Beneath The Lies
1278 Words
Liana’s world had shifted in a matter of moments. Celeste’s words echoed in her mind— Your mother didn’t just disappear. She was taken.
And the man behind it all?
Victor Wolfe.
She sat on the edge of Damian’s leather couch, her hands gripping the glass of water he had given her. The ice had already melted, but she hadn’t taken a sip.
Damian stood across from her, silent. He could see the storm behind her eyes, the way she tried to process everything at once.
“My mother was taken,” Liana repeated, almost to herself. “And you knew.”
Damian’s jaw tightened. “I suspected.”
She finally lifted her gaze to meet his. “And you didn’t tell me?”
His throat bobbed. “I didn’t have proof. And I—” He ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t want to destroy you with a possibility.”
Liana let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, so you thought it was better to let Celeste be the one to tell me?”
Damian exhaled, stepping closer. “Liana, I—”
She shot to her feet, stepping away from him. “No. You don’t get to stand there and act like you did me a favor.”
He clenched his fists. “I was protecting you.”
She scoffed. “Protecting me?” She shook her head. “No. You were protecting yourself. You knew that if I found out, I’d start digging.”
Damian didn’t deny it.
Liana’s heart pounded. Her mind raced with a thousand questions, but one pressed against her ribs with the most urgency.
“If Victor Wolfe took my mother,” she said slowly, “then where is she now?”
Damian’s silence was answer enough.
Liana’s breath hitched.
“You don’t know,” she whispered.
Damian looked away.
Liana swallowed hard. “Then we find out.”
Liana had spent years feeling lost, but now she had a direction. It was dangerous, terrifying, and filled with uncertainty, but she wasn’t turning back.
She and Damian sat side by side in his private study, documents sprawled across the mahogany desk.
Victor Wolfe was a man who had buried his tracks well. His official records painted him as a successful investor, a businessman with impeccable taste and a flawless reputation. But the deeper Liana and Damian dug, the more cracks they found.
“There’s a property,” Damian said, tapping a location on the screen. “It’s not listed under his name, but it’s linked to one of his shell companies.”
Liana leaned closer, scanning the satellite image of a secluded estate hidden in the outskirts of Azure Bay.
“How do we get in?” she asked.
Damian’s lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s the problem. Security is tight. Cameras. Armed guards.”
Liana met his gaze. “Then we do this smart. We get someone inside.”
Damian arched a brow. “And who exactly do you have in mind?”
Liana set her jaw. “Me.”
Damian stiffened. “Absolutely not.”
Liana crossed her arms. “Why not?”
“Because it’s suicide,” he growled. “You have no idea what kind of man Victor is.”
Liana held his gaze. “He’s the man who took my mother. That’s all I need to know.”
Damian exhaled sharply. “Liana—”
She reached out, touching his arm. “I have to do this, Damian. If I don’t, I’ll never forgive myself.”
His muscles tensed beneath her touch. “Then I’m coming with you.”
Liana hesitated. “Damian—”
“This isn’t up for discussion,” he cut in. “If you’re walking into the lion’s den, I’m walking with you.”
She exhaled. Maybe she should’ve argued. Maybe she should’ve told him she didn’t need him to protect her. But the truth was… she wasn’t sure she could do this alone.
“Okay,” she finally whispered.
Damian nodded, his jaw tight. “Then let’s do this right.”
Getting into Victor Wolfe’s estate was easier said than done. But Damian had resources, and Liana had determination.
Under the guise of an art collector, Liana secured an invitation to one of the estate’s private showings. Damian, as always, had connections that allowed him to blend into the background.
The night of the event, Liana arrived in a sleek dress that screamed sophistication. Damian, dressed in a tailored black suit, played the role of a wealthy investor.
As they stepped into the estate, Liana felt the weight of history pressing against her. The grand halls, the high ceilings, the air thick with old money—it was everything she imagined a Wolfe empire would look like.
“Stay close,” Damian murmured as they entered the main hall.
Liana nodded.
They had a mission: Find the restricted areas. Find any sign of her mother.
But as they moved through the crowd, a voice sent a chill down Liana’s spine.
“Well, well. What a lovely surprise.”
Liana turned—and locked eyes with Victor Wolfe himself.
Victor Wolfe was a man who wore power like a second skin. His salt-and-pepper hair was perfectly groomed, his suit crisp, his smile practiced.
Liana’s breath caught in her throat.
“Miss Everett,” he greeted smoothly. “What an honor to have you here.”
Her fingers clenched against her dress. She forced a polite smile. “Mr. Wolfe. Thank you for the invitation.”
His gaze flickered to Damian. “And you brought company.”
Damian’s expression was unreadable. “Damian Wolfe. No relation.”
Victor’s lips twitched. “Ah, yes. I’ve heard your name before.”
Liana’s pulse raced. She needed to keep control. Needed to stay calm.
Victor’s sharp eyes returned to her. “I must say, Miss Everett, your presence here is quite unexpected.”
Liana forced a small laugh. “I have a deep appreciation for art.”
Victor’s smirk didn’t falter. “I see.” He studied her for a moment longer before stepping aside. “Enjoy the evening.”
Liana exhaled as he walked away.
Damian leaned in. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, but her heart was still pounding.
“We need to move,” Damian said. “Now.”
Liana steeled herself. “Then let’s go.”
As the event carried on, Liana and Damian maneuvered through the estate. They found a secluded hallway, guarded by a keypad-locked door.
“This is it,” Damian murmured.
Liana’s fingers trembled as she pulled out the small hacking device Damian had given her. She attached it to the keypad, watching as it bypassed the code.
A soft click. The door unlocked.
They stepped inside.
And what they found made Liana’s blood turn to ice.
The room was filled with files. Old documents. Records.
And photos.
Liana stepped forward, her breath catching as she saw her mother’s face staring back at her from a decades-old photograph.
Damian scanned the files. “Liana…”
She turned to him.
He held up a document.
It was a contract.
And it had her mother’s name on it.
Liana’s hands trembled as she took it. She scanned the words, her heart pounding louder with every line.
Her mother… hadn’t just been taken.
She had been sold.
A deal. A transaction.
And Victor Wolfe had been the buyer.
Liana’s vision blurred.
Damian touched her arm. “We need to go.”
Liana could barely hear him over the roar in her head.
Her mother had been a prisoner.
All these years.
And Liana was next.
- Writer
