I slam the door behind me as I march into Isabella’s hideout. My heart pounds in my chest, a chaotic rhythm fueled by frustration, fear, and the burning need for answers.
She sits at the edge of the couch, sipping tea like she hasn’t been part of a labyrinth of lies and death.
“We need to talk. Now.” My voice is sharp, and I feel the tension between us tighten like a wire ready to snap.
Isabella raises a brow, calm as ever, but I see the flicker of unease in her eyes. “What’s this about?”
I step closer, throwing the photograph of Nolan Black and my father onto the coffee table. “You know exactly what this is about. Who is he, Isabella? And don’t lie to me. I’m done with lies.”
She glances at the photo, her expression carefully neutral, but I see the crack in her facade. She knew this was coming. She’s known all along.
“Nolan Black.” The name feels sour on my tongue. “He’s been pulling strings behind the scenes-Xavier, Ethan, even my uncle. My father too. And you’ve been helping him, haven’t you?”
Isabella exhales slowly, setting her teacup down with a deliberate clink. “You don’t want to go down this road, Alyssa. Some truths are better left buried.”
I lean in, my fists clenched. “That’s not your choice to make. If Nolan’s the reason my father is dead, I need to know. All of it.”
Her gaze softens, but there’s something guarded behind it-a mix of pity and warning. “Your father wasn’t the man you thought he was. Neither is Nolan. They were… partners, in ways you can’t imagine.”
Her words feel like a punch to the gut. Partners? That single word shifts everything.
“What kind of partners?” I whisper, though I already know the answer won’t be simple.
Isabella hesitates, biting her lip. “They built an empire together-your father and Nolan. But it wasn’t just business.
They had… contingencies. Deals that went beyond loyalty. And when your father tried to break free, Nolan made sure he paid the price.”
Her words swirl in my mind, crashing into the fragments of truth I’ve gathered along the way. My father’s death wasn’t a random act of violence-it was punishment.
I clutch the edge of the table, trying to steady myself. “And you knew this the whole time?” My voice trembles with fury.
Isabella meets my gaze, and for the first time, I see guilt flicker across her face. “I warned your father. But he wouldn’t listen.
And now I’m warning you-stop digging. If Nolan knows you’re onto him, he’ll kill you too.”
“You’re protecting him,” I hiss. “Even now.”
She shakes her head slowly. “I’m trying to protect you.”
I laugh bitterly. “From what? The truth?”
Before Isabella can respond, a loud knock echoes from the door. My heart lurches in my chest. I wasn’t followed-was I?
Isabella’s face pales. “Alyssa, listen to me-”
But I’ve already moved toward the door, adrenaline pumping through my veins. If Nolan’s sent someone, I need to know.
I pull open the door, and a figure steps out of the shadows. He’s dressed in a black leather jacket, his face half-hidden beneath a hood, but his dark, piercing eyes lock onto mine.
“You don’t know me, but I know you,” he says, his voice low and gravelly. “And I know who killed your father.”
The weight of his words hits me like a blow. I step back, the door still half-open, my pulse racing. “Who are you?”
He offers a small, crooked smile. “Let’s just say I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”
Isabella appears behind me, her expression frozen with recognition and fear. “You.” Her voice is barely a whisper.
The stranger shrugs. “Nice to see you too, Isabella.”
I glance between them, my confusion mounting. “What the hell is going on? Who is this?”
Isabella grabs my arm, her nails digging into my skin. “Alyssa, you can’t trust him. Whatever he’s telling you-it’s a trap.”
The stranger chuckles, stepping farther into the room. “That’s rich, coming from you. I’m not the one who kept Alyssa in the dark for years.”
I jerk my arm free from Isabella’s grip, anger bubbling in my chest. “Start talking. Both of you.”
The stranger’s gaze stays locked on me, unflinching. “My name is Dominic West. Gabriel’s brother.”
My mind reels. Gabriel has a brother? None of this makes sense.
“I was there the night your father died,” Dominic continues. “I know what really happened-and it wasn’t just Nolan. Your father was betrayed by people he trusted. People close to him.”
I narrow my eyes. “Like who?”
Dominic glances at Isabella, a smirk curling his lips. “Why don’t you ask her?”
I whirl around to face Isabella, who looks as though the ground has shifted beneath her feet. “Is that true?” I demand. “Were you involved in my father’s death?”
She opens her mouth to speak but then closes it again, as if the words are too dangerous to say aloud. For the first time, Isabella looks scared.
Dominic steps closer, his voice soft but dangerous. “She won’t tell you the truth. But I will-if you come with me.”
“You expect me to trust you?” I snap, still reeling from the revelation. “You just showed up out of nowhere, claiming you know everything.”
Dominic shrugs. “You don’t have to trust me. But if you want to survive, you’ll need the truth. And I’m the only one who can give it to you.”
I glance at Isabella, then back at Dominic. They both have secrets-secrets that could destroy me or save me. But I have to choose carefully.
The room feels suffocating, the weight of the decisions ahead pressing down on me. If I follow Dominic, I might finally uncover the truth about my father’s death-and about Nolan Black. But it could also be a trap, one I might not escape.
If I stay with Isabella, I’ll be stuck in the same web of lies that has already claimed too much of my life.
“What’s it going to be, Alyssa?” Dominic asks, his voice cool and patient, as if he already knows my answer.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. Every choice I’ve made has led me to this moment. And now the path I choose could determine whether I live-or die.
Just as I open my mouth to respond, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance down at the screen-and freeze.
A message from Nolan Black.
“I see you, Alyssa. And I’m waiting.”