Chapter 2 A Trail of Lies

Chapter 2: A Trail of Lies.

Monica stood frozen in the warehouse, Gad Donovan's words echoing in her mind.

"You're not ready for the truth."

Her grip on the dagger tightened, but her resolve wavered. She had spent a decade hunting him, fueled by the memories of that terrible night. And now, he was telling her she had been wrong?

She unfolded the he paper he had left behind, her eyes scanning the name written in bold letters.

Her stomach twisted. Victor Langley was a name she knew all too wel, her father's former business partner, a man who had disappeared after the fire. Could he have been the real mastermind?

Her pulse pounded as she put the paper into her pocket. If Gad was lying, she would find out soon enough. But if he was telling the truth... she had spent a decade chasing the wrong enemy.

She took a deep breath, turned and slipped out of the warehouse, disappearing into the night.

Gad leaned against the hood of his car, watching the warehouse door through the rearview mirror. She had left, just as he expected.

Monica was relentless, but she wasn't reckless. She would need that restraint for what was coming.

A familiar voice crackled through his earpiece. "Think she'll bite?"

Gad smirked. "She already has."

A low chuckle. "Then let's hope she's ready for what's next."

Gad's gaze darkened. He wasn't sure anyone was ready for what was coming.

Monica spent the night digging through old records with her laptop. She searched for any trace of Victor Langley, but there was little to find. It was as if he had erased himself from existence.

Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard before she typed one last phrase. "Victor Langley-last known associates."

A single name stood out among the search results: Gad Donovan.

Her heart clenched. So, they had been connected. But how? And why had Gad led her straight to Langley if they had worked together?

A fresh wave of anger surged through her. Maybe Gad was playing her. Maybe this was just another manipulation. But if there was even a chance that Victor Langley had orchestrated her parents' deaths, she needed to find him.

A message popped up on her screen. An unknown number. Stop digging. You won't like what you find.

Monica's breath hitched. Whoever sent the message knew what she was doing and that meant she was on the right path.

She grabbed her phone, took a screenshot of the message, and sent it to her contact.

Trace this. I need to know who sent it.

Seconds later, she received a reply. On it. Be careful.

Careful? Too late for that.

She closed her laptop, slipped her dagger into her belt, and grabbed her jacket. If someone wanted to scare her off, they'd have to try harder. Because now, she wasn't just hunting the truth, she was hunting whoever wanted it buried.

Gad had barely stepped into his penthouse when his phone vibrated. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen. The number was blocked, but he already knew who it was.

He answered. "She took the bait."

A deep voice responded, "Then it's time to accelerate the plan."

Gad exhaled. "She's not ready."

"She doesn't have a choice."

The line went dead.

Gad stared at the phone for a long moment. The game had begun, and the pieces were moving. But Monica wasn't just another pawn, she was the wild card.

And in this game, wild cards could change everything.