Chapter 6
1501 Words
Asia barely slept that night.Long after the house had gone quiet, she remained seated on the edge of her bed, staring at the glowing screen of her phone.
The message hadn't disappeared.
At first, she had convinced herself it was some kind of cruel prank. Flinton City was full of people who enjoyed gossip, especially when wealthy families were involved. But something about the message unsettled her.
Whoever had sent it wasn't asking for money,they weren't threatening her neither were they trying to blackmail her.
It felt more like a warning.
Slowly, she pressed the call button and the line connected.
Then immediately disconnected.Her brows furrowed and she tried again.
This time, the phone informed her that the number was unavailable.Asia lowered the device and exhaled slowly.
“Who are you?”
The question lingered in her mind long after midnight.
By morning, she had reached a decision.She wasn't going to ignore the message.
After breakfast, she contacted the detective assigned to her case.
The meeting was arranged for later that afternoon.
Unlike the previous days, Asia felt a renewed sense of focus. The divorce papers hidden in her drawer represented one battle and the shooting represented another.
And she had no intention of losing either.
The detective arrived precisely on time.Marcus Reed looked exactly how she remembered him.
He carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who spent most of his life studying people.
After exchanging greetings, they settled into a private meeting room at the police department.
Marcus listened carefully as Asia explained the messages.
He didn't interrupt.
By the time she finished, his expression had grown noticeably more serious.
"You didn't tell anyone about the messages?"
Asia shook her head.
"Only you."
Marcus nodded.
"Good."
His response immediately caught her attention.
"You think they're real."
"I think they're worth investigating."
He opened a folder resting on the table and pulled out several photographs.
"We've hit a wall."
Asia's gaze moved toward the images.The sight made her chest tighten slightly.
Marcus continued speaking.
"There were no usable fingerprints. The weapon was never recovered. Security footage from nearby businesses was either damaged or conveniently unavailable."
"Meaning?"
Marcus folded his hands.
"Meaning whoever planned this wasn't careless."
Silence settled briefly between them.Then Marcus slid another photograph across the table.
"This is the only thing we've found recently."
Asia picked it up.
It showed a dark vehicle.The image was blurry.
Barely recognizable.
"What is it?"
"A witness reported seeing this vehicle near the scene shortly before the shooting."
Asia studied the photograph.
"Did you identify the owner?"
Marcus nodded slowly.
"Not exactly."
Her stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?"
"It belongs to a transportation company with contracts connected to several major families in Flinton City."
Asia immediately understood.
The influential families.
The families capable of making evidence disappear.The same families who practically controlled the city.
Marcus leaned back in his chair.
"Right now, it's only a lead. Nothing more."
For the first time since the shooting, it felt like the investigation was moving forward.
Meanwhile, on the twenty-seventh floor of Fletcher Holdings, Jane Tex was discovering that Asia Richmore’s position came with far more pressure than she had expected.
The conference room was filled with senior executives, department heads, and shareholders reviewing quarterly projections. Although Jane sat confidently at the head of the table, the thick stack of reports in front of her felt heavier with every passing minute.
Until now, she had always viewed Asia’s role from the outside.
She was beginning to realize that managing it was a completely different matter.
At the opposite end of the table, Kelvin sat quietly reviewing a report while the discussion continued around him.
A senior executive adjusted his glasses before directing a question toward Jane.
“Miss Tex, could you explain the projected loss margin for quarter three and how management intends to offset it?”
Jane’s smile froze for the briefest moment.he answer was somewhere in the reports.
She knew she had seen it.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember where.Several seconds passed.
Before she could respond, another executive added, “And how does that projection affect the international expansion proposal?”
Jane felt her heartbeat quicken.
For the first time since entering the room, genuine panic threatened to surface.
Across the table, Kelvin noticed immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Jane?”
The question pulled every gaze in the room toward her.
Jane lowered her head and pressed a hand lightly against her temple.
