Chapter 3 - A curious woman

Jace POV

I received a message that I had to attend an urgent meeting on the president’s floor. I picked up my pace, but I made sure to hold my head high so as not to appear panicked or rushed. I didn’t want to wrinkle my suit or attract any attention from the hard-working staff on my floor. We rarely got called into impromptu meetings, so I knew it must be serious.

When I arrived at the boardroom, most directors were already there, waiting patiently for the man who had called the session. I sat near the room's far end and waited for the hostess to bring me something to drink. She appeared quickly but didn’t look me in the eye as she handed me a glass of red liquid. I sipped it slowly, relishing the taste and the opportunity to calm my nerves.

The room was eerily silent, and I could sense everyone was on edge. No one understood why we had been called to this impromptu conference.

The boardroom was spacious and could comfortably hold all twenty Harrington and Leigh Corporation directors. The seats were made of black leather and perfectly cushioned, providing a comfortable place to sit for a lengthy meeting. The table in the center of the room was a slick, straight design made of a massive slab of dark oak, which added elegance and wealth to the room. The walls were bare of any decorations or pictures, but behind me was an enormous window that provided a breathtaking view of the entire city from the hundredth floor of the Harrington and Leigh Corporation building. With that kind of view, what else was needed?

Just above us was the penthouse, which housed the corporation's president. I could feel the weight of his position as the elevator dinged, and a few bodyguards streamed out just before the president himself. As a sign of respect, we all stood up, and when our boss seated himself, we did the same.

The meeting room was tense and quiet as Mr. Harrington said, “I’ll ask once, and I better hear the answer I want. Who was responsible for bringing Michael Umbridge back here?”

The meeting members looked at each other nervously, knowing the consequences of giving an unsatisfactory answer. Meanwhile, I remained composed and continued sipping my drink, pleased that I wasn’t the one responsible for Umbridge’s return. I relished the fact the pressure was on someone else for a change.

Director Ventura rose from his chair and said, “Sir, my men were supposed to bring Umbridge into our custody.”

The president’s face reddened with anger. “Then why is he not here? Do you realize that this man could single-handedly bring my empire down and all of us with it?”

“They encountered an issue… a girl, to be more precise. She had already found Umbridge and had him detained in her vehicle. It would seem she was about to bring him to the police station. When my men intervened, she brought one down before he could handle her. I’ve sent more men to get him out of prison. He should be within our reach in a few minutes.”

The president slammed his fist on the table. “How could a girl be able to leave with what is rightfully mine?”

Ventura replied, “Well... It would seem she was pretty strong for a human. She was able to subdue one guard with a single move.”

I found the situation intriguing. I had seen Ventura’s men before, and they were muscular and intimidating, much like the president’s bodyguards. It was hard to believe that a single woman could overpower one of them. Yet, she did, and there we were.

“I want you to gather all the information you can about her and give it to Jace. He knows what to do. Leave now, and don’t come back empty-handed again,” the president said, his voice dripping with anger.

Director Ventura bowed in acquiescence before hastily exiting the conference room. I felt slightly annoyed at the thought of having to do some dirty work again, but I kept listening to the conversation.

“What about the information Umbridge sold? What happened to it?” the president inquired.

“We found a private buyer, took care of him, and retrieved the information. I also disposed of the people responsible for allowing Umbridge to access the confidential files. The traces have been cleaned, and there is nothing to go on if someone investigates,” Director Black responded with a hint of pride in his voice.

“Good. Mr. Bell, please escort Mr. Black to the basement and have him wait for me there,” the president said, pointing to one of his guards.

Director Black’s face paled. “I don’t understand. I removed the threat! Please reconsider.”

However, the president’s expression remained stern. He wasn’t pleased with Black’s begging and said, “Your team was responsible for the breach, so I’ll hold you accountable. Bell, take him away.”

The director pleaded once more and cried out when the big guard came over and grabbed him by the neck. Mr. Black bared his teeth and hissed, squirming to free himself from the man’s grasp. He momentarily did escape but was seized immediately after.

This only angered the president, making him reach for something in his pocket and move closer to the two men. He ordered Bell to stand aside, and Mr. Black seemed relieved by the change of heart. My pulse sped up at the same time as the president plunged a stake through Black’s chest, making him disintegrate to ash in the blink of an eye.

The company president turned around, his eyes piercing and resolute, suggesting he didn’t tolerate poor performance. “Does anyone else have any excuses for their work, or can we continue with our next topic?”

The board members remained silent, and the discussion on the topic of blood production and sales began over the hum of a vacuum cleaner, sucking up Mr. Black’s ashes. When the meeting ended, the directors were eager to leave and return to their designated tasks, relieved to have survived the meeting unscathed.

However, I stayed behind, knowing that the president would want to discuss his plans for the girl. I had reservations about this job, feeling that I could be put to better use in the company than as a detective or hitman. I looked at the president sitting at the other end of the table and sighed heavily. I knew he trusted me completely, and it would be painful to disappoint him again. My last job had nearly cost me my life, and I was sure that the only reason he had spared me was that I was his son.

Having a father at the helm of such a massive enterprise had its advantages, but it also meant I had more responsibilities than I cared to handle. I had an eternity before me, yet I longed for a more exciting future. The bureaucracy that came with the job bored me to death.

When my father opened his mouth to speak, the intercom in the room interrupted him, and the receptionist informed him that Mr. Ventura had returned with the requested information.

The man walked into the boardroom, and my father pointed toward me and instructed Ventura to give me the envelope and leave. He quickly handed me the file and left the room. I guessed he had heard about what happened with Mr. Black and was grateful my father didn’t do the same to him.

“Well? What did that poor bastard find on the girl?”

I went through the documents but couldn’t find anything substantial. “Her name is Maxime Ravenwood. There’s no personal information, no picture, and no address available. It seems like she’s practically off the grid. Ventura found out she works as a bounty hunter and mostly gets her contracts from Mortimer’s bail bonds. That’s how she got involved with Umbridge. I’ll start there.”

“Ravenwood, you said her name was,” my father repeated thoughtfully. “Hmm.”

“What?” I asked, tilting my head curiously. “Do you know any Ravenwoods?”

To my surprise, my father remained silent for a few seconds before folding his hands over the table. His expression turned pensive, deep in thought. He was deliberating whether or not to share a secret with me.

“Once, many centuries ago. Edward Ravenwood was a reputable and wealthy vampire, but he fell from our graces when he took a human as his wife. He died maybe twenty-five or thirty years ago. We all thought at first that she was his pet, but… Anyway, I doubt there are any ties. The wife died on the same day he did, and their estate is pretty much left in a decrepit state. Find the girl and the information she possesses, then report back. If she knows too much, you know what to do. We’ve been living peacefully amongst humans for centuries; I would hate for our kind to be exposed again. I have no doubts in my mind that there are still vampire hunters roaming the earth. They’ve been a pain in my side for many years. If not for them, your mother would still be with us. It would be best to let sleeping dogs rest.”

I nodded in agreement. “Very well. I’ll start first thing tonight.”

Before I could leave, my father warned, “Oh, and don’t bring that ‘dog’ with you. The last mission I sent you on turned to shit because of him. I want this handled low-key.” His gaze was venomous.

I hung my head and then left. I pulled out my phone and dialled my best friend’s number when I was out of sight. There was no way in hell I was doing this all by myself. Screw my father’s request.

“Lukas, get dressed. I’m on my way to pick you up. We’ve got ourselves a new stakeout.”