Standing at the entrance to the rose garden, framed by the glowing light of the ballroom, was Victoria.
She held a glass of champagne in each hand, her silhouette sharp and imposing against the soft greenery. Emily jerked her hand away from Alex's, putting just enough distance between them but it didn't stop the electricity in the air from lingering.
"Victoria," Alex's voice cracked, the word catching in a throat that had gone dry with panic.
"There you are," Victoria said, her voice dripping with sweetness.
She stepped into the garden, her heels clicking on the stone path. Her eyes drifted from Alex's flushed face to Emily's trembling hands. In that minute of silence, the air turned toxic. She hadn't caught the kiss, but the suspicion etched into her face was deafening. She didn't need to scream; the sharp, knowing glint in her eyes did the job for her.
"Hate to break up this little family time, but I need my groom." She leaned in and pressed a lingering, possessive kiss on Alex's cheek before handing him a glass. "Time for our official portrait, darling".
She turned her attention to Emily with a wide smile.. "Oh, and Emily, dear? You look quite pale. Even for you."
Emily forced a tight smile, refusing to give her the satisfaction. "I'm fine Victoria."
"Good to hear." Victoria muttered, "By the way, Tony is looking for you. You wouldn't want to keep your husband waiting, would you?"
Emily glanced at Alex, a final look before turning on her heel and disappearing into the night. Victoria's eyes remained fixed on Emily's retreating figure like a hawk watching prey.
"I don't trust her," she said flatly.
She turned back to Alex, her eyes narrowing as she noticed a faint smear of lipstick on his mouth. She rubbed a thumb across his lip and cleaned it. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you two were up to something… forbidden."
Alex's eyes widened. He opened his mouth but no words came out.
"I mean, whispering in corners… keeping secrets," she added, "I'm worried you're letting her get inside your head again. She's a Lawson, Alex. They are born losers. It's in the blood. "
"She was just asking about Cosgrove," Alex lied. "She's nervous. I told her the deal was secure, that's all."
"She has no business knowing anything. The more she knows, the more she can hurt us. What is it with her that you can't see past that pathetic, fake smile of hers?"
"Because she is right!" Alex whispered, the frustration boiling over. "Cosgrove is a drug lord. This entire project is a front to wash his drug money. You need to trust me, Victoria."
He braced for the fallout. He expected her to recoil and be sickened.. Instead, Victoria merely took a slow sip of her champagne, looking utterly bored
"Of course I know who Dave is," she said simply. "My father's company has been his financial advisor for years."
Alex froze. "And you're… you're okay with this?"
"Don't be a child," she scoffed. "Every big business and wealthy legacy in this city was built on sweat and blood. Do you think the Torredo empire was built on lemonade stands? It was built by men who took what they wanted."
She stepped closer, her presence overwhelming. "I need to know you are all in. Because I think Emily is planting doubts in you. If you can't handle the weight of this crown, I might have to speak with Tony about everything, especially about her overstepping her bounds and trying to ruin his legacy. We both know how Tony handles 'problems'."
The threat was clear. One word to Tony, and Emily would disappear.
"No. You are right," Alex said, his voice cold. "I need to step up to the responsibility. I'm all in."
"Good." She slipped her arm through his. "Let's go take our portrait."
***
In her room, Emily sat at her dressing table, looking intently at her reflection in the mirror. She pressed her fingers to her lips, the afterglow of the kiss still burning her skin. Alex had spoken of a future, a world where they would both be free and openly love each other. For a moment in that garden, she believed it was possible.
The click of the door made her jerk. Tony walked in, his presence sucking the air from the room. Emily's Emily's heart skipped. Did he know? He always had a way of sniffing out secrets.
She anticipated fury from him but without a word, he stepped behind her. His cold fingers brushed her neck as he fumbled with the clasp of her diamond necklace. His touch felt possessive rather than warm.
"What did Dave Cosgrove want with you?" he asked, his voice low and vibrating.
Emily heaved a silent sigh of relief. He didn't know about the garden. In the mirror, her expression was a veil of indifference. "Nothing important. He was making a joke about whether he should call me Lawson or Torredo now."
"I see," Tony whispered, his eyes darkening as his thoughts raced around.
The necklace came free, pooling in Emily's palm. "I hear he's a silent partner in the Project Titan"
Their eyes locked in the reflection.
"What do you know about the project?" Tony inquired, his grip tightening on her shoulder.
"Nothing other than who the partners are." Emily broke eye contact as she put her necklace in the jewelry box.
Tony studied her for a minute, his reflection looming over her like a shadow. "Just play your part as the doting wife and you will be safe." He turned and walked out, leaving the threat hanging in the air.
Emily settled into her thoughts. Cosgrove. The name had been coming up a lot all night and it was usually said in hush tones. What was it about him that everyone seemed so cautious when saying his name or talking with him?
The moment the lock clicked, Emily lunged for her bedside table. She pulled out the silver flash drive Alex had given her days ago and claimed it contained the truth about her father's business dealings with Tony.
She plugged it into her laptop, her heart beating as she scrolled past files of shell companies, offshore accounts, payment receipts. Then, a document that made her blood turn to ice: Payment to Vantura Co.
The date was what stopped her heart. Three days after her father's death, before even Tony had liquidated the remains of Lawson Holdings, he had made a massive payment from Lawson's Holding account to Vanutra Co. Emily made a quick search and it confirmed the nightmare. Ventura was owned by Dave Cosgrove and Dave wasn't just a businessman; he was a notorious drug lord with a trail of bodies behind him.
"Why would Tony transfer money to a murderer from her father's company barely three days after he died?" The thought was a silent scream Emily couldn't let out. Then the realization gradually hit her, Tony had paid to kill her father.
She gasped for breath,her head spinning. But the sharpest sting wasn't Tony's cruelty; it was Alex's betrayal.
He had held her in that garden, kissed her with a passion she'd mistaken for love, and lied through his teeth. He knew. He had to know. He was part of them but pretended to her like he was her hero. She had let herself trust a Torredo, worse, she had begun to love one. The heartbreak shattered, leaving a hot rage in its wake.
***
Hours later,
Alex lay staring at the ceiling, the weight of Victoria's arm across his chest feeling more like a shackle than an embrace. She was deep in sleep, oblivious to the war raging in his head.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand. A private number.
He swiped it open, and the air left his lungs. It was a photo. High-resolution. Perfect angle. It captured the exact moment his lips had met Emily's in the garden, the passion and the guilt framed in agonizing detail.
.
Beneath the image, a text appeared:
'Forbidden love in the Torredo house' would make for a great headline. But I wonder how far your uncle will go to make sure this doesn't get to the press or worse, what he and your wife to be are capable of doing to those who betray them.
Alex bolted upright, his heart pounding heavily as he stared into the shadows of the room. Someone had been in the garden with them and was watching them.
Another message flashed, lighting up his pale face:
'You will do exactly what I demand or I will be sending Tony and Victoria an early Christmas present.'