LOVE! WHY NOW!

The Return of Shadows

The flight back to New York felt longer than the seven hours it actually took.

Bethany Buch sat by the window in the private jet, watching the clouds drift past as the plane cut through the sky. The London trip had started with hope for answers and ended with more questions than she could bear.

The confirmation that her father was murdered, the betrayal from Kai, the Shadow Board’s reach, it all weighed on her like lead.

Her body still remembered Kai’s delicate touch from their last evening together, but that memory now tasted bitter.

Cassandra sat across from her, sketching quietly in a notebook. “You haven’t said much since we left the hotel. You’re thinking about Kai, aren’t you?”

Bethany nodded, her voice low. “He said it was real. But my father paid him to get close to me. How do I know what was genuine and what was part of the game?”

Cassandra closed her notebook. “You don’t. Not yet.

That’s why we take it one step at a time. We get home, we regroup with Theo, and we start digging into the Shadow Board from New York soil.”

The plane landed at a private airfield outside the city. Jake Thompson was the first off, scanning the area before letting them disembark. The New York air felt familiar but colder now. The drive back to the Tribeca penthouse was quiet.

When they arrived, Theo was waiting in the living room, surrounded by multiple screens and stacks of printed documents. The rich smell of fresh coffee filled the space.

Theo stood up and hugged both sisters tightly. “You two look exhausted. I’ve been working non-stop. The Shadow Board isn’t just a group of investors. It’s a network inside BuchForge itself. Victor, Damien, and at least three other major shareholders are connected. And Kai… he received a large payment two weeks before Dad died, but there’s a second transfer from an unknown account the day after the funeral.”

Bethany’s stomach dropped. “So he lied to me.”

Theo nodded. “It looks that way. But there’s more. Dad left a hidden file in the main IllusionForge system. It’s encrypted with a personal code only you would know.”

The three siblings spent the next several hours trying different combinations. Finally, Bethany typed in her mother’s maiden name combined with her own birthday. The file opened.

The recording showed her father in the IllusionForge pod, looking exhausted but determined. “Bethany, if you’re seeing this, I failed you. The Shadow Board wanted full control. Victor pushed the hardest, but Damien was the one who suggested the toxin. I tried to stop them.

I paid Kai to watch over you, but I think even he got pulled in. The only way to end this is to expose the recordings. They’re in the secure vault under the London lab. Use them wisely. I love you, my strong girl.”

The message ended. Bethany sat in silence, tears streaming down her face. Cassandra hugged her from one side. Theo from the other. The betrayal ran deeper than she had imagined. Her father had known he was in danger and still tried to protect her.

Later that evening, Bethany stood on the penthouse terrace. The infinity pool glowed blue under the New York night sky. The Hudson River sparkled with city lights.

Damien had sent multiple messages asking her to meet him. She finally replied: “Tribeca penthouse. Tonight. We need to talk.”

Damien arrived an hour later. He looked powerful in his dark suit, but his blue eyes showed genuine concern when he saw her. “Bethany. You look like you’ve been through hell.”

They sat on the terrace. The cool night wind blew across them. Bethany didn’t waste time. “Did you have anything to do with my father’s death?”

Damien’s face went still. “No. I swear on everything I have. I wanted control of the company, yes. But not like that. Victor was the one pushing the hardest. I tried to stop him.”

Bethany searched his eyes. The spark between them was still there, but it was mixed with suspicion now. “Then prove it. Help me expose the Shadow Board.”

Damien stepped closer. “I will. But you have to trust me.”

It was a sudden as they approached each other. The kiss that followed was intense and desperate. Damien’s hands slid under her blouse, grabbing her slim tender waist, cupping her full br**sts, thumbs teasing her ni**les until they hardened and riped. He kissed down her neck, biting gently, leaving small pink marks.

His fingers moved lower, slipping under her skirt, finding her already moist va**na. He stroked her red warm c**t in firm circles, then slid two fingers deep inside her, curling them perfectly. Bethany moaned so hard against him trying to gasp for air.

He lifted her onto the terrace railing, her legs wrapping around his waist. He penetrated with his hard rock d**k in one deep thrust. The rhythm was urgent, almost angry. Bethany clung to him, meeting every thrust. B**ls slapping and crest pounding against her skin. She came hard, her va**na clenching around him. Damien followed moments later, groaning her name, “Beth…” as he filled her with his hot, hungry c*m.

They held each other afterward, breathing heavily with sweat dripping. For a few seconds, the world felt simple.

Then Bethany’s phone buzzed on the table. A new message notification from an unknown number.

“Damien is lying. He was the one who ordered the toxin. Check the London vault. The proof is there.”

Bethany froze in Damien’s arms.

The betrayals were multiplying. And she was running out of people she could trust.