Chapter 8 – The Envelope
"Open it," Clara whispered, her voice tight.
Kevin sat at his father's old desk, the heavy envelope in his hands. He looked at it like it was poison.
"I don't know if I want to," he muttered.
"You have to," Clara pressed. "It's from Victor. He left it for you. That means it's important."
Kevin tore the flap, his jaw set. Papers slid out, old and yellowed, but stamped with Blackwell's seal. Clara leaned closer.
"What does it say?" she asked quickly.
Kevin's eyes scanned the first page. His face hardened. "Money laundering, offshore accounts and political bribes. All of it tied back to the Blackwell empire."
Clara covered her mouth. "Oh my God."
Kevin dropped the papers on the desk. "He built everything on crime. The businesses, the properties, the investments, it's all dirty money."
Clara stepped back, shaking her head. "If this comes out Kevin, you could lose everything. Not just the company but your name and your freedom."
"I already suspected," Kevin admitted quietly. "I always knew there were shadows in the empire. But Victor kept the worst of it hidden. Now I have proof."
Clara stared at him. "Then what are you going to do? Burn it? Hide it?"
"No." Kevin's voice was sharp. "If I bury it, someone else will find it. And if I use it, I can finally see who's loyal and who's not."
Clara grabbed his arm. "Kevin, this isn't a game. We're talking about prison. You could go down with your father's sins."
Before he could answer, the sound of heels clicked against the marble hallway. Both of them turned. Evelyn walked into the study, her smile sharp.
"Still digging up skeletons, Kevin?" she said smoothly.
Clara stiffened. "What are you doing here?"
Evelyn ignored her. She walked closer to the desk, her eyes flicking over the papers. "Ah. So you found the envelope. I wondered when you'd open it."
Kevin's jaw tightened. "You knew."
"Of course I knew," Evelyn said. "Victor wasn't careful and I was smart enough to keep copies."
Clara stepped forward, her voice rising. "Copies? You have these documents too?"
"Yes." Evelyn's smile widened. "And if Kevin doesn't agree to marry me, I'll make sure every newspaper in London has them by tomorrow morning."
Clara felt her stomach drop. "You can't do that."
"I can," Evelyn said coldly. "And I will. Unless Kevin makes the right choice."
Kevin stood, fists clenched. "You think I'll let you blackmail me into marrying you?"
Evelyn tilted her head. "It's not blackmail. It's a deal. You marry me, and I keep the files safe. You refuse, and the world finds out the Blackwell empire is rotten to the core."
Clara's voice shook. "Kevin, don't listen to her. She's bluffing."
Evelyn laughed softly. "Am I? Would you like to see the headlines? 'Blackwell Fortune Built on Crime. New Heir Facing Criminal Charges.' It'll be delicious."
Kevin moved around the desk, standing right in front of her. "You're disgusting."
"I'm practical," Evelyn corrected. "You need me to protect the family name. Clara is weak, she doesn't know how this world works."
Clara flinched, but Kevin snapped back instantly. "Don't you dare talk about her."
"Oh, please." Evelyn rolled her eyes. "You married her because you thought she'd be invisible. You thought she'd be a shield but the truth is, she'll never survive what's coming, but I can."
Clara found her voice again. "You're lying. You don't care about the empire. You just want him."
Evelyn smiled like she'd won. "Exactly and I always get what I want."
Kevin's phone buzzed on the desk, but he didn't move. His eyes burned into Evelyn. "If you leak those files, you'll be going down too. Don't forget, you're in them."
Her smile faltered for half a second, then returned. "That's why I want protection and marriage to you is the only way to get it."
Clara's hands balled into fists. "Kevin, tell her no."
But Kevin stayed silent.
"Kevin," Clara repeated, her voice louder. "Tell her no!"
He finally spoke, low and angry. "Get out, Evelyn."
"You'll regret this," Evelyn said, her voice smooth again. She turned on her heel, the sound of her heels fading as she left.
The room was silent. Clara finally let out the breath she was holding. "Kevin, she's serious. She'll do it."
"I know," Kevin said quietly. He sat back down, rubbing his forehead.
"What are you going to do?" Clara asked.
Kevin didn't answer right away. He looked at the papers again, his expression unreadable. "If I run, I look guilty. If I fight, I drag us both through hell."
Clara's voice cracked. "And me? What about me? Do I just stand by while you risk everything?"
Kevin looked at her sharply. "Do you want to leave?"
Clara froze. "What?"
"Do you want out?" he repeated. "Because if you stay, this storm will swallow you whole. But if you go, maybe you'll be safe."
Her throat tightened. "Don't do that. Don't push me away."
"I'm not pushing you away," Kevin said, his voice rough. "I'm giving you a choice."
Clara blinked back tears. "You think I care about the empire? I care about you. But I can't pretend I'm not scared. If these papers come out, we're finished."
Kevin reached for her hand, but she pulled it back.
"Clara.."
"No." She shook her head. "I need time to think. I can't breathe in here."
She turned and walked out before he could stop her.
Kevin sat there alone, staring at the envelope, the papers spread across the desk like a curse.
His phone buzzed again. This time, he picked it up. A new message flashed across the screen.
It was an unknown number. She won't stand by you forever, but I will. We meet by midnight, you know where.
Kevin's eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile, Clara was outside in the dark hallway, her phone vibrating in her hand. She looked down.
An unknown number. Meet me at midnight. I know what Victor never told Kevin.
Clara's blood ran cold.