Chapter Three
2211 Words
Walking into Blue Sky Studios felt like stepping into a battlefield.
The last time I had been here, I was being thrown out of my father’s empire. Forced to watch as Bernard Lawson, my uncle, seized everything my father built. Now, I was back—not as a victim, but as a hunter.
I gripped my bag tightly, my heart pounding as I moved through the familiar halls. The air felt different, tainted with betrayal and loss. But this place belonged to me.
And I was going to take it back.
I kept my head high as I made my way to my father’s old office—the place Bernard had claimed as his own. If there were any secrets left, they were buried there.
What I wasn’t expecting was William Carter standing outside the office, waiting for me.
William leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking at me like he’d been expecting me. That infuriating smirk played on his lips, the same one that always made my pulse spike.
“Didn’t expect to see you here, Ms Lawson.”
I stopped a few feet away, forcing my face into a mask of indifference. “Funny. I was just thinking the same about you.”
He pushed off the doorway, stepping toward me. Too close. I refused to move.
“You always did have a habit of showing up where you don’t belong,” he murmured.
I lifted my chin. “Neither do you.”
His smirk deepened, like he was enjoying this far too much. “Ah, but the difference is—I was invited.”
He pulled out a business card with Bernard’s name embossed in gold. My stomach twisted.
Bernard had invited him here?
Something in my expression must have given me away because William tilted his head, studying me. “You didn’t know.”
I forced my voice to remain even. “Why would I care who Bernard wastes his time with?”
William chuckled, his gaze still locked on mine. “Because, Ms Lawson, if you’re planning something—and let’s be honest, you are—you should know exactly who your competition is.”
My heart pounded, but I refused to let him see it.
William Carter was going to be a problem.
And I wasn’t sure yet if he was an enemy or an opportunity.
Later that night, I sat in my apartment, staring at my father’s old files, my laptop open in front of me.
I had a list of names—potential allies, people who might know the truth about my father’s death. But instead of focusing, my mind kept circling back to William.
The way he had looked at me. The way he had gotten under my skin so easily.
I hated that I even cared.
But more than that, I hated the doubt creeping into my mind.
Was I doing the right thing? Would exposing Bernard destroy innocent people? Was I becoming just as ruthless as him?
I shut my laptop with a frustrated sigh.
I couldn’t afford these thoughts.
Because if I slipped now, Bernard would win.
And that was something I could never let happen.
The next day, I was late for class.
I rushed into the lecture hall, my mind still clouded with everything that happened at Blue Sky. I barely had time to pull out my notebook before I heard his voice.
“Rough morning?”
I turned to see William Carter settling into the seat beside me.
I exhaled sharply. “I don’t remember inviting you to sit here.”
He smirked. “You didn’t.”
I turned away, gripping my pen so tightly my knuckles turned white.
“Relax, Ms Lawson,” he murmured. “I’m not here to ruin your day.”
“Then move,” I shot back.
William leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms lazily. “Now, why would I do that when this seat has the best view?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Of what?”
His smirk deepened. “You.”
A flicker of heat rose to my cheeks, but I crushed it immediately. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet, you keep talking to me,” he countered.
I turned back to my notebook, jaw tight.
William Carter was a distraction.
And I couldn’t afford distractions.
After class, I headed straight to the library.
I had arranged a meeting with Greg Hastings—my father’s former assistant.
He looked older than I remembered, his once-crisp suits replaced with worn-out jackets. Bernard had fired him after taking over Blue Sky, and I knew he had struggled since.
“You shouldn’t be looking into this, Emerald,” Greg said the moment we sat down.
I leaned forward. “Greg, please. I just need to know—did my father suspect Bernard? Did he know something?”
Greg hesitated before finally exhaling. “Victor knew he was being watched. He told me weeks before the accident that if anything happened to him, it wouldn’t be an accident.”
My stomach twisted. Dad had known.
I swallowed hard. “Did he ever mention Starlight Productions?”
Greg’s face darkened. “He didn’t trust them. He said they wanted something from him—something he wasn’t willing to give.”
A chill ran down my spine.
This wasn’t just about Bernard.
It was bigger than that.
And I was running out of time to find out the truth.
I left the library, my mind racing.
But as I turned the corner, I nearly collided into William.
He caught my wrist before I could stumble back, his grip firm.
“Careful, Emerald,” he murmured. “Wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”
I yanked my hand away, glaring at him. “What are you doing here?”
His smirk was gone. For the first time, he looked… uncertain.
He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. “I need to talk to you.”
I frowned. “About what?”
William hesitated before finally saying, “I don’t know what Bernard told you about me, but whatever it is—it’s a lie.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why should I believe anything you say?”
His jaw tightened. “Because I’m not my father. And I’m not Bernard. But if you keep treating me like the enemy, you might push away the only person who actually wants to help you.”
Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten.
I wanted to hate him.
But for the first time… I wasn’t sure if I did.
