Chapter 48 : Secrets Unveiled Part 1

Keenan closed the door behind him as he entered his study, carefully locking the door before resting his palm and forehead against the wooden door. The rapid heartbeat in his chest made him feel uncomfortable, like he almost ran into this room when he left his wife earlier.

"What have I done?" the man muttered to himself, snorting as guilt washed over him. It was never his intention to ask such a crucial question out of the blue, after he had Aishleen cornered at a time when he had no need to.

Keenan closed his eyes and thought back to that night, to the entire date they had just been on together. He remembered the moment he first saw Aishleen that night, when she appeared before him in casual clothes and soft makeup, and how he felt the warmth in his heart as he admired her beauty. He secretly remembered how his heart pounded every time Aishleen held his hand as he enjoyed the time he spent with her.

But everything changed when he saw Aishleen lost in thought, occasionally frowning and clenching her fists involuntarily when he looked away. And he knew that there must be something going on in his wife's father's office today, or perhaps Aishleen had discovered something that had previously plagued her mind. And as the woman's troubled thoughts continued to surface through her facial expression, he could faintly hear Erick's voice in the back of his head, asking—

"Did you tell her?"

Keenan had to spend the night biting his tongue to keep from ruining the date by asking about her or revealing his secret, choosing to wait until his own wife revealed it. He tried to give Aishleen a chance to talk about it all, to vent or tell the truth, since he knew everything, but he hated to be the one to accuse her.

But somehow, by the end of the night, he couldn't help himself, and unfortunately, he pushed her over the edge and put her under pressure.

Keenan pulled his hand away from the door and slammed it forward with a hard punch, shaking the door with a loud thud as he released his anger. He snorted softly as he blamed himself for not being able to tell her the truth. Not yet. Not when he knew that Aishleen still couldn't trust him completely.

Keenan considered his actions with a sense of indecision. He felt responsible for Aishleen's feelings and the tension he had created between them. But he was also afraid of what would be revealed if they opened the door to each other's secrets. Keenan knew they both had secrets that needed to be revealed, and he wasn't sure they were ready to face them.

Pushing away from the door, he turned and walked to his desk. He pulled out his cell phone and opened it to read the last message he had received today, which told him about the secret meeting Aishleen had with the young detective's hacker partner. He turned off the phone and threw it on his desk, letting the small device land on top of the messy pile of files he had left there for days.

Files that contained all the information he had gathered from Darrel Stone.

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***— 3 Years Ago at Le Quartier Lounge —***

It was at the summer event at Le Quartier Lounge that Keenan first met him. The news of the big case his older brother was embroiled in that embarrassed the family name was beginning to fade, and Keenan was the one who took his brothers place at his fathers side to clean up the mess that nearly cost the company its future and the well-being of the entire family. He had been invited to the event that day to accompany his father, as a chance for him to formally appear in front of the big names of the business world. He let his father show him around and introduce him to every guest at the event as his son and sole heir to the Seymour Group.

He found his father sitting in a corner, chatting with a man he had just met, and a younger man standing by his side.

*"Keenan, good to see you again. How long has it been?"* the man asked excitedly as Keenan came to greet him, perhaps a little drunk, but cheerful as he remembered the man. *"I see you have taken on the responsibility of being your father's right hand man. You do well, Keenan Seymour."*

*"Thank you, sir."*

*"Let me introduce my current right-hand man,"* the older man turned to his younger colleague, who stepped forward to greet Keenan and formally introduce himself.

*"Darrel Stone. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Keenan Seymour."*

It had been more than two years since that first meeting when Keenan had paced his office with Erick by his side, whispering the latest news the young man had just heard, *"Looks like they've started dating."*

Keenan turned his head to the side and scanned his friend's face while Erick was still too busy with his notes. *"Are they really dating?"* Keenan asked indifferently, hiding his curiosity.

*"Yeah,"* Erick shrugged. *"And there are rumors that they are planning to get married."*

Keenan hummed as he walked to his office-the main office he had just allowed himself to use as a reward for his work with the company, and also as a sign of validation for his future as the company's future leader.

*"He seems to be moving pretty fast."*

*"Yes, he is. He's on a mission,"* Erick scoffed. *"And it's your fault, honestly."*

Keenan replied with a snort. *"Just keep an eye on him. Let me know if there are any developments."*

Erick left the room after briefly replying, *"You always know things before I do. You have more eyes in every corner of the city than anyone else."*

Over the past few years that Keenan had known Darrel, they had had several opportunities to meet and many opportunities to talk. But it wasn't until the following summer's event at Le Quartier Lounge that Keenan finally got a chance to talk to the man in person.

He invited Darrel to join him for a drink in a more private area, away from the crowd and many suspicious eyes, using the news of the man's engagement as an excuse for a friendly chat.

*"Congratulations on your engagement,"* Keenan told the man as they separated from the crowd.

*"Thank you, I really appreciate it,"* Darrel replied with a proud smile, raising his glass in a toast. But Keenan just stared at him wordlessly and looked away. His action made Darrel furrow his brow and look at him with a puzzled expression.

They both stood there in silence until Keenan suddenly asked, *"What are you doing?"*

*"I don't understand,"* Darrel chuckled nervously as he looked at Keenan, who was still staring at the golf course in front of them.

Keenan took a sip of his champagne before turning to look at the man with his deep gaze. *"I've been watching you ever since we first met. And I've been digging into your background to get to know you better. But something isn't right,"* he said carefully as his eyes continued to study the man before him, trying his best to catch the slightest change in his expression, to catch anything that might indicate his true self. *"It looks like you're hiding something up your sleeve. Who are you really? And what do you want?"*

*"What—"* Darrel scoffed and shook his head. *"I don't know what you're talking about, Keenan. I'm just here to do my job."*

*"Of course you do,"* Keenan said sarcastically. He smiled at the man, with the kind of smile that would make any man crumble in defeat, and he could see Darrel's eyes flicker, showing his insecurity. He walked over to Darrel without removing his smile and whispered close to the man's ear.

*"If there's anything you should know about me, Darrel Stone, it's that I always get what I want. And I always have a way of finding out the truth."*

Darrel held his breath delicately, a small movement that couldn't possibly escape Keenan's attentive gaze. *"And what exactly do you want?"* he said, clenching his jaw. His voice broke as the intimidation he felt under Keenan's gaze began to envelop him.

Keenan remained calm, trying to show his dominance over the situation. *"What I want is honesty, Darrel. I want to know who you really are and what your motives are."*

Darrel swallowed, trying to calm himself under the pressure Keenan was putting on him. *"Like I said, I'm just here to work. There's nothing more to it than that."*

Keenan brought his face close to Darrel's ear again, almost touching it. *"I know you're involved in something dangerous. I saw the way you moved, like a spy creeping in the shadows."*

Darrel tried not to show his fear, but his heart was beating fast. *"You know nothing,"* he replied, his voice shaking.

But Keenan never broke his sneer. *"Do not underestimate me, Darrel. I'm Keenan Seymour, and I never lose. I know you're hiding something and I'm going to find it."*

Darrel felt trapped, but he knew he couldn't just confess. He had to keep the secret. *"What are you going to do?"* he asked shakily.

Keenan chuckled before speaking in a threatening voice, already knowing he had the upper hand, *"What I'm going to do is simple. It is to reveal who you really are, Mr. Darrel Stone. And to find out what you're really after."*