Chapter 14 Chapter 14
I wasn’t supposed to be here.
Technically, I wasn’t supposed to be anywhere but locked away in my luxurious cage, waiting for the day Alaric decided I was no longer useful.
But patience had never been my strength.
After hearing that conversation between him and Emma, something inside me snapped. I had been holding onto some ridiculous hope that maybe—just maybe—this situation wasn’t as bad as it seemed. That maybe I wasn’t just a tool in whatever game Alaric was playing.
But now I knew the truth.
After I had done my job, I would be gone.
And the worst part? It hurt.
It shouldn’t have. I barely knew the man. But something about the way he spoke about me—like I was a transaction, an asset, a problem to be erased—sent a deep, bitter ache through my chest.
I wasn’t about to sit around and wait for my fate to be decided.
If I was going to get out of here, I needed leverage.
And Alaric’s office was the best place to find it.
The house was quieter now, most of the staff busy tending to Emma. The woman everyone seemed so eager to protect, the one Alaric would throw everything away for.
I slipped into his office, shutting the heavy oak door behind me.
The room smelled like leather, expensive cologne, and secrecy.
A massive mahogany desk stood in the center, stacks of neatly arranged files covering its surface. Dark bookshelves lined the walls, filled with leather-bound books that probably hadn’t been touched in years.
I had no idea what I was looking for, but I knew there had to be something here. Something that explained who he really was, what kind of business he ran, and why Emma called him Alpha. Something that would make a good story. I needed evidence...Alpha had to mean a leader ...
Mafia? Arms dealer?
Or something worse?
I shuffled through a stack of documents, skimming over coded transactions, encrypted messages, and names I didn’t recognize. My pulse quickened. This was it. I smiled this wasn't going to be so hard after all. My was filled with joy ...soon I would be able to see Anna but I had to be careful.
I grabbed one of the folders, flipping it open. My eyes scanned the page, trying to make sense of—
“Find anything interesting?”
I froze. shit!
The voice was smooth, deceptively sweet, and laced with amusement.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Emma stood in the doorway, arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on her perfectly glossed lips.
Her platinum blonde hair cascaded in soft waves, framing her sharp cheekbones. She was stunning—a picture-perfect goddess in a cream silk blouse and fitted skirt, the kind of woman who looked like she belonged in Alaric’s world.
And she knew it.
I snapped the folder shut, holding it against my chest. "Just looking for a book."
Her smirk widened. “Of course you were.”
I met her gaze, refusing to back down.
For a moment, we just stood there, sizing each other up.
Red hair, brown eyes vs. platinum blonde, blue eyes. Fire vs. ice. We were so different if she was Alarics taste then I was definitely just an asset . She was tall ,built like a model and beautiful. Then there was me ,average height and curvy, definitely not slim or petite.
Emma tilted her head, stepping further into the room. “You know, Vanessa, I can see why Alaric picked you.”
I arched a brow. “Picked me?”
She walked over to the desk, trailing her fingers along the polished wood. “For this little… arrangement.” Her voice was dripping with false sympathy. “You’re pretty in an unconventional way. A bit rough around the edges, but I suppose that’s part of your charm.”
I clenched my jaw. “Gee, thanks. You’re just oozing sincerity.”
Emma chuckled, her ice-blue eyes glinting. “I like you. You’ve got fight. But you don’t belong here.”
There it was. The thinly veiled threat.
I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “You’re right. I don’t. And I won’t be staying.”
Her gaze flicked to the folder in my hands. “Is that why you’re snooping? Looking for a way out?”
I didn’t answer.
She took another step closer, her presence suffocating. “You think you know what’s going on here, don’t you?”
I lifted my chin. “I know enough.”
Emma smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “No, sweetheart, you really don’t.”
A chill ran down my spine.
Her expression softened—mocking, almost pitying. “Alaric might have married you, but don’t fool yourself. This isn’t your world. And he isn’t your man.”
Something sharp twisted in my chest, but I refused to show it. “Then why are you so concerned?”
Her smile faltered.
Bullseye.
I stepped forward this time, closing the distance between us. "You’re right, Emma. I don’t belong here. And once this is over, I’ll be gone. But let’s get one thing straight—”
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "I’m not afraid of you. And if you ever try to threaten me again, you’ll regret it.”
A flicker of surprise crossed her face, but she masked it quickly. “You really have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
I smirked. “Neither do you.”
Silence.
For the first time, Emma seemed unsure.
She stepped back, brushing invisible lint off her sleeve. “Well, this has been fun. But if I were you, I’d stop playing with fire.Alaric doesnt like people who snoop around his things and he will know you were in here.”
She turned toward the door but paused, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Enjoy your time while it lasts, Vanessa. It won’t be long now.”
And then she was gone.
I let out a slow breath, my hands gripping the folder so tightly my knuckles turned white.
Emma was dangerous. Maybe not in the same way as Alaric, but she had power, and she knew how to use it.
But so did I.
And I wasn’t about to let her, or Alaric, decide my fate.
I would get out of here.