Chapter 84 Confrontation

Chapter 84 Confrontation
Kayla’s POV

The moment the call ended with the commissioner, my heart jumped into my throat. I did not even bother to pick up my purse properly. I just grabbed my phone and rushed toward the door of Haylee’s penthouse. My breathing was uneven and my chest felt tight. I did not want to panic anyone but it was impossible to hide the urgency in my steps.

“Kayla” Haylee called from behind. “What happened? Are you okay? You look pale”

I forced myself to stop. I swallowed hard, forcing my expression into something calmer than what I felt inside.

“I am fine” I lied. “I just got an urgent business call. A conference. Something with the shareholders. They need me back in Manhattan immediately. I am so sorry, Haylee”

She blinked rapidly in surprise. “Right now? You are just going to leave now?”

“Yes. I am so sorry. I really am” I said again. I leaned in and hugged her even though my legs were shaking and begging me to move. “I promise I will send gifts for you and Thomas. Enjoy the evening. Tell him again that the dinner looked perfect before he ruined it by walking in too early”

She laughed breathlessly, obviously still caught off guard. “Okay but at least text me when you land. I got scared for a second. I thought something bad happened”

“No, nothing bad” I lied again and then added, “Just work. I will text you. I promise”

I left before she asked any more questions. The elevator ride felt slow. Too slow. By the time I exited the building, I already pulled strings on my phone. One of the advantages of being Kayla Brooks was connections and influence across states, including airlines that owed me favors.

Within an hour I secured a seat on the next private interstate flight. I barely heard the pilot’s announcements. My head spun the entire time. The commissioner’s voice echoed in my mind again and again, especially the part where he said the investigator’s body was found in a hotel room and that it was too gory to explain over the phone.

My hands clenched on my lap.

“Who found him?” I finally asked when I called the commissioner back mid-flight.

“One of the hotel cleaners,” he answered. His tone remained official and careful. “We are still investigating. We cannot say much until we get a clearer picture”

“What happened to him exactly”

A sigh came through the line. “Miss Kayla, trust me when I say it is not something I want to describe right now. We have our forensics department working on it. Once we know more I will inform you”

I closed my eyes. My stomach churned. The investigator had been helping me behind the scenes. We had met in secret. I had asked him to dig into things that no one else knew about. He knew too much. And now he was dead.

When the plane finally landed in Manhattan, I wanted to rush straight to the hotel. My first instinct was to see things for myself, no matter how ugly. But reality hit me fast. If I showed up there, paparazzi and gossip platforms would take pictures. Journalists would twist stories. Conspiracies would multiply and I already had enough scandals tied to my name.

So instead, I slipped into my car and told my driver to take me home.

The familiar sight of my house did nothing to calm me. My mother opened the door before the maid could and froze in surprise.

“Kayla, You came back early. What happened? Why are you home?”

“Business issues” I replied. My voice came out steady even though I felt close to shaking. 

“Is everything alright? You look stressed,” she pushed on.

“I am just tired. I will be fine” I lied.

I hurried upstairs and locked myself in my room. Then I called the commissioner again. This time I was not letting him keep things vague.

“How did you even know to call me when he died?” I asked quietly. “No one knew he was working for me. Our meetings were discreet”

He hesitated. “Miss Kayla, you should know that these kinds of arrangements are rarely invisible. When a private investigator starts digging into high ranking families or high profile scandals, authorities take note. We monitor for safety reasons. His phone records pointed to your involvement. That is how we knew who to contact”

I pressed my fingers against my forehead. “So someone else could have known too”

“That is a possibility. Especially if anyone was monitoring him the same way we were. Do you have any useful information you can share”

“When we met last, it was just a short meeting inside my car.” I replied. “We talked about a few leads he found. That was two days ago. I do not know where he went afterward”

“What leads did he find”

I hesitated. My throat felt tight. If I told him everything, this would turn into a public storm. And Vivian would find a way to twist things like she always did. So instead I chose carefully.

“He was looking into an old matter that concerned my family. That is all I can say for now”

“I understand. We will update you when we know more” he said and ended the call.

I stared at the wall in silence. My mind replayed everything the investigator had told me. Vivian’s name floated in the center of all of it. She was always one step ahead and always ruthless enough to clear obstacles. If he got close enough to uncover something real, she would have noticed. And she had obviously acted by getting him killed.

My anger grew until it burned hot in my chest. If Vivian thought I would sit quietly after this, she was very wrong.

I grabbed my coat and my car keys. I did not even bother warning my mother. I needed answers and I needed to see Vivian’s face when I confronted her.

Her workplace was a fashion center uptown, owned by one of her elite friends. Outside, the glass windows reflected bright lights and models moved around inside with clipboards and clothes.

The moment I entered, the receptionists stiffened.

“Can we help you Miss Brooks?” one of them asked nervously.

“Yes. Where is Vivian Ward?”

Their eyes widened but before they could lie, Vivian herself walked out from one of the hallways. She stopped when she saw me. Her eyes narrowed. Her arms crossed.

“What are you doing here Kayla?”

I took three steps forward. “You killed him, right?”

Murmurs erupted across the lobby. Heads turned. Vivian’s expression barely changed.

“What are you talking about”

“Do not play innocent with me. My private investigator is dead. Found in a hotel room. And the only person who would gain anything from shutting him up is you!!!”

Gasps filled the space. Vivian’s jaw tightened. “Lower your voice. You are making a scene”

“Good. Let everyone hear. Tell them you are a murderer too since you are so good at stealing everything else from people.”

“What investigator Kayla? I have no idea what you are talking about” she answered through clenched teeth.

“Liar!!!”

Right then another voice entered the tension.

“Kayla”

I spun around and saw Ashton. He walked quickly toward us, wearing a dark suit and carrying a file.

My stomach dropped. Of all people to be here, why him? Why now? And why with that expression that looked almost protective toward her.

“Ashton, why are you here?” I demanded.

He placed a hand on my arm and gently pulled me aside. “Calm down. You should not accuse people in public like this”

“What are you doing here with her?” I repeated.

“I am here to close a deal with the director of the center,” he answered. His voice was smooth. Too smooth. “It has nothing to do with Vivian”

But the way he avoided my eyes made my skin crawl. It felt like a lie. It felt like betrayal waiting to bloom.

A horrible wave of deja vu hit me. Years ago, Vivian stole Adrian from me. She won him with sweet lies and poisoned whispers. Now the picture was repeating itself. 

Vivian standing there cool and composed. Ashton being vague and soft spoken. And me being the one who looked crazy for accusing the obvious.

My eyes stung.

“I cannot do this,” I whispered.

I pulled my arm away and walked out. I did not wait for Ashton to follow. I did not want Vivian’s cold smile behind me either. I went straight to my car, shut the door and finally let my breath break.

Tears fell fast, hot and angry. My chest hurts. My hands shook on the steering wheel. Between the investigator’s death, Vivian’s smug calmness and Ashton’s mysterious presence, everything felt heavy and wrong.

By the time the tears slowed, I felt more scared than angry.

What if Vivian had already won Ashton to her side again?

The thought alone made me crumble in tears again.