Chapter 246: Her secret

Lucas quietly reached for Alex's hand. Their fingers intertwined naturally.

Alex looked at him.

Lucas offered him a reassuring smile. "It's okay. You should go, but be careful out there, okay."

Alex hesitated. "I don't want to leave your side, especially today"

Lucas laughed softly. "My love,"

He gently caressed Alex's cheek.

"I'm surrounded by your entire family."

He glanced around the room. "I don't think anyone would let a fly get near me."

That earned a few chuckles.

Sally immediately pointed toward Lucas. "He's absolutely right."

"I'm guarding my future grandbaby."

Emily raised her hand. "So am I."

Annie smiled. "And me."

Jason folded his arms dramatically.

"I suppose I'll volunteer too."

Caleb shook his head with amusement. "I don't think Lucas could be safer anywhere else."

Lucas turned back to Alex. "Go and do what you need to do." His voice became gentle. "But promise me something."

"Anything."

"Be careful."

Alex smiled. "I should be the one saying that to you."

Lucas leaned closer until their foreheads touched. "I mean it."

"I've only just gotten you back."

Alex's heart warmed. He brushed a kiss across Lucas's forehead before whispering, "I promise. I'll be careful. And I'll come straight back."

Lucas nodded. "I'll be waiting."

Alex gave his hand one last squeeze before reluctantly letting go.

As he walked toward the front door, he couldn't resist turning around one more time.

Lucas was still watching him.

The two of them smiled at each other. No words were needed.

Somehow, that single look said everything. Come back safely. I always will.

With that silent promise between them, Alex stepped out of the house, unaware that the recording waiting for him at the prison was about to uncover another piece of the mystery they thought was finally over.

He texted Thomas and Dan to meet him at the correctional facility.

The gates of the correctional facility slid open as Alex's SUV rolled into the compound.

Thomas and Dan were already waiting outside the administration building.

The moment Alex stepped out, Thomas folded his arms with a grin.

"Right on time."

Dan adjusted the file tucked beneath his arm. "Come on, boss.

We have an audio puzzle to solve."

Alex managed a faint smile.

"Let's hope it gives us answers instead of more questions."

As they walked toward the entrance, Alex pulled out his phone and dialed Warder Sunny.

"Hello, Sunny."

"Mr. Benson. You've arrived?"

"Yes. We're at the main building."

"I'll send someone for you immediately."

Less than a minute later, a correctional officer appeared. "This way, gentlemen."

The three men followed him through several security doors before arriving at a small monitoring office.

Inside, Warder Sunny stood waiting with two technical officers.

A laptop, several folders, and a large monitor had already been prepared.

Sunny smiled politely. "Welcome, Mr. Benson."

He gestured toward the equipment.

"Here's the audio recording." He pointed toward the monitor.

"We also extracted the surveillance footage from the visitation room.

It'll let you see both their conversation and their reactions."

Alex nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Sunny. That'll help a lot."

The three men took their seats.

Sunny dimmed the lights. Then pressed Play. The screen flickered to life.

James was escorted into the visitation room.

A warder pointed toward the chair opposite him. "That's your visitor."

James dropped lazily into the seat.

The moment he saw Larissa, a  grin spread across his face.

"Wow,..The boss lady herself." He chuckled. "What do I owe this visit?"

Larissa didn't smile. She glared at him with undisguised fury.

"I'm not here to rub shoulders with a criminal like you." She leaned forward. "Where's my fucking phone?"

James blinked. "Excuse me?

What do you mean your fucking phone?"

"You used it during Lucas's kidnapping. You called Alex with it demanding ransom."

James's expression shifted. "Oh...I get it now. You mean Hunter's phone?"

"Yes." Larissa snapped. "I'm Hunter. So it's my phone. Where the fuck is it?"

James shrugged. "I don't know. After the kidnapping failed, I got arrested. I figured the lucky bastard who escaped still had it."

Larissa narrowed her eyes. "Which lucky bastard?”

“He calls himself Zee."

“What the heck,” Thomas mouthed.

The room instantly fell silent.

Thomas slowly turned toward Alex.

Alex's jaw tightened.

On the screen, Larissa frowned.

"Where do I find this Zee? And why wasn't he arrested?"

James shrugged again.

"I don't know. He said he used to be Alex's lover, but Alex dumped him for another guy."

Larissa scoffed. "Why didn't he get arrested?"

"We had an agreement. If anything went wrong, nobody betrays anybody."

Larissa stared at him for a long second. “So criminals keep their words now.”

Then asked quietly, "So you had nothing to do with Lucas being kidnapped again today?"

James looked genuinely confused.

"What? He got kidnapped again?"

Larissa folded her arms. "I think your fuckinh Zee kidnapped him."

James slapped his own forehead.

"What an idiot. They'll catch him. You don't understand. Alex loves that Lucas guy with everything."

Larissa's eyes darkened instantly.

"Shut up." Her voice was ice cold.

"Alex should be loving me, not him."

The obsession in her voice made everyone in the office uneasy.

She slammed both hands onto the table. "I want that fucking phone back. I need to become Hunter again, until Alex comes back to me."

James burst into loud laughter.

"Larissa or should I say Boss Hunter.

You're insane. He loves Lucas with his whole heart."

"I don't fucking care." Her eyes burned with madness.

"Then maybe, I'll take Alex with me to the grave. If I can't have him, no one will."

She shot to her feet. "Which bar did you meet Zee?"

"Ladies Bar." James answered casually.

Larissa turned toward the exit.

"I'm going to find him. If Alex wants happiness only with his pretty boy, I'll make sure he never gets it."

James laughed again. "You're insane, Hunter. Just forget Alex before you kill yourself for nothing.

Larissa didn't even look back.

"Enjoy your prison life James."

Her heels echoed sharply across the tiled floor before disappearing.

James leaned back in his chair, still laughing.

"Damn, Zee kidnapped the pretty boy again. That guy's just as crazy."

The recording switched to another camera.

James was being escorted back toward his cell. As he passed, he noticed a new inmate. He suddenly stopped walking. He stared. Then laughed even harder.

"Wow, so quick. Welcome to prison, asshole!"

The camera briefly caught the inmate turning his head. It was Zenith.

The recording ended. Silence filled the office.

Sunny finally cleared his throat.

"That's everything, sir."

Thomas was the first to react.

"Damn."

Dan slowly exhaled. "This is unbelievable."

Sunny and the other officers quietly excused themselves, leaving the three men alone.

Alex remained staring at the now-black monitor. Then, to everyone's surprise, he laughed coldly.

Thomas frowned. "Boss?"

Dan looked equally confused.

Alex leaned back in his chair. "So that's her game."

Dan nodded slowly. "It explains everything."

Thomas rubbed his chin. "So all that time you were receiving threatening texts from Hunter, it was Larissa all along."

Alex's smile grew colder. He turned toward Dan. "Where's Hunter's phone?"

Dan answered immediately. "It's secured in police evidence."

"Good."

Alex folded his hands together. "I want it returned."

Thomas blinked. "What?"

Dan stared. "Boss, you want to give it back?"

Alex's eyes gleamed with dangerous calm. "Yes."

A slow smile spread across his face. "If Larissa wants to play Hunter again..." He stood, buttoning his suit jacket. "...then let's give her exactly what she wants."

Thomas exchanged a glance with Dan.

Neither of them had ever seen that look in Alex's eyes before. It wasn't anger and strategy.

Alex looked toward the dark monitor one last time. "You wanted to make my life miserable, Larissa."

His voice was quiet. "Now, it's my turn to play your game."