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Chapter 3
publish date:
2026-10-07 09:05:57Chapter 3. The Photograph
Elena heard drops of water hitting the glass.
A second passed before Elena realized this wasn’t Elena’s apartment.
The wedding.
The contract.
Adrian Black.
Elena’s husband.
Elena’s heart pounded.
Elena sat up slightly on the couch. Glanced at the bed.
“Thankfully empty " Elena breathed.
Elena didn’t have to put up with that look in the morning.
Elena stood up from the couch smoothed her hair back and made her way to the bathroom.
Except, just as Elena reached forward and grabbed the handle a small envelope caught Elena’s eye.
It lay at the corner of the entrance door.
Elena’s name was written on it in script.
ELENA CARTER
Elena narrowed Elena’s eyes at it for a second.
Elena reached down. Picked it up making sure no one was watching.
A slow breath escaped Elena’s lips as Elena opened the envelope.
A photograph slid out.
Elena froze.
It was a picture of Elena’s dad! Alongside Adrian’s father!
Elena turned the image over in Elena’s hands.
There was a message scrawled along the back of it.
“Your father didn’t destroy Adrian’s family.”
Elena’s fingers grew numb.
“What?”
Elena’s heart hammered against Elena’s ribcage as Elena re-read the sentence again.
The implications were impossible to grasp.
Who was behind this?
Elena turned back to the door just as a thought occurred to Elena.
Adrian’s warning.
Never ask about his past.
Elena had assumed it was Adrian trying to keep secrets from Elena.
Now it was beginning to feel like Elena had walked into a trap.
Elena tucked the photograph into Elena’s pocket. Headed off toward one place Elena was absolutely sure of: Adrian’s office.
The room Adrian kept private from everyone including Elena.
As Elena neared the doors at the end of the hallway the house felt unnaturally quiet.
Elena stopped before the doors pausing to glance around.
No one was coming.
Elena’s hand hovered over the door handle when Elena’s thoughts drifted back to what Adrian had told Elena.
Never enter my office.
Elena’s lips popped slightly. "I am not doing anything " Elena whispered to herself before opening the door.
Lights flickered on as Elena stepped inside.
Documents lined the walls in cabinets that seemed to stretch into infinity.
Photographs, files and other documents littered the space alongside locked cupboards.
Elena made her way over to the desk in the center of the room flipping through documents before pausing.
One particular drawer caught Elena’s attention. To Elena’s surprise it was unlocked.
Elena opened it revealing a file with Elena’s family name embossed on the front.
CARTER FAMILY. CONFIDENTIAL
Elena pulled the file out. Opened it up.
On the page was Elena’s father’s name.
Though beneath it another name was written in ink.
Victor Black. Adrian’s father.
Elena’s eyes darted across the page revealing a history between the two families dating back two decades.
Elena’s dad had been paying this man regularly.
However one detail in particular made Elena frown.
The final transaction was dated three days prior to Victor’s company’s bankruptcy.
Elena felt a knot forming in Elena’s stomach. "Why would Dad pay him?”
Elena turned the page. Elena’s breath caught as Elena read the set of words.
Attached was an agreement signed by Victor Black and another name.
Unfortunately the other name had been covered up with ink.
“Who are you?" Elena muttered.
An unfamiliar voice echoed in the room.
Elena turned around slowly to reveal Adrian watching Elena.
Adrian’s expression was calm. The look in Adrian’s eyes betrayed Adrian.
Shock.
Pain.
Disbelief.
Elena quickly placed the file back onto the desk. "I can explain.”
“You were told never to enter my office.”
“I found something I do not care.”
Adrian’s gaze hardened.
Elena took a step forward.
“Your father and mine were working together.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“You do not know what you are doing.”
“I saw your documents.”
“You should have left them alone.”
“Why?”
Elena’s voice sharpened.
“Because someone left you a photograph saying my father did not destroy your family.”
Adrian went rigid at Elena’s words.
Elena noted the change.
For once the look in Adrian’s eyes was not anger but fear.
“You know about the photograph?”
Adrian slowly approached Elena.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“Tell me the truth.”
Adrian’s jaw tensed.
“There’s no truth that you need to know.”
“You married me because you blamed my family.”
“Yes.”
“But what if you were wrong?”
A sudden calm washed over Adrian’s expression.
Elena pulled out the photograph. Showed it to Adrian. "This says my father did not destroy your family.”
Adrian’s gaze fell on the image in Elena’s hand.
Adrian’s expression twisted in horror.
“He knew " Elena breathed.
Adrian ripped the photograph from Elena’s hand. Turned it over.
Adrian was pale as he read the note on the back.
“What does it say?" Elena asked carefully.
Adrian did not answer.
“Elena?”
Adrian looked at Elena, the anguish in Adrian’s eyes masking the anger.
“You’re going to forget about this.”
“No.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t.”
“Won’t?”
Adrian stepped closer.
Adrian’s voice dropped to a whisper. "Both.”
The room seemed to darken as Elena watched him.
Adrian’s phone suddenly beeped, interrupting the moment.
Adrian frowned at the notification before answering. "Yes?”
A pause.
Then Adrian’s expression shifted. "Where?”
The call was short.
Adrian ended it. Turned to Elena.
“What happened?”
“My father’s old warehouse got broken into.”
Elena’s heart pounded. "The one from the photo?”
Adrian did not respond.
Instead Adrian turned on his heels. Walked away.
“Stay here.”
Elena frowned. "Why?”
“Because whoever sent you that photo…”
Adrian turned to look at Elena. "Knows who you are.”
Without another word Adrian disappeared around the corner.
As Adrian’s voice echoed away Elena turned back to the desk.
The final realization creeping into Elena’s mind sent a chill down Elena’s spine.
Elena wondered if the real enemy the Black family had been looking for wasn’t Elena’s family.
All eighteen long years of working in secret to ruin two families could not have occurred without a mastermind pulling the strings.
Was it Adrian?
Was Adrian’s betrayal a setup, from someone else?
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