Chapter 33 Chapter 33
Chapter 33 Chapter 33
~BRIENNE VONBERG~
Seraphine Ash was the poison Allister had coerced me into using on one of his clients at La Rosa Nero. It was fast-acting, taking effect almost instantly, and without the administration of the antidote, the victim would be dead within minutes. The best part was that it left no trace behind.
My gaze shifted slowly to the side and I saw another bottle that was similar but with a green cap.
The antidote. I had no doubt about it.
A quiet thrill slid through me as I picked it up, weighing it briefly before slipping it into my pocket without hesitation. I was taking it with me. I believed it would prove useful someday.
I closed the drawer with careful precision, ensuring it sat exactly as I had found it. My gaze shifted to the bedside counter and I finally saw my phone. It looked untouched. Intact. Exactly as it should be. But I didn't trust Allister. It wasn't beyond him to tamper with it.
Suddenly, an idea raced through my head.
What if I could spy on him without him knowing?
I was in his penthouse, his private space. If there was anywhere I could learn more about him, it would be here. The first time I had gone to the DeAndre mansion, when he found me in Marcello’s room after I had drugged him, he told me there were cameras everywhere. His penthouse couldn’t be any different. What if it was possible for me to gain access to the system?
I had noticed that his maid carried a particular tablet around. Perharps the device had access to the cameras and I could gain access to them by hacking it. But there was only one way to find out.
I stepped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me. The maid was still at the sitting room, focused on cleaning, completely unaware of what I'd been up to.
Perfect.
I approached her slowly this time, my posture shifting just enough to appear weaker, my steps slightly uneven.
“Excuse me…” I murmured, letting strain bleed into my voice.
She looked up immediately, concern flashing across her face. “Ma’am? Are you alright?”
“I just…” I pressed a hand lightly against my side, exhaling softly. “I think I need to sit.”
Concern overrode caution. It always did.
“Of course,” she said quickly, stepping closer. She reached for me to help me but that was her mistake. My hand moved fast, and I gave her a precise strike to the side of her neck. One that was calculated, and controlled.
Her body went slack almost instantly.
I caught her before she hit the ground, lowering her carefully. It wasn’t the first time I’d done this. My father’s men had taught me where the body was most vulnerable and how to strike just hard enough to drop someone without causing permanent damage.
What I was doing was wrong. I knew it the moment her body went slack in my arms. She had been kind to me, quiet, and respectful. Yet, this was how I repaid her.
But I didn’t have a choice.
She wouldn’t have let me near that tablet without resistance, and I couldn’t afford a confrontation. Not here. Not in his house. If I was right... if I could gain access to Allister’s surveillance system, then this would be worth it.
It had to be.
She’d be fine. Would only be out for about ten to twenty minutes at most. By the time she woke up, I would already be gone.
That thought steadied me.
I turned on the tablet and the screen lit up. It was locked, but I grabbed her hand, pressing her thumb against the sensor, and it unlocked.
A small, satisfied breath left me as I moved quickly, slipping out of the open space and into a more concealed corner. My fingers moved across the screen as I searched for the surveillance system.
I was right. He did have one.
I avoided the obvious routes, bypassing anything that might trigger alerts. Internal feeds opened one after the other. The hallways, entrances, blind spots mapped out in neat grids. And then his room. Most of the camera's angles weren't perfect. They were slightly off center. But it didn't matter. It showed enough. The bed. The desk... Only the bathroom area was off limit and that was okay. I definitely didn't want to see him naked.
A slow smile curved at my lips as I successfully connected my phone to the surveillance system seamlessly. He wouldn't be able to know. I made sure I was careful enough. But, I'd have to delete everything I had done. Like slipping into his room, rendering his maid unconscious and also hacking into his home surveillance system.
After that was done, I contacted my driver to come pick me up while getting ready to leave. I needed to be out of there. The maid would definitely report to Allister that I attacked her. But he wouldn't know fully what I'd done—that I was going to be spying on him.