The following week, I tried my best to ignore William Carter. But despite my best efforts, it seemed fate—or misfortune—was determined to keep throwing him into my path.
It started innocently enough. I was sitting in the library, pouring over textbooks for an upcoming economics exam, when a shadow fell over my desk. Looking up, I immediately wished I hadn’t.
“Mind if I sit?” William asked, holding a coffee cup in one hand and a notebook in the other.
“Yes,” I said flatly, hoping my tone would make him go away.
Unbothered, he slid into the seat across from me anyway, setting his coffee down with an infuriating air of nonchalance.
I glared at him. “You have the entire library to yourself, and you choose to sit here?”
He shrugged, flipping open his notebook. “What can I say? I like a challenge.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but the words caught in my throat when I noticed something peculiar. Scrawled across the top of William’s notebook was a diagram—a flowchart of names, dates, and connections. I couldn’t make out all the details, but one word stood out clearly: Bernard.
My heart skipped a beat.
“What is that?” I demanded, leaning forward slightly.
William followed my gaze and casually closed his notebook, his expression unreadable. “Just some notes for a project.”
“Notes that mention Bernard?” I pressed, my voice sharper now.
William’s smirk returned, but this time it didn’t reach his eyes. “Relax, Emerald. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
I narrowed my eyes, my mind racing. This wasn’t a coincidence—couldn’t be. But before I could push further, William stood abruptly, gathering his things.
“Good luck with your exam,” he said, flashing me a knowing look before walking away.
I sat frozen, my thoughts spiraling. Why would William have Bernard’s name in his notes? Was he investigating him too? And if so, why?
The next day, I arrived at the library feeling equal parts nervous and curious. I spotted William at a secluded table in the back, his expression serious for once.
“What’s this about?” I asked, sitting across from him.
William didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he slid a folder across the table.
I opened the folder, my breath catching as I scanned the contents: emails, financial records, and internal documents from Starlight Productions. One name appeared repeatedly: Bernard Lawson.
“Where did you get this?” I demanded, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I’ve been keeping tabs on my father’s dealings,” William admitted. “And Bernard’s been working with him for years. Whatever happened to your father—it wasn’t an accident.”
my heart pounded fast as I stared at the documents. The confirmation of my worst fears was right in front of me, but it raised even more questions.
“Why are you showing me this?” I asked, my voice trembling.
William gave me a gaze, his expression unreadable. “Because I want to help you, Emerald. But if you’re serious about taking Bernard down, you’ll need to trust me.”
The weight of his words hung between us, and for the first time, I found myself wondering if I could.
I stared at the documents William had given me, my mind racing heavily with questions and suspicions. Trusting William Carter—a man tied to the very family I blamed for my father’s downfall—felt like stepping into a trap. But the evidence in front of me was damning, and my gut told me he wasn’t lying.
“You expect me to believe you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
William leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “I don’t expect you to believe anything, Emerald. I expect you to think for yourself. If you want to take Bernard down, this is your chance.”
I tapped my fingers on the edge of the folder, my distrust warring with the undeniable fact that this was the first real lead I’d had.
“If you’re wrong about this, or if this is some sort of setup—”
“It’s not,” he interrupted, his tone firm. “But you’re smart enough to check for yourself. That’s why I came to you.”
His words were a challenge, and despite my reservations, I felt a spark of determination. “Fine,” I said, standing and clutching the folder. “But if you’re playing me, you’ll regret it.”
William smirked faintly. “Looking forward to it.”
Later that evening, I sat cross-legged on the floor of my apartment, the documents spread out before me. The financial records painted a picture of backdoor deals, money laundering, and payments funneled into offshore accounts under Bernard’s name.
One email stood out: a message from Bernard to Edward Carter, discussing a payout labeled “Project Horizon.” The term rang a bell, but I couldn’t place it.
“Project Horizon,” I murmured, typing the words into my laptop’s search engine. Nothing relevant came up. Frustrated, I leaned back against the couch. What was Bernard planning?
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. I froze, my pulse quickening. It was late, and I wasn’t expecting anyone.
“Emerald?” a familiar voice called softly.
I exhaled heavily, relief washing over me as I recognized my aunt Marie. Unlocking the door, I pulled it open to reveal Marie standing on the doorstep, my expression grave.
“We need to talk,” Marie said, stepping inside.
I frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Marie hesitated, wringing her hands. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you this, but… I’ve been getting calls. From someone claiming to know what happened to Victor.”
My breath caught. “What? Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” Marie admitted. “But they’ve been persistent. They keep saying your father knew too much and that’s why he was silenced.”
“Silenced,” I echoed, my stomach churning.
Marie nodded, lowering her voice. “They also mentioned something called Project Horizon.”
My blood ran cold immediately . “Aunt Marie, who’s been calling you?” I questioned
Marie hesitated, then handed me a slip of paper with a phone number scrawled on it.
“They wouldn’t give me their name,” she said. “But they seemed… scared. Like they were trying to warn me.”
- Writer
