Chapter 23 Mystery Man
Valenticia’s POV~
The red rose rested on the library table.
Back at the office, my computer screen had shown a live feed of my face, as seen from some unknown angle — maybe a camera in the ceiling or the vents. And then the image was gone as quickly as it had shown followed by a disturbing phone call: “You’re digging too deep, heiress.” It served as a reminder that nowhere was safe.
Grandmother walked in, her hair catching the lamplight, face a mixture of determination and worry. “Valenticia, the security caught Dmitri. And he demands to speak with you only.”
I nodded, suddenly aware of the pounding of my heart. Dmitri. What could he want now? “Let him in.”
The security brought him in, and I could hardly recognize the shell of a man standing before me. His eyes were red, his finely tailored suit baggy, and it was as if guilt had carved away his insides. Memories rushed in — nights spent dreaming of a life together, his promises now ash.
Rosanna stood by the fireplace, her eyes were keen.
“Valenticia,” Dmitri said, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry. Natasha’s jealousy devoured me. She threatened me and said she would ruin me if I didn’t help her.”
“Help her?” I asked, my voice cold despite the sympathy in his pleading. “You fed her my secrets, Dmitri. Was that her, or Victor Galden?”
He jerked his head up, his eyes alive with fear. “Galden? I don’t know him. It’s Natasha you should be scared of. She is obsessed with watching you be destroyed.”
He denied it much too quickly, his trembling hand betraying him. I leaned in, my voice low. “You want me to believe you’re innocent? After everything?”
“I’m trying to make it right,” he begged, looking towards my grandmother. “I came to warn you—she’s not in this alone”.
Rosanna’s voice cut in immediately. “Enough of this. If you don’t have anything meaningful to say, you’re wasting our time.
“I swear, I’m not familiar with Galden!” Dmitri’s voice flared up, with desperation. “But Natasha… she said partner, someone powerful.”
I inched closer, my gaze holding his. “Who? You give me a name, or I’ll pull it out of you.”
He shook his head.
He was sweating on his forehead. “I don’t know. Please don’t torture me, Valenticia, you got to believe me.”
Rosanna signaled security. “Get him out.”
They pulled at Dmitri, leading him off as he called out apologies, his voice echoing across the estate.
My heart ached and I looked at Rosanna. “He’s lying. “Either that or scared to tell the truth.”
She put a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find out, Valenticia. But you can’t dwell on this.”
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At the office the next day, Elaine’s tone snapped me out of my thoughts. She was holding the door open, and her expression was grave. “You can’t just be hiding here, Valenticia. There’s a charity auction this evening. It is possible that Galden’s friends would come. You’ve got to show that you’re not scared.”
I looked into her eyes, her determination steadying me. “Let’s go.”
While preparing, I walked into my parents’ study, a space that had been locked in time. Their portraits looked down, my mother’s eyes generous, my father’s unflinching. I ran a hand down the sapphire dress I’d selected, feeling the coolness of the fabric against my skin. The crash report I had come across, clues of a sabotaged brake line, scorched in my brain. I’ll make Galden pay if he’d had a hand in their deaths. My grandmother's voice rang in my mind at that moment, “You have your mother’s courage, your father’s wit.” And I needed both tonight.
The auction hall at the Lovtan Plaza Hotel was a display of money and success, chandeliers glimmering gold above silk dresses and pressed tuxedos. Whispers followed me, thanks to Natasha’s most recent sabotage — a photoshopped picture of me with another CEO, a rival now, to mark me disloyal. “ Tomorrow, I'll show you all,” I said in defiance, holding my chin up.
Natasha entered, dripping with diamonds as she approached me. “Valenticia, still hunting the Dmitri? He loves me, and you know.”
I gritted my teeth and smiled, making sure even my nails dug into my palm. “Natasha, you and your obsession are pathetic. Find a life.”
She brought her face closer to my ear, her voice intense and hissy. “You’re out of your depth. Galden will crush you, and I’m going to love watching.”
I looked away, my heart pounding. Natasha’s little games were increasing and every move was calculated to undermine me. On the auction block, one painting stood out to me — a seascape, storm-tossed waves colliding beneath a shaft of light. It was a narrative of perseverance, of optimism amidst chaos. I made a high bid, my shaky voice not giving credit to the whispers. The gavel came down and the painting was mine, a token of defiance.
Elaine led me out of the crowd. “You need to meet someone. Marcus.”
“I’m Marcus,” a silver-headed man with intense eyes told me, shaking my hand. “Ms. Clawford, I was employed by Nexus Ventures. I have some info you’ll need.”
My breath caught. Nexus Ventures, Galden’s cover. “What do you know?”
He lowered his voice. “Galden’s drooling at your family’s past work. AI tech your parents made. He thinks it’s the way to dominance. And their crash … it wasn’t an accident. I have files associating payments to a fixer, near Galden’s accounts.”
My mind reeled. “Can you get me those files?”
“It’s going to take time,” Marcus said. “I’ve got to corroborate them, protect my sources. But I’ll deliver. Be safe—Galden’s dangerous.”
Marcus may hold the keys to the truth. I shook my head, my determination solidifying. Elaine squeezed my arm as he disappeared into the crowd.
As I made my way to the exit, my purse seemed to have become a little lighter. I stood leaning against a pillar with my hand in it. My fingers found a hard lump in the lining. I opened it up, my heart thumping — a tracking device, red light pulsing.
Panic gripped me.
It had to be Natasha.
How long had she had her eye on me? I crushed it with the sole of my heel.
Immediately, a man came out, his face covered in a fedora, his coat in stark contrast to the hall’s aesthetic. His voice was a rasp as he shoved a note in my hand. “Meet me at midnight. I know Galden’s next move.”
Before I could reply, he darted away through the crowd. And then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd as I stood there with the note in hand, my heart racing away.