Beneath the surface

Chapter7

Harrison’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Emily, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. He had always viewed her as an obstacle—an unwelcome addition to the Lucas family. But now, as he watched her fumble for words, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was up to something.

**What is she really doing here?** he thought, his mind racing. **She’s been acting strange lately, and now she’s here, pretending to be innocent. Is she trying to spy on me?**

He had noticed her watching him from a distance at family gatherings, her eyes lingering a little too long whenever he spoke about business. It was as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle that was meant to remain hidden. The thought irritated him. **She’s just a distraction, that Liam has foolishly chosen to marry. She doesn’t belong in this world of power and ambition.**

“Emily,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, “you really should be more careful about where you wander. This isn’t a place for you to play detective.”

Her cheeks flushed, and for a moment, he felt a surge of satisfaction. **Good. Let her feel small. She needs to remember her place.** But then he caught himself, realizing that he couldn’t afford to underestimate her. If she was indeed trying to gather information, he needed to shut her down before she could do any real damage.

“Why don’t you go back to the estate?” he continued, his tone dismissive. “I’m sure Liam would prefer you to be there, rather than lurking around here.”

Emily’s expression hardened, and for a brief moment, he saw a flicker of defiance in her eyes. **She’s not as weak as I thought,** he mused, intrigued despite himself. **But that doesn’t matter. I can’t let her interfere with my plans.**

As she turned to leave, Harrison felt a surge of irritation mixed with a hint of admiration. **She’s resourceful, I’ll give her that. But she’s still just a pawn in this game. I need to keep her in check.**

Once she was out of sight, he returned to his conversation with the investors, but his mind was still on Emily. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was a threat, and he needed to act quickly to neutralize her.

**If she’s trying to dig up dirt on me, I can’t let her succeed. I need to keep my plans under wraps.** He glanced at the briefcase, ensuring it was securely closed. **I can’t afford any slip-ups. If she finds out what I’m really planning, it could ruin everything.**

As the meeting continued, Harrison’s thoughts turned to how he could manipulate the situation to his advantage. **Perhaps I can use her to my benefit. If she thinks she’s helping Liam, she might unwittingly lead me to the information I need.**

He smiled to himself, the gears in his mind turning. **I’ll play along. I’ll let her think she’s in control, while I pull the strings from behind the scenes.**

With that thought, he leaned back in his chair, adopting a relaxed demeanor as he engaged with the investors. But inside, he was already plotting his next move, determined to keep Emily in the dark while he executed his plans to take over the family business.

Meanwhile, Emily was outside the café, her heart racing as she processed what had just happened. She had felt the weight of Harrison’s gaze on her, and the way he had dismissed her made her skin crawl. But she couldn’t let fear deter her.

**I need to be smarter,** she thought, her mind racing with ideas. **I can’t confront him directly, but I can keep monitoring his movements. I need to find a way to get that notebook and any other evidence I can uncover.**

With renewed determination, Emily decided to follow Harrison discreetly as he left the café. She kept her distance, blending in with the crowd as he walked down the street, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement.

**This is my chance,** she thought, her resolve hardening. **I’ll find a way to expose him, and I’ll prove to Liam that I’m not the enemy. I’ll show him that I’m on his side, even if he doesn’t believe me right no