The Girl He Was Promised

Chapter 12 — Eight Against the Unknown

The morning sun had barely reached the windows of the Smith estate when Anastasia ended her call with Alexander.

She placed her phone on the table.

Vivian looked at her immediately.

"What did he say?"

Anastasia smiled faintly.

"He's investigating the company that owns the vehicle."

Chloe nodded.

"Good."

Elena looked up from the tablet in her hands.

"Then we should compare what he finds with what we already know."

Anastasia looked at her.

"Send me the vehicle information."

"I already did."

Anastasia checked her phone.

A file from Elena had arrived.

She opened it.

The company name appeared on the screen.

Horizon International Holdings.

Anastasia stared at it.

Her expression changed.

"I know this company."

Vivian leaned closer.

"How?"

"I encountered the name six years ago."

Chloe frowned.

"Was it connected to Victor?"

"Not directly."

Anastasia scrolled through the file.

"But it was connected to one of the companies I investigated."

Elena immediately understood.

"So Victor isn't acting alone."

"No."

Anastasia looked at the screen.

"He's using a legitimate company as a cover."

Vivian smiled.

"Then we finally have something to follow."

Anastasia nodded.

"Yes."

But before she could continue, her phone rang.

It was Alexander.

She answered.

"Hello?"

"Are you with your friends?"

"Yes."

"Good."

His voice sounded serious.

"I found something."

Anastasia sat straighter.

"What?"

"Horizon International Holdings has a connection to Victor."

"We found the same thing."

There was a brief silence.

"You did?"

"Elena traced the vehicle."

Alexander let out a quiet breath.

"Then we're looking at the same trail."

Anastasia smiled.

"Looks like it."

"There's something else."

"What?"

"The company has an upcoming charity gala tonight."

Vivian immediately looked at Anastasia.

Anastasia noticed.

"When?"

"Eight tonight."

"Who's attending?"

"Several major business families."

Anastasia's eyes narrowed.

"And Victor?"

"We don't know yet."

Chloe looked at her.

"We should go."

Anastasia looked at Alexander.

"Are you going?"

"Yes."

She smiled.

"Then we'll see you there."

Alexander paused.

"You and your friends?"

"Of course."

"All right."

His voice softened.

"I'll see you tonight."

The call ended.

Vivian immediately grinned.

"That sounded romantic."

Anastasia sighed.

"Focus."

Chloe laughed.

"We are focused."

Elena looked at the screen.

"Tonight might be our first chance to see who Victor is working with."

Anastasia nodded.

"Then we'll be careful."

Go Corporation

Several hours later, Alexander sat in the executive conference room with Lorenzo, Daniel, and Tyler.

A large screen displayed information about Horizon International Holdings.

Daniel pointed to one section.

"The company appears legitimate."

Lorenzo nodded.

"Too legitimate."

Tyler looked at Alexander.

"Which usually means something is hidden."

Alexander studied the information.

"Who owns it?"

Daniel opened another file.

"The majority shareholder is registered under a holding company."

"Name?"

Daniel hesitated.

"Blackwood Capital."

Alexander's expression changed slightly.

Lorenzo noticed.

"You know it?"

"Not personally."

Alexander stood.

"But I've heard the name."

Tyler frowned.

"Where?"

"In connection with several international cases involving money laundering."

Daniel looked at the screen again.

"Then tonight's gala may be more important than we thought."

Alexander nodded.

"We don't make a move."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to investigate quietly?"

"Yes."

Tyler smiled.

"That's a first."

Alexander ignored him.

"We observe. We identify who Victor is meeting. Nothing more."

Daniel nodded.

"And Anastasia?"

Alexander's expression softened.

"She'll be there."

Lorenzo smiled.

"You're worried."

"I'm being careful."

Tyler laughed.

"Of course."

Alexander looked at all three of them.

"You're coming."

They immediately stopped laughing.

Daniel straightened.

"All right."

Lorenzo nodded.

"Understood."

Tyler smiled.

"Wouldn't miss it."

Smith Estate

By six in the evening, Anastasia was getting ready.

Her three friends were in the room with her.

Vivian looked at Anastasia's dress.

"You're going to make Alexander forget why he went there."

Anastasia rolled her eyes.

"We're going there to investigate."

"Of course."

Chloe adjusted her earrings.

"We need to remember the objective."

Elena nodded.

"Observe. Don't confront."

Anastasia smiled.

"Exactly."

She looked at the three women.

They weren't dressed like bodyguards.

They looked like ordinary young women attending a wealthy social event.

That was precisely what they wanted.

Nobody would expect them to be trained.

Nobody would expect them to notice danger before it happened.

And nobody—not even Victor—knew what they could do.

Anastasia picked up her clutch.

"Ready?"

Vivian smiled.

"Always."

Chloe nodded.

"Let's go."

Elena opened the door.

"Alexander's car is waiting."

Eight O'Clock — Horizon International Charity Gala

The gala was held at an elegant hotel in the heart of the city.

Luxury cars arrived one after another.

Business leaders, politicians, heirs, celebrities, and influential families entered the ballroom.

Alexander arrived with Lorenzo, Daniel, and Tyler.

A few minutes later, another car stopped at the entrance.

Anastasia stepped out.

Vivian, Chloe, and Elena followed.

Alexander immediately saw her.

For several seconds, he forgot about everything else.

Anastasia approached him.

"You're staring."

"I know."

She smiled.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you."

Lorenzo leaned toward Tyler.

"He didn't even try to hide it."

Tyler nodded.

"He's gone."

Daniel smiled.

"Completely."

Alexander ignored them.

"Are you ready?"

Anastasia nodded.

"Yes."

Their eyes met.

For one brief moment, the investigation disappeared.

There was only the two of them.

Then Anastasia noticed something.

Her smile faded slightly.

"Alexander."

"What?"

She looked toward the opposite side of the ballroom.

"Don't look immediately."

He waited.

"There's a man standing beside the pillar near the west entrance."

Alexander kept his expression neutral.

"I see him."

"He's been watching us since we arrived."

Lorenzo subtly glanced in that direction.

Daniel followed.

Tyler remained focused on the crowd.

Anastasia's three friends also noticed.

Vivian whispered,

"That's not a guest."

Chloe nodded.

"He's watching the exits."

Elena added quietly,

"And he's not alone."

Alexander looked at Anastasia.

Their eyes met.

They both understood.

They had found their first lead.

But they still didn't know one important thing.

The man near the west entrance wasn't Victor.

He was only someone sent to watch them.

And somewhere upstairs, behind the tinted glass of a private room, Victor Hale watched the entire ballroom through a security monitor.

His eyes settled on the eight people standing together.

Alexander.

Anastasia.

Lorenzo.

Daniel.

Tyler.

Vivian.

Chloe.

Elena.

Victor smiled.

"So this is your new circle."

He had expected Anastasia to have friends.

He hadn't expected them all to arrive together.

He leaned closer to the screen.

"Let's see what you're hiding."

Downstairs, Anastasia suddenly felt a familiar warning prickle across her skin.

Danger.

She didn't know where it was coming from.

But she knew one thing.

Someone was watching them.

And this time—

they were watching back.