Chapter 6
998 Words
Alexander froze, eyes wide, as he slowly turned toward the familiar voice behind him.
Standing with arms crossed, a sly grin on her face, was his twin sister.
“Alexia?” he stuttered, shifting uneasily. “What are you doing here?”
Alexia Drake, slender, fair-skinned, with the poised elegance of a model.
Her sharp jawline and piercing dark blue eyes gave her a signature edge.
At 5’7”, she carried herself with the poised of someone used to being in charge.
As the CEO of Alexy Beauty Products, she was more than just Alexander's sister, she was his closest confidant.
“I could ask you the same,” she said, walking toward him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Where are you sneaking off to?”
“First, this is my house remember. And secondly, it's none of your business,” Alexander muttered, brushing past her.
“And I don't have time for this.”
“The earlier you let me in, the better for both of us,” she replied, walking behind him.
He sighed. “Fine. Come along. I'll explain once we're in the Uber.”
Alexia followed, reluctantly. “Uber? Seriously? You know I don't do Ubers, Alexander.”
“Then you're welcome to walk. Or fly. Your choice,” he shot back, entering the car.
With a grown, she hopped in beside him.
Inside, she nudged him with a questioning glance. “Well? Start talking.”
He leaned close and whispered, “Not here. Third party in the car.”
She scoffed, turning to gaze out the window, arms folded.
Fifteen minutes later, the car pulled up to a bustling downtown restaurant.
It was exactly 2 p.m. Alexander stepped out, scanning the crowd inside the restaurant.
“There,” he said, spotting a hand raised in the far corner.
Marcus.
Alexander strode towards him, Alexia trailing behind, clearly unimpressed by the noise and ambience.
“Hey, Marcus,” Alexander said, shaking his friend's hand. Only then did he realize he'd forgotten to introduce his sister.
“Oh, this is my twin sister, Alexia. And Alexia, meet Marcus.”
“Hi,” Alexia said curtly, offering a distracted handshake while surveying the restaurant with a faint grimace.
Alexander didn't waste time. “What did you find?”
Marcus leaned in, lowering his voice.
“You were right. The Beaumonts weren't just partners. They owned everything. The company was theirs.”
That got Alexia's attention.
“What?” she said, eyes narrowing.
Marcus continued. “They died years ago. A yacht accident while on vacation.”
Alexander felt his bowel twist. He glanced at Alexia, whose expression had shifted from disdain to disbelief.
“But that's not all,” Marcus added, his tone dropping even lower.
“My sources believe that the Beaumonts’ company, B & D, was quietly taken over. It's what eventually became… the Drake Family Conglomerate.”
Alexia's eyes widened. “You're saying our family doesn't actually own the business we've been running for years?”
Marcus nodded solemnly. “Exactly.”
Alexander blinked. “And there were no heirs? No one from the Beaumont line?”
“There was… a daughter,” Marcus replied.
“She was with them on that yacht. But I guess she didn't survive. If she had, she'd be the rightful owner.”
A silence settled between them. Marcus leaned back and sipped his coffee.
Alexander stood, heart racing, mind spinning. He shook Marcus's hand with a distracted thank you and exited the restaurant with Alexia.
Outside, she stepped ahead and spun around to face him, blocking his path.
“When were you going to tell me?” she demanded, her voice tight with restrained fury.
Alexander met her gaze, jaw clenched. “Because I knew you'd blow up. Just like now. You'd have stormed straight to Dad before thinking it through.”
Alexia's shoulders stiffened. He was right, and she knew it.
“But I deserved to know,” she shot back, exhaling hard.
“I was going to fill you in during a walk,” Alexander said with a sly smile.
“But I doubt you can manage in those heels.”
Alexia scoffed, “These?” She raised a foot. “These are made for power moves, not strolls.”
With a chuckle, Alexander nodded. “Alright then. Let's walk.”
As they made their way back to Alexander's house, he explained everything, how he'd discovered the old documents in the family library that hinted at something hidden.
They walked in quiet conversation, the tension giving way to reflection. By the time they arrived, Alexia looked stunned.
“I can't believe we walked all the way here,” she panted. “I'm sweating!”
“It's not that far, he replied, opening the gate.
“Says the man in loafers! It took twice the time the Uber did,” she huffed.
Alexander smiled. “So… you timed it?”
Alexia leaned against the gatepost, brushing her hair from her face. “What are we up against, really?”
Alexander's eyes darkened. “Not just a corporate cover-up. It's about what happened between the Beaumonts’ death… and the sudden rise of our family business.”
“You think it wasn't an accident? she said softly.
“I think something's missing. Something big,” he said, in a low tone, his eyes fixed on nothing.
Alexander sighed, his eyes fixed on Alexia. “So… how do you get home?”
“If you were that caring, you should've driven me back,” she teased.
“But I already texted my driver. He should be…”
A sleek black Range Rover pulled up at that exact moment.
“...here, she finished, sliding into the car owner's seat.
As she waved goodbye, Alexander turned toward his gate, mind swirling with everything he'd just learned.
Then, a sudden grip on his arm stopped him cold.
A voice spoke, calm.
“I see you're a detective now!
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