Chapter 8

The car drove away, swerving into a road I had never set foot—or wheels—on before. It stretched ahead like a forgotten path, one swallowed by trees and shadows. I had no idea where we were headed, and worse, I doubted I’d ever be able to retrace my steps if things took a turn for the worst. If the worst truly came to pass… I’d be lost.

I sat quietly in the passenger seat, my body stiff beside Justin. Every muscle in me tensed as though bracing for impact. I didn’t move. I didn’t speak. I didn’t even dare breathe too loud. My breaths came shallow and careful, as though even a whisper of air might betray the truth buried in my chest. I was terrified that if I made a sound, he’d hear it—feel it—and know. That somehow, he’d sense the guilt clawing at me.

What if he already knew?

What if this entire drive was a setup?

What if he was taking me to some desolate place—one far away from help, far from witnesses—where he would end it all? Where would he end me? And no one would know. No one would come looking. I would disappear.

The thought sent icy fear down my spine, sharp and unrelenting. It slid through my skin and settled deep inside me. Sweat began to bead on my forehead, rising slowly before slipping down the sides of my face. I could feel each drop like it was molten lead, a sign of my unraveling calm. I was panicking, and I knew panic wasn’t a good thing. It never was.

Inside the car, the atmosphere was thick—suffocating. There was no comfort, no hint of warmth. Just silence. Heavy silence. Justin’s face was set like stone, cold and unreadable. He didn’t blink. He didn’t shift. His hands gripped the wheel loosely, but there was power in that stillness. He looked like an entirely different man. Gone was the version I had met earlier today—this one was… detached.

Without warning, the car screeched to a sudden halt. My body jerked forward, slamming into the seat in front of me. I gasped—just barely—but it still escaped. A soft, almost pitiful whimper pushed through my lips before I could stop it.

Panicked, I bit down hard on the inside of my mouth, punishing myself for making a sound. That shouldn’t be a sound that escapes a man’s lips. I shouldn’t have let it slip. My heart pounded harder as dread surged through me—what if he heard? What if he misunderstood?

Slowly, I turned to look at him, trying to read his reaction, but he didn’t even glance my way. He just opened the car door and stepped out, moving like my presence meant absolutely nothing.

A small gasp of relief slipped from me, but it didn’t reach deep. It was shallow, unsteady. My nerves were far from soothed. I knew deep inside… this wasn’t over. Whatever was coming—it was still ahead.

I reached for the handle, steadied my breath, and stepped out of the car.

What greeted me stopped me in my tracks.

A mansion—tall, grand, and majestic—stood before us. The lights shimmered through towering glass windows, and the sleek exterior glistened like a monument of power. I blinked, my eyes widening as I took in the view. The sheer size of the place was overwhelming.

Was this his home?

I couldn’t tell. Maybe it was. Maybe not. My mind struggled to piece together the puzzle.

Justin didn’t speak. Not a single word. He didn’t even acknowledge me. He just walked up the marble steps and into the building without hesitation, without slowing down. I followed—silently, cautiously—every part of me screaming to stay alert.

As we moved deeper into the house, I caught sight of two people seated elegantly on a couch. The furniture screamed luxury—fine leather, gilded edges, and the kind of comfort that came with money and old power. They looked like they belonged there. They looked… important.

Was this some kind of meeting?

Who were they?

I kept those questions locked inside, trailing behind Justin as he led me further into the room.

He stopped just a few steps away from them—three feet, to be exact. Enough distance to show restraint, but close enough for confrontation. The air shifted immediately. It grew heavier, like we had all just stepped into something sacred… or dangerous.

I didn’t dare move. My instincts told me to stay frozen.

“Arian called,” the man said suddenly. His voice was deep, low, and carried a chilling weight. “Crying terribly. Said you don’t treat her like she’s supposed to be treated. Said you’re cheating on her. Justin—is that true?”

The grey streaks in his hair added to his commanding presence. His face was aged just enough to earn respect, not pity. And as I stared at him, I saw it—the resemblance. My heart stuttered.

He looked like—

My eyes widened.

Justin’s father.

I couldn't believe it. But there was no denying the connection now.

“Not true at all,” Justin responded, his voice low and tense, each word ground out between clenched teeth.

