Chapter eight
494 Words
A Friend’s Warning
The next morning dawned heavy with gray clouds. Gloria sat on the patio with her coffee, watching the breeze stir the rose bushes. Her fingers trembled slightly around the cup. She hadn’t slept—not truly. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Alfred’s hand in Emmanuella’s.
She needed clarity. And she needed someone she could trust.
She dialed Evelyn.
“Come over,” she said without preamble. “I found something.”
Evelyn arrived within the hour, sharp heels clicking against the marble floor. Gloria led her to the study, shut the door, and pulled out her phone.
“These were in Emmanuella’s room,” she said, showing the photos. “Tell me I’m not imagining this.”
Evelyn’s face went pale as she scrolled through the images. “That’s not imagination, Gloria. That’s charm work. Old, dangerous stuff.”
Gloria’s stomach sank. “You think she’s using it on Alfred?”
“I’d bet my life on it. And if Gabriel Peter is behind her—”
“He is,” Gloria said flatly. “He recommended the agency.”
Evelyn paced. “That man’s always been jealous of Alfred. He’s tried to undermine him for years, but this… this is strategic. Psychological warfare. He’s not just trying to ruin Alfred’s business—he’s trying to break him from the inside out.”
Gloria stood, resolve growing. “I need proof. Real proof. If I confront Alfred now, he’ll think I’m paranoid or insecure.”
“Then we get proof,” Evelyn said. “We dig. We track. And when we have enough, we strike.”
That evening, Emmanuella found Alfred in the sunroom, reading. Her entrance was softer than a breeze.
“You haven’t been sleeping,” she said gently.
He looked up. “You noticed?”
“I notice a lot about you.” She stepped closer, no tray this time—no pretense. Just her presence. “You carry too much. For too many people. Let me help.”
He didn’t move away as she sat beside him.
“It’s wrong,” he whispered.
“Is it?” she replied, her fingers lightly brushing his. “Or is it the only honest thing in your life right now?”
Their eyes locked.
A pause.
And then…
Footsteps.
They turned, startled, as Williams entered with a folder in hand, deliberately not acknowledging the closeness.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir. These are the files from today’s board session.”
Alfred took them without a word, guilt flashing across his face.
Emmanuella stood and excused herself quietly, retreating to the hallway where she ran straight into Gabriel.
He’d been watching from the shadows.
“She’s getting suspicious,” Gabriel murmured.
“I know,” Emmanuella said, lowering her voice. “But Alfred is close. I can feel it.”
“Then finish it,” he said. “Before Glori
a finds a way to burn it all down."
- Writer
