Chapter 35 He Knows Where She Is

Chapter 35 He Knows Where She Is
Ivy

The little silver key felt heavy in my mind, even when it wasn't there. It made Lucian’s promise, the one where he said he would protect me, feel like a tiny, shiny thing that could break any second. I kept thinking about his mother, Elena, and how Alistair broke her, piece by piece. My own family was far away, and I was stuck here pretending to be strong.

Lucian sneaked out. The next morning came too fast. I was picking at my breakfast, just thinking about everything. Then, Marie came to my door. Her face was tight.

"Mrs. Hale," she said, "Mr. Hale wants to see you. In his study."

My stomach did it thing. The study. That was never a good place. It was where important, scary things happened. I nodded, trying to look brave, but my hands were cold. I walked down the long hall, my steps quiet on the fancy rug. My heart was thumping like a drum. What had I done wrong? Did he found out already? I thought I positioned the camera well last night? Or worse, what did he want me to do?

I pushed the big, heavy door open. Alistair was sitting at his big desk, all dark wood and shiny paper. He looked up, and his eyes were dark too. He smiled, but it didn't feel like a happy smile. 

"Good morning, my dear Zara," he said. His voice was smooth and low. 

"Good morning, Alistair," I said back, trying to keep my voice steady. It was a hard thing to do.

He leaned back in his big chair. "Please, sit." He pointed to the chair across from him. I sat down, careful not to make a sound. My hands were still cold.

"I called you in because I was very impressed last night," he said. He watched me, like he was looking for something.

"Oh," I said. "The gala?"

He nodded, slow. "Yes, the gala. You handled yourself with grace. With intelligence. You charmed the investors, didn't you? Even old Mr. Elijah was quite taken with you."

I felt a tiny bit of warmth spread through me. It was nice to be praised. But then I remembered I was Zara, not Ivy. It wasn't really me he was praising.

"Thank you, Alistair," I said. "I tried my best."

"Your best was quite exceptional," he said. He picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk. Tap, tap, tap. It was a small sound, but it felt loud. "So exceptional, in fact, that I believe it's time for you to take on more big... significant responsibilities."

My breath caught in my throat. More responsibilities? What did that even mean? I just wanted to keep my family safe. I didn't want to run Alistair's big, scary business.

"Responsibilities?" I asked. My voice sounded small.

He chuckled. "Don't look so frightened, Zara. These aren't chores. These are opportunities. Opportunities to truly understand the empire you will one day help me run."

My eyes got wide. Help him run? This was bigger than just being his wife.

"I... I don't know much about business," I said. It was true. I knew about taking care of kids. Not about empires.

"Nonsense," he waved his hand. "You have a keen eye, Zara. A gift for seeing through facades. Something my late wife lacked."

My skin prickled when he said "late wife." He meant Elena. Lucian's mother. It was a cold thought. He didn't just lack it, Alistair crushed it.

"I need someone I can trust," he continued, his voice softer now, almost kind. "Someone who can look at numbers and see the story behind them. Someone who won't just nod and agree, but will question. Will challenge. Will protect what is ours."

He leaned forward now, his eyes intense. "I'm going to give you access to the financial ledgers. The true ledgers. The ones even my late wife, never touched. The heart of my operations. I want you to review them. Tell me what you see. Tell me what needs changing. It's a test, Zara. Of your loyalty, yes, but more importantly, of your intelligence."

He opened a drawer in his desk. It was big and deep. He pulled out a stack of books. They looked old, with dark leather covers, very thick. Ledgers, he called them. They looked heavy. And he pushed them across the desk towards me.

"Start with these," he said. "They are complex, but I believe in you. I believe you will find what others have missed."

I reached out and took the ledgers. They felt cold and heavy in my hands. The paper was thin, filled with tiny numbers and words I didn't understand. It felt like holding a secret. A big, big secret.

"Yes, Alistair," I said, trying to sound confident. "I will."

"Good," he said, and his smile spread wider. He looked pleased. "You may take them to your room. Take your time. I want your honest, unfiltered assessment."

I stood up, holding the heavy books. He watched me walk to the door. I could feel his eyes on my back. I felt like a puppet, dancing on his strings.

Back in my room, I put the ledgers down on my small table. They made a loud thud. I stared at them. All those numbers. I sighed. This was going to be hard. I started to open the top one. It smelled old, like dust and old paper. As I opened it, a loose file, thin and crisp, slid out from between the pages of the first ledger. It wasn't old like the ledger. It looked new.

My heart skipped a beat. It was a file tucked away, like someone had put it there in a hurry. I picked it up. It was just a few sheets of paper. I unfolded them. And my eyes moved across the words.