Chapter 5: You Don’t Own Me

Lily POV

I pounded the table to vent my anger. He dug up everything about my life, he even knew little things like my favorite food. He's a real stalker! And if I revealed this evidence in court, I could still punish him without having to drag my family along.

My hand was just closing this folder to switch to The Day folder, when the sound of footsteps approached. So I hurriedly closed everything I opened, shut down the computer, and jumped onto the couch to pretend to sleep. My heart was beating wildly. If I hadn't heard the footsteps, I might have ended up in that interrogation room again.

"Are you asleep?"

His footsteps got closer until it stopped and I could feel someone's breath in front of my face. "I know you're pretending to be asleep. I didn't tell you to sleep."

I force to open my eyes. "I just tried to sleep."

Jaxon pulled out a chair to sit in front of me. He put his hands together as he leaned forward, expressionless. "They want to start a war if I don't end the marriage with you. They know this marriage is fake."

It would be a lie if I wasn't shocked. But I had to cover it up. "Who are they? Do you agree to it?"

He snickered and gave me a glare. "Fool. Of course not. I don't want to pay the contract penalty."

"That's not too much money for you."

"More like I don't want to release you. Not yet."

I clenched my fists at my sides. I wanted to slap him, I wanted to scream in front of his face about the pain he was bringing. But I chose to remain silent and forced a smile. "Then what are you going to do? Who are they that you're referring to?"

"They are my enemies that I don't need to tell you about in detail. I will send a response, telling them to shut up. War is a waste of time, money, and energy."

"I think it's time for you to self-introspect because your enemies are everywhere. One of them almost killed me earlier too."

Suddenly he grabbed my chin and gripped my cheeks with his fingers. "As long as I don't ask for your opinion, don't ever judge me. You don't know anything about me." He released me and left again.

What exactly was his purpose in telling me? To scare me that I also had enemies who wanted my life?

I had to find out more than the information I had gotten though. I should be able to find out the secrets of his company so that I also have the tools to threaten him, not just him threatening me. The dirty game must also be played with dirty hands.

I peeked into the peephole to see what was going on outside. The guards were still there and I just needed to make sure they wouldn't come in while I was exploring this room. So I pushed this heavy couch to the back of the door. Then after that I went back to the computer to open access to the door hidden behind the bookshelf. Why do I know? Because my father's office used to have a secret room and it was located behind a bookshelf as well. The difference was that in Jaxon's office, there was a lotus flower statue that made it more obvious.

It wasn't too hard to open. And that room didn't contain anything. There wasn't a single desk or chair, just an empty room with black square walls and floor. But I'm sure there can't be nothing in a secret room like this, there must be something and it's my mission to find it.

I touched the walls, from end to end. Not stopping there, I did the same with the floor. But I haven't found a single button yet. I tried turning on my phone's flashlight but it couldn't beat the darkness here. I went back to the corner to confirm once more.

My heart almost jumped out of place when my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from someone important so I quickly picked it up.

"Nico, it's Lily. I told you not to call me at this time-"

[Jaxon probably already knows your true plan. The shooting that happened to you, I suspect that was also part of his plan. He wants to see how far you've changed. So no matter what happens, keep holding yourself back from looking strong].

The words I was about to say to him suddenly evaporated. "What do you mean?”

[Everything that happened before, it was his plan. Maybe he wants to know which side you're on.]

“He must have figured out that I'm on a different side of him.”

[Not only that, but he also wants to know if anyone has your back or not.]

“And do you think he knows?”

[Not all. That's why I'm reminding you.]

“So what should I do now? He can't know I'm working in your agency and spying on his company. I still haven't found the main pawn to take him down.”

[Lily, I'm sorry but I think you should be more gentle with him. Be the wife he wants. Maybe then he will be less suspicious of you.]

"Can he believe that the daughter of the man he killed suddenly became nice to him?"

[We'll know if we try.]

“Alright, I will try. Did he know I was in this room?"

[Not yet. But soon. Don't do anything because I will guide you out of that room without stepping on their security system.]

Too late. My foot had stepped on the floor behind me which made one of my feet drop down.

"Nico, I stepped on it."

[Oh shit! Get out as soon as possible. I'll fix the rest.]

I ran straight towards the door. Now every cubic floor I stepped on turned red. Not only that, slowly a 3-dimensional image of a lotus flower began to appear, floating in the center of the room.

Right when I opened the door, there was someone standing there waiting for me.

Oh my gosh, I totally finished.

"What are you doing there?"