Elijah’s pov ;
As soon as she opened the door, with that saccharine smile plastered on her face, I didn’t even give her a chance to speak. My hand shot out, clamping around her throat, and I slamd her back against the door with a force that rattled the fra. The look of shock and fear in her eyes did nothing to cool the rage that burned inside .
"Why the hell did you tell Ash about the accident?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous. My grip on her throat tightened as she gasped, her hands clawing at mine as she tried to free herself. Her lips trembled, and it took everything in not to squeeze harder, to not crush her windpipe right there and then.
"Elijah...please..." she whimpered, her voice barely a whisper as she struggled to breathe. "Ash...he doesn’t deserve you..."
Her pathetic excuse only fueled my anger. I leaned in closer, my face inches from hers, my breath hot against her skin. "And you think you do?" I spat, barely holding myself back from smashing her head into the wall. The urge to do so was almost overwhelming. "How did you find out about my parents?"
She hesitated, her eyes wide with terror, and I could see her mind racing, trying to co up with sothing to save herself. When she didn’t answer fast enough, I tightened my grip even more, and she let out a strangled cry.
"I-I-I looked it up!" she stamred out, her words stumbling over each other in her desperation. "When you ca last ti asking about the accident...I started looking into it...online. I found the reports...and the date...the date matched...the couple that died that day was the sa day as your parents..."
Her voice trailed off, her eyes pleading for rcy, but all I felt was a cold, seething fury. She had no idea what she had done. She had no right to dig into my past, to use that against , against Ash. My vision blurred with anger as I stared at her, my entire body trembling with the effort it took to hold back from doing sothing I’d regret.
"Listen to ," I hissed through gritted teeth, my face twisted in rage. "If you ever—and I an ever—try to ddle in my life again, I will kill you. You hear ? I’ll make sure you and your mother suffer in ways you can’t even imagine."
She nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face as she choked on her sobs. I loosened my grip just enough for her to breathe, watching as she gasped for air, her face pale and drenched in sweat.
"And if you ever—" I paused, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper, "—so much as breathing a word to anyone else about Ash, I swear I will end you. Do you understand ?"
Her head bobbed up and down, her eyes filled with sheer terror. She was trembling like a leaf in my grasp, and for a mont, I was disgusted by the sight of her, by how weak and vile she truly was.
"Good," I growled, shoving her back one last ti before I released her. She slumped against the door, clutching her throat, coughing and crying as I turned and walked away. My hands were shaking with the intensity of my anger, but I forced myself to stay calm as I left her house.
I couldn’t let her get to . Ash needed now more than ever, and I wasn’t about to let soone like Samantha tear us apart.
But as I stord away, my blood boiled with a fury that threatened to consu . How could she have known? How had she managed to piece together the truth that I had fought so hard to bury? And now Ash knew. He knew everything, and it was more devastating for than I could bear.
I had to find a way to fix this, to protect him from the turmoil that lay ahead. To make sure he understood that none of this mattered now. That I loved him with all my heart and would do whatever it took to keep him safe. Even if that ant destroying anyone who dared to co between us.
But first, I needed to talk to him. To convince him not to shut out, to understand that we could get through this together.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it, unable to focus on anything else but the task at hand. I could feel myself losing control. Why wouldn’t he just open up and let in?
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my phone began ringing again. Its shrill sound pierced through the quiet air like an unwelco intrusion. But it kept ringing, over and over again, like a persistent mosquito that wouldn’t leave alone.
With an exasperated growl, I yanked the phone out of my pocket and answered, not even bothering to check who it was. "This better be important," I snapped, my voice sharp and biting. "I’m in no mood for any bullshit right now."
There was a brief pause on the other end, then Daniel’s voice ca through, calm and professional as always. "Sir, I just wanted to inform you that the property has been successfully purchased. It’s ready for you to visit whenever you’re available."
For a mont, I just stood there, letting the information sink in. The property—Ash’s father’s office. The place that could hold the answers I needed. My mind was still a whirlwind of thoughts, but this was sothing concrete, sothing I could act on.
"I want to visit it right away," I said quickly, my tone urgent. "Have everything ready by the ti I get there."
"Understood," Daniel replied. "I’ll make the necessary arrangents."
I hung up without another word, my thoughts racing. This was it. If there was anything in that office that could help understand what really happened, I needed to find it. I wasn’t going to let anything—or anyone—get in my way.
When I arrived at the property, the air around the building felt heavy. It was an old office, but not entirely neglected. The structure was still intact, the walls were worn but strong, and the furniture, though dated, was well-maintained. It was clear that this place had once been important—perhaps even cherished.
Daniel was waiting for outside, his expression neutral as he handed a single key. "This is it," he said simply, and I took it from him without a word. Together, we entered the office, the door creaking slightly as it swung open. The scent of dust and old wood filled the air, but beneath it, there was sothing else—a faint trace of polish, as if soone had tried to preserve the place, despite the years.
I began searching through the office, rifling through drawers, opening old cabinets, flipping through stacks of papers. But everything I found was mundane—old contracts, financial records, nothing that gave the answers I was looking for. Frustration started to build in my chest. I’d been hoping for a breakthrough, sothing that would finally explain everything, but it seed like all of this was just a dead end.
Just as I was about to give up, Daniel entered the room, followed by an older man I didn’t recognize. His presence imdiately set on edge. Daniel gestured to him. "This is the caretaker of the property. He’s been looking after the place for years. He says he might be able to help."
I eyed the man suspiciously. He looked unremarkable, with graying hair and a slightly hunched posture, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that made wary. "And what’s in it for you?" I asked, my tone cold.
The man smiled, showing a hint of yellowed teeth. "Money," he said bluntly. "You give what I want, and I’ll give you what you need."
I didn’t hesitate. "You’ll get whatever amount you want," I replied, my voice low and firm. If this man had the answers, I’d pay him whatever it took.
His smile widened, and without another word, he walked past , heading toward an old cupboard in the corner of the room. He opened it and began rummaging through it, his movents surprisingly quick and deliberate. After a few tense monts, he turned back to , holding a small CD in his hand.
"This," he said, handing it to , "is sothing Darren always kept securely and secretly. Never let it out of his sight when he was here."
I took the CD from him, feeling its weight in my hand, though it was light. This could be it—the piece I’d been missing. Whatever was on this CD, but if it was important enough for Darren to hide it away then it must be hiding so really dark secrets. I glanced at the man again, and he just nodded, as if to say that he’d done his part.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l
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