“Sorry…”
Her voice came out softer than usual.
“I suddenly feel a little dizzy.”
The room immediately fell silent.
Kelvin closed the report in front of him and stood.
“Are you alright?”
“I think I may have skipped lunch.”
Several executives exchanged glances.Concern quickly replaced curiosity.
Kelvin walked around the table and stopped beside her chair.
“You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine,” Jane insisted.
Unfortunately, she swayed slightly as she stood pretending to have slipped.
Kelvin’s expression immediately hardened.
“Let’s end the meeting here.”
Within minutes, the conference room was empty.
Jane allowed Kelvin to guide her toward the elevator while the executives quietly gathered their files behind them.
The moment the elevator doors slid shut, the weakness in her posture seemed to ease slightly.
She leaned back against the wall and released a small sigh.
“I’m sorry.”
Kelvin glanced at her.
“For what?”
“The meeting.”
Jane lowered her gaze.
“I didn’t mean for it to end early.”
Her voice carried just enough disappointment to sound genuine.
“I was actually looking forward to showing them what I could do.”
Kelvin frowned slightly.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Jane looked up.
“What do you mean?”
“The board already approved your appointment.”
The elevator continued its descent.
“You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone.”
A small smile tugged at Jane’s lips.
“But they were questioning me.”
“They question everyone.”Kelvin’s tone remained calm.
“That’s their job.”
Jane hesitated before speaking again.
“I just don’t want people thinking I can’t handle the position.”
For a moment, Kelvin was silent.
Then he shook his head.
“I already know what you’re capable of.”
Jane blinked.
“You do?”
“Of course.”
The answer came without hesitation.
“If I didn’t trust your abilities, I wouldn’t have supported putting you in that position.”
A flicker of satisfaction crossed Jane’s eyes before she quickly hid it.
She lowered her head, pretending to be embarrassed.
“Well lunch is on me.” She added.
Kelvin simply nodded.
As the elevator doors opened, she stepped out beside him with a faint smile on her face.
Back at Fletcher Manor, Kelvin had just gotten back from work.
For three consecutive mornings, Asia had left the breakfast table before he arrived.
Three evenings in a row, she had excused herself after dinner without attempting conversation.
At first, he appreciated the silence.
Now he found himself noticing it.
The realization annoyed him more than it should have.
That evening, he arrived home slightly later than usual.
As he entered the dining room, he noticed Asia already seated at the table.
She was reading something on her tablet while sipping tea.
For a moment, he simply watched her.she looked healthier and also appeared Stronger.
The pale exhaustion that had followed her hospital stay was slowly fading.
Without realizing it, he pulled out the chair opposite her.
Asia glanced up briefly.
"Good evening."
Then she returned to reading.
He slightly nodded to acknowledge her casual greeting.something about the interaction felt strangely unfinished.
Kelvin frowned slightly.
He couldn't explain why.
Dinner passed quietly and By the time he finished eating, Asia had already excused herself.
Again.
For several moments, he stared toward the staircase.
Then he shook his head.
She was probably still upset or trying to get his attention,he thought silently to himself.
Upstairs, Asia entered her room and closed the door behind her.The day had been exhausting.
She set her phone on the bedside table and headed toward the bathroom.
A few minutes later, she returned and her screen was glowing.
A new notification.
Her pulse immediately quickened,she picked up the phone.
Another unknown message.This time, there was an attachment.
A photograph.
Frowning, she opened it.
Then her breath caught.
The photograph had clearly been taken years ago.
A younger version of herself stood beneath a flowering tree on the grounds of their old academy.
Beside her stood a young man.
For a moment, the room seemed to disappear around her.
Memories she hadn't touched in years came rushing back.Her fingers tightened around the phone.
Asia stared at the screen.
Outside, thunder rolled across the dark evening sky.
And for the first time in years, she found herself thinking about the one person she had spent so long trying to forget.
Alex Carter.
- Writer
