THE 20 MILLION CONTRACT

THE REROUTE-AMANDA POV

_CHAPTER 4

_“Desperate people don’t ask questions. They just sign.”_

Amanda stared at her phone screen. The numbers didn’t make sense.

*CREDIT 20,000,000.00 NGN*

*From: MULTISHIELD HOLDINGS / S. CHARLES*

20 million.

Just like that.

She exhaled slowly. Her hands weren’t shaking. Not even a little.

Desperate people don’t ask questions. They just sign. And that girl signed.

She forwarded it immediately.

Account: *AMX-774. Dubai.*

The transfer went through in 8 seconds.

Chidi’s surgery was only 8 million. She’d checked. Royal London Hospital. Pediatric oncology.

The rest?

Her Lekki boutique. The one with the glass front and the name she’d already trademarked: _AMX Luxe_.

She’d been trying to open it for 2 years. Banks kept saying no.

Now she had 12 million for inventory, rent, and the i********: launch.

Her phone rang. Stephen’s lawyer.

“Amanda,” he said. Cold. Efficient. “Mr. Charles wants confirmation. The girl is willing?”

She smiled. “She’s 20. She’s desperate. She’ll do anything for her brother.”

She could hear papers shuffling on the other end.

“Take her off our hands. The boy needs surgery.”

She didn’t mention Dubai.

She didn’t mention the boutique.

She didn’t mention that she’d already told the girl _she_ was the one handling it.

“Perfect,” the lawyer said. “Transfer complete?”

“Complete,” Amanda lied. “Funds disbursed for medical.”

She hung up and poured herself wine. 11:10 PM.

In 5 minutes she’d post the first moodboard for _AMX Luxe_.

Her phone buzzed again at 11:15 PM.

*CREDIT 20,000,000.00 NGN*

*From: MULTISHIELD HOLDINGS / S. CHARLES*

*Ref: CHIDI CULLENS - DIRECT*

*To: ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL*

Amanda froze. The wine glass halfway to her mouth.

Another 20 million.

Not to her.

Direct.

To the hospital.

Her stomach dropped.

He knew.

He was already suspicious.

She set the glass down too hard. Red wine sloshed on her white counter.

“f**k,” she whispered.

She called the lawyer back immediately. Voicemail.

She texted him: _Why is there a second payment?_

No reply.

Stephen Charles didn’t get rich by being stupid.

He paid once. Waited.

And when she rerouted it, he paid again. Direct.

Now there was a paper trail.

Now there were questions.

Now she had 12 million in Dubai and a hospital in London expecting a patient they’d already been paid for.

Amanda looked at her reflection in the dark window.

Lekki boutique.

Dubai account.

And a step-daughter who was about to land in London at 6 AM with a note signed “S”.

“Desperate people don’t ask questions,” she whispered to herself.

But the Ice King just did.

And Amanda had no idea what was coming.