Chapter 1

Brielle

“The boss is waiting you,” My colleague, Adrian tells me as soon as I come through the front door.

“Shit!” I curse low under my breath, brushing my hair out of my face as I cast a look down my clothes, realizing that it was rumpled.

“How long has he been waiting?” I asked as I tried my best to straighten it out.

This is what fighting with Alesia gets me…fifteen minutes late, looking like I just came out of a fight with a wild animal.

“Not long,” Adrian glanced at me. “Oh, you've got…um, a piece of fruit on your jacket.”

My eyes widened as I hastily brushed it off, letting out a slew of curses. “Thanks!”

When I got the email that my boss, Thomas Harrison, Head of Harrison Security, wanted to see me first thing this morning, I instantly jumped to the worst conclusion.

Was he going to fire or demote me?

I've been a stellar employee since I started working here two years ago and I tried my best not to go out of line.

I hoped that he wasn't trying to fire me though. This was the only job that allowed me a bit of time to spend with my baby girl, Alessia. Squaring my shoulders, I pushed through the door and walked right in, plastering a smile on my face. “You called for me, sir?”

Thomas Harrison looked up, his face stern as always and raised a hand, speaking to someone over the phone. “I'll get back to you, Lorna.”

He spent the next few seconds listening in and then gave me his full attention. “Miss Arwen, thanks for meeting me. Please sit.”

“Thank you, sir.” My nerves were all tied up and I wished he would just put me out of my misery and tell me what was going on.

“Now I'm sure you have a lot today with workwise so I'll get straight to the point.” He informs me, leaning forward. “I'm pulling you out of your previous assignment and attaching you to a new one. I know you've not worked with us for too long but your results have been outstanding. However this is top secret and I have to ask, are you ready to take this on?”

My first response was to say yes but I took a beat and thought it through.

I never hid the fact that I was a single mother and how stressful it could be… case in point, what happened this morning.

“You'll be spending long hours away from home and in the event that you might have to go undercover, that could be pursued too. Are you ready for all of that?”

The answer was no.

Already, I had missed so much of Alessia’s life when she was growing up that it only made me want to cling to her even more but then again, this is what I've been working towards for the past few years.

I've given so much of my life to other people that I wanted to do things for me in this phase of my life and no one else. Maybe that was was prompted me to say yes. “Yes, sir… I'll do it.”

He nodded. “Alright then, I'll send the details to you shortly.”

I took that as a sign of dismissal and promptly got to my feet. “Sir, I am…very grateful for this opportunity and I promise you you won't regret it.”

“Just make sure I don't.” Then he gestured towards the door which was my cue to walk out.

As I did, I kept my head down, walking down the hallway, mulling over the Harrison's words when my phone buzzed.

It was my personal line and only very few people had access to it.

I didn't even glance at the caller ID, stabbing the answer button. “What is it?”

“Calm down, I just wanted to tell you that Alessia wants to organise a sleepover with Jamie.” My best friend, Camilla joked around. “Are you cool with that?”

I pressed a hand to my chest. “Geez, you have say things quickly. I thought you were calling for another reason.”

“No, I'm not, Mama bear.” She teased. “So how did the meeting with your boss go?”

“Honestly, better than I expected. He actually asked me on a new gig.”

Camila let out a squeal. “And are you going to take it?”

I paused for a moment as I sat down on my desk. “Yeah, I am. If this goes well, then I'm already on the next step to my career which is all I've ever wanted.”

“I'm super proud of you, Bri…” Camila told me, her voice softening with warmth. “I know how hard you worked for this, ever since… you know…”

My chest twisted as painful memories I had suppressed a few years back tried to float up back but I shoved it down. I looked away, clearing my throat. “Yeah…uh, thanks.”

I wasn't so good with the emotional parts of things so I tried to skip it altogether. “I've got to go, I'll call you later?”

“Sure, I love you!” She called out, her cheery tone forcing me to mumble the words out before ending the call.

“Agent Cam, the boss said I should hand this over to you.” Another colleague of mine, Jack dropped a stack of files on my desk before sauntering off.

This must be it.

The new case.

I took a bite of my muffin and a sip of my coffee, and delved straight into work.

Thirty minutes in, I realised that this wasn't like most jobs I've been on.

For one, we were being hired by another client who suspected Mario Inc, a large tech corporation of illegal dealings and wanted us to bring whatever evidence we found to limelight.

I went through my cover for the next few months, combing through every fine detail, and then I progressed towards the CEO of Mario Inc’s profile.

I used to pride myself for being unmovable and unshakable in the face of several challenges and despite everything I've overcome, I like to think that I've gotten used to tough situations but when I flipped the cover of the brief, and my eyes connected with the man's picture.

Everything that I've spent years and lots of money on therapy sprang back up with intensity, so much that I had to slam the cover closed, gasping as I struggled to draw in air.

My throat closed up, and it felt like oxygen could not longer get to my brain.

Fuck.

I bent over, putting my head between my legs so I didn't faint or pass out.

Tears welled in my eyes as I tried to scrub the man's picture from my brain.

I failed because that's a face that I would never forget.

Marcello Hayes…the man that murdered my parents.

And the same man I was to investigate.

No, this can't be happening…