Chapter 41 The Good Sister

Chapter 41 The Good Sister
Ivy

I held onto Lucian’s waist so tight my fingers hurt. The wind was hitting my face and making my eyes water while we flew down the dark streets on his big bike. I didn’t know where we were going, but I knew we couldn't stay at the house anymore because Alistair was starting to look at me like he knew I was hiding something.

"Are you okay back there?" Lucian shouted over the loud engine.

"I'm scared, Lucian!" I yelled back.

"Don't be scared. I've got you," he said.

He drove the bike into a narrow alley and stopped in front of a door that looked like it hadn't been painted in a hundred years. He hopped off and helped me down. His hands were warm on my waist and for a second, I forgot all about the scary financial records and the way Alistair’s eyes turned cold when I asked him about the money. Lucian looked at me and his eyes were so dark and pretty. He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"We’re going to find out what’s going on, Ivy," he whispered.

"But what if it's bad?" I asked. "What if it's really, really bad?"

"Then we handle it together," he said.

He knocked on the door in a weird way, like a secret code. A little slide opened and an eye looked at us. Then the door opened. Inside, it was very dark and smelled like old pizza and hot computers. There were screens everywhere.

"Lucian, you're late," a guy said. He was sitting in a chair that spun around. He had messy hair and big glasses.

"I had to make sure we weren't followed, Noah," Lucian said. "This is... Zara."

I felt a little sting when he called me Zara. I knew he had to, because everyone thought I was my sister, but I wanted him to call me Ivy. I wanted to be myself.

"Right. The famous wife," Noah said. He looked at me for a second and then turned back to his screens. "Sit down. Somewhere. If you can find a spot."

I sat on a stool that wobbled. Lucian stood right behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder, and I felt a little bit better.

"Did you find the account?" Lucian asked.

"I found it," Noah said. His fingers started moving really fast on the keys. Click-clack-click-clack. "It wasn't easy. Whoever set this up used a lot of shell companies.

"Can you see where the money is going?" I asked.

"It’s going into an account in the Cayman Islands," Noah said. "But it’s not just sitting there. It’s being moved around to pay for things. Big things."

"Like what?" Lucian asked.

"Mostly consulting fees to a company called 'Shadow Wood'," Noah said. "But look at this. The communications are all encrypted. I had to break through three different firewalls just to see these emails."

Noah stopped typing and looked at Lucian. His face looked very serious. Usually, he looked like he was having fun, but now he looked worried.

"This isn’t just about Alistair, Lucian," Noah said. "This goes way deeper. There are some very dangerous people involved."

"What kind of people?" I asked. My voice sounded very small.

"People who don't like it when you look at their bank accounts," Noah said. "I see names here that belong to some very powerful families. Not just the Hales. It’s like a big club of people stealing from their own companies."

"Is Alistair the leader?" Lucian asked.

"I don't think so," Noah said. "He's part of it, for sure. But he's sick, Lucian. He doesn't have the energy to run a scheme this big. He might just be a piece on the board."

I felt a cold shiver go down my back. I thought Alistair was the monster, but now it sounded like there were even bigger monsters behind him.

"Wait," Noah said. He leaned closer to the screen. "That’s weird."

"What’s weird?" I asked.

"I found a secondary access port for the offshore account," Noah said. "Someone has been using a private login to take out smaller amounts of money. Not for business. For personal stuff."

"Is it Alistair?" Lucian asked.

"No," Noah said. "The login is registered to a different signature. Let me see if I can trace the IP address from the last transaction."

He started typing again. The room was so quiet I could hear my own heart. I looked at Lucian. He was looking at the screen with his eyebrows pulled together. He looked so strong, but I could tell he was worried too.

"Got it," Noah said. He hit a big button. "The transactions were made from a high-end boutique in Paris. And a jewellery store in London. And a hotel in the Maldives. All in the last month."

"But Alistair has been home," I said. "He’s too sick to travel."

"It’s not him," Noah said. He turned the screen so we could see. "The name on the digital credit card linked to the account is Zara Carter."

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I couldn't breathe.

"What?" I whispered.

"No," Lucian said. "That can't be right."

"It’s right here, man," Noah said. "She wasn’t just aware of the account. She had her own key. She’s been spending thousands and thousands of dollars. It looks like she’s been using the stolen money to fund her life while she’s been away."

I looked at the list of things on the screen. Silk dresses. Fancy dinners. Diamond earrings. While I was at the house, pretending to be her, getting scared every time Alistair walked into the room, my sister was out there spending stolen money.

"She knew," I said. My voice was shaking. "Zara knew about the money. She knew Alistair was doing something bad, and she didn't stop him. She joined him."

"It looks like she was an active participant," Noah said. "She wasn't just running away from a marriage, Ivy. She was making sure she had a big pile of cash to take with her."

Lucian cursed under his breath. He looked at me, and his eyes were full of pity. I hated that he felt sorry for me. I felt so stupid. I thought I was saving her. I thought I was being a good sister by taking her place so she could be free. But she wasn't just looking for freedom. She was a thief.

"She used me," I said. A tear fell down my cheek. "She knew I would do it because I’m the 'good' one. She let me go into that house with a sick man and all those secrets, and she just took the money and ran."

"Ivy, I'm so sorry," Lucian said. He reached out and took my hand.

"And there's more," Noah said. He pointed to a new window on the screen. "These dangerous people I mentioned? They noticed the money was being spent on jewellery and hotels. They’ve been looking for whoever is using the account."

"Do they think it's her?" I asked.

"They think it's 'Zara'," Noah said. "And right now, everyone thinks you are Zara. If they follow the trail of the money, they aren't going to look for her in Paris. They are going to come to the Hale house. They are going to come for you."

I felt a cold wave of dread wash over me. I wasn't just pretending to be a bride anymore. I was pretending to be a target. 

"We have to go," Lucian said, pulling me up. "Now."