“How can it be a lie?” the woman interjected sharply. “Arian doesn’t lie.”

I saw Justin shift.

He was facing away from me, but I didn’t need to see his expression. I could feel it—the strain in his voice as he spoke.

“And I do? Is that it? Am I the one always lying?” he hissed. “I’m the black sheep here, right? The one trying to paint her black?”

He was teetering on the edge.

“I am your son,” he said more fiercely now. “Not her. Why do you always take her side? Why does she get to control everything? Why does she get to have it all?”

His voice cracked, but not from weakness—from something raw. Deeper. Wounded.

“Because that’s how it has to be,” the woman said, like she was explaining the weather. “Until we gain her father’s full trust, she has to be the one in control.”

“This alliance,” his father added, “is for the greater good of our company. Believe me, son… you’ll thank us in the end.”

I stood there, stunned. And somehow, I felt it—that betrayal. It wasn’t mine, but it settled over me all the same. I imagined standing in his shoes. It burned.

“Greater good?” Justin laughed bitterly. “You mean you're good. If this were really about me, you’d never have forced me into this godforsaken arrangement with that girl. Ma… Pa…”

His voice faltered, then hardened again.

“Do you even know I was this close to securing a deal with the McKenzies when Arian stormed in and ruined everything?”

He paused. The silence that followed was deafening.

“And now it’s all gone.”

His words hung in the air like smoke—heavy, choking.

Suddenly, laughter burst through the room. I blinked, startled.

It was his father. Laughing.

“You?” he said, eyes gleaming with disbelief. “You think you could make a deal with the McKenzies?”

He laughed harder.

“That’s impossible. The McKenzies would never settle for anything less than the best.”

He leaned forward, voice turning sharp.

“And even if they did—for what? What exactly were you offering them? They're ahead of us in every way that matters. Our company? It’s practically a roadside kiosk compared to theirs.”

Then came the knife.

“Face it, son—you’re being delusional. Arian is your ticket. She’s the only guarantee you’ve got. So long as you play your cards right.”

I swallowed hard.

He wasn’t wrong. My grandfather’s company was leagues ahead of theirs. But that didn’t give them the right to manipulate Justin’s entire life.

I saw the reason now—the weight he carried, the fire in his eyes, the bitterness in his tone. And my chest tightened.

I was part of it. I had unknowingly contributed to his downfall.

“I know we’re small compared to the McKenzies,” Justin said, his voice softer now, holding on to the last thread of dignity, “but there are things we can offer—things they don’t have.”

“Enough!” his mother snapped. She shot to her feet, eyes blazing.

“We didn’t call you here to listen to your pitiful dreams of becoming a puppet to a giant. We brought you here to remind you of your duty. You will treat Arian better. From now on.”

Her voice was sharp as glass.

“And you will go to her home. You will apologize to her father for making her cry.”

Justin flinched.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” he murmured, trying again. “She interrupted my meetings. She’s the one watching my every move like I’ll vanish.”

SLAP.

The sound rang through the room.

“I didn’t ask who was wrong,” she said through clenched teeth. “I told you what to do.”

I stood frozen, unable to look away.

This… this was deeper than I ever imagined.

They were willing to sacrifice everything—him—for the sake of a connection.

“Buy a bouquet of flowers,” she said, already turning away, “and visit her. Before things get worse.”

Her footsteps echoed as she stormed off. Her hazel-brown eyes—burning with fury—were identical to Justin’s. It made it all the more heartbreaking.

His father remained seated, eerily calm. Like none of this mattered.

“Father?” Justin called out.

But his father raised a hand, silencing him.

“Do as your mother instructed. Get the girl. Get the deal.”

He paused.

“You can deal with the girl after everything’s done.”

And then he, too, left.

Justin stood there—still, quiet, motionless. The silence around him wasn’t just stillness. It was suffocating.

Whatever he was feeling, I could only guess. But it wasn’t hard to tell it was tearing him apart.

And I—

I stood off to the side, heart aching, hands clenched at my sides.

I wanted to reach out. I wanted to speak.

But I couldn’t.

I was just his assistant.

So I did the only thing I could.

I watched.

And I stayed silent.