hesitation dissolve, replaced by a cold, sharp adrenaline. She pulled the folder toward her and clicked her own pen.

Elena looked at the file folder sitting between them. It was labeled Project Kringle —a name so wholesome it made her stomach turn. Inside were the routing numbers that shouldn't exist and the signatures she had forged with a shaking hand just three hours ago. Naughty Nice [Chapter 3]

"If we do this," she whispered, her fingers hovering over the folder, "there’s no going back to the way things were. We aren't the heroes of this story anymore." Elena felt the last of her hesitation dissolve,

She thought about her reputation—the "Nice" girl who volunteered at the animal shelter and never missed a Sunday dinner with her mother. Then she looked at Marcus, the man who had shown her just how easy it was to break the rules when no one was watching. It was labeled Project Kringle —a name so

"Nice keeps us out of federal prison, Marcus," she snapped, though she kept her voice low. She traced the rim of her paper cup. "Chapter One was a fluke. Chapter Two was a necessity. But we’re at Chapter Three now, and this? This is a choice."

"You’re being too quiet," Marcus said, his voice dropping an octave. He didn’t look up from the ledger. "It makes me think you’re actually considering the 'Nice' route. We discussed this, El. Nice doesn't pay the lease on this building."