Chapter 5 A Game of Shadows

Chapter 5: A Game of Shadows

The detective's card burned in my pocket the entire ride home. My mind spun, trying to piece together his cryptic words with everything I'd discovered-or rather, hadn't discovered-about the merger. Something wasn't adding up, and the realization filled me with equal parts dread and determination.

Back at the estate, the staff moved quietly through the halls, their presence like white noise. I slipped into my room, locking the door behind me. Pulling the card out, I studied the name printed neatly across the glossy surface: Detective Mark Holden. The back was blank, except for a handwritten phone number.

Could I trust him?

The thought gnawed at me as I paced the room. If there were discrepancies in the Vance Group's financials, why come to me? And why now?

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it, half-expecting another reminder about some event I was supposed to attend with Alex. Instead, it was a message from him.

> Meet me in the library. Now.

I frowned, unease settling in my chest. What now?

---

The estate's library was vast and intimidating, with towering shelves lined with leather-bound books and a fireplace that cast a warm glow over the room. Alex stood near the window, his posture stiff as he stared out at the sprawling gardens beyond.

"You rang?" I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

He turned, his expression as cold and unreadable as ever. "We need to talk."

"About?"

"Melanie."

The name alone was enough to send a ripple of irritation through me. I crossed my arms, leaning against the door. "What about her?"

"She's not what you think," he said, his voice low.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Because she seemed pretty eager to get your attention last night."

Alex sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Melanie isn't just some random ex. She's my father's spy."

The words hit me like a slap. "What?"

"She's been working for him for years, feeding him information about my business dealings, my personal life... everything."

I blinked, struggling to process this new revelation. "Why would your father need a spy? You're his son."

"That doesn't mean he trusts me," Alex said bitterly. "In his eyes, I'm just another pawn in his game. And now, so are you."

My stomach twisted. "So, what does she want now?"

"She's here to keep tabs on us," he said, his gaze piercing. "To make sure we play our roles perfectly."

The weight of his words settled over me like a suffocating blanket. It wasn't enough that our fathers had trapped us in this sham of a marriage. Now they had someone watching our every move, ready to report back if we stepped out of line.

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Alex hesitated, his jaw tightening. "We keep pretending. At least for now."

---

The days that followed felt like walking a tightrope over a pit of vipers. Everywhere I turned, I felt Melanie's eyes on me, her smile too bright, her questions too probing.

"Everything okay between you and Alex?" she asked one afternoon, her tone dripping with faux concern.

"Perfect," I replied, forcing a smile. "Why wouldn't it be?"

She tilted her head, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey. "Just making sure. You know, marriage can be... challenging, especially when it's so public."

I gritted my teeth. "Thanks for the advice."

---

One evening, unable to bear the tension any longer, I decided to revisit the detective's card. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I dialed the number and waited, my heart pounding as the phone rang.

"Holden," came the gruff voice on the other end.

"It's Jade," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "You said you were investigating the Vance Group's finances. What exactly are you looking for?"

There was a pause, and I could almost hear him weighing his words. "Let's just say there's money moving around that shouldn't be. Offshore accounts, shell companies... it's a mess. And it all leads back to the merger."

My blood ran cold. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Your name's on some of the documents," he said bluntly.

I froze. "That's impossible. I haven't signed anything."

"Not yet," he said. "But they're setting you up, Jade. My guess? They're planning to use you as a scapegoat if things go south."

The room spun around me. My father wouldn't-couldn't-do something like that. Could he?

"What do I do?" I whispered.

"Keep your eyes open," Holden said. "And call me if you find anything."

---

I spent the next few days combing through every document I could find, searching for any hint of the deception Holden had mentioned. Late one night, while Alex was out, I snuck into his office, desperate for answers.

The room was dark, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moonlight streaming through the windows. I rifled through drawers, flipped through files, my heart racing with every creak of the floorboards.

And then I found it.

A folder tucked away in the bottom drawer, its contents thick and ominous. I opened it, my breath catching as I scanned the papers inside. They were financial records, contracts, and email correspondences-all pointing to a tangled web of lies and deceit.

My name was on multiple documents, forged signatures tying me to shady deals I had no knowledge of. My hands shook as I pieced together the extent of the betrayal.

"Looking for something?"

I spun around, the folder slipping from my hands as Alex stepped into the room, his expression unreadable.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to mask my fear.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, his gaze flicking to the scattered papers on the floor.

"I'm trying to figure out what's going on," I said, my voice rising. "Why is my name on these documents? What are our fathers planning?"

Alex's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he wasn't going to answer. But then he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"They're consolidating power," he said. "Using the merger to cover up years of illegal dealings. And you... you're their insurance policy."

"Insurance policy?" I echoed, my voice trembling.

"If the truth comes out, they'll pin it all on you," he said bluntly. "Your name, your signature... everything leads back to you."

My vision blurred as the weight of his words settled over me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know how to," he admitted, his voice softer now. "And because I didn't want to believe my father would go this far."

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away, anger bubbling to the surface. "We have to stop them."

Alex hesitated, his gaze searching mine. "It's not that simple."

"It has to be," I said, my voice firm. "We can't let them get away with this."

He studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. But if we're going to do this, we have to be smart. One wrong move, and we're both finished."

---

As we began to piece together a plan, the tension between us shifted. For the first time, Alex and I were on the same side, united by a common enemy. But even as we worked together, a nagging feeling lingered in the back of my mind.

Someone was always watching.

And I had a sinking suspicion that Melanie wasn't the only one keeping tabs on us.