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Traps and Truths

Penulis: Unique
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-08-10 14:27:06

he rain came down in a steady curtain the next morning, drumming against the windows of Xander’s office. He didn’t mind the weather; it matched his mood perfectly.

Aidan stepped in without knocking, his coat damp from the storm. “You were right,” he said, dropping a manila folder on Xander’s desk. “Veronica’s been meeting with Alaric Kingsley. Three times in the last week. Yesterday, they had drinks at the Royalton Lounge the same night the Pearson article dropped.”

Xander flipped open the folder, scanning the surveillance photos. Veronica, poised and smug in her crimson dress. Alaric, all charm and calculated ease.

“Alaric,” Xander muttered, his jaw tightening. “I should have guessed.”

“You’ve had run-ins before?” Aidan asked.

“More than a few. He’s been circling my company for years, waiting for me to slip up.” Xander’s eyes narrowed. “And now he thinks he’s found his opening — through Callie.”

While Xander pieced together the connections, Callie sat at her kitchen table, her laptop
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  • PLAYING PRETEND   Fractures and Revelations

    The night air outside the cabin was sharp and cold, but inside, the tension burned hotter than ever. Callie stood by the window, watching the silhouette of the forest sway under the moonlight. She could still feel the echo of Veronica’s words, and her heart refused to settle.Xander paced the room, hands clenched at his sides. “She’s not bluffing,” he muttered, voice tight with frustration. “Veronica knows exactly how to get under my skin.”Callie turned to him. “We can’t let her win. We have to be smarter.”He stopped pacing and looked at her, eyes dark and stormy. “It’s not just Veronica anymore. My father… he’s pulling every string he has. They want to see me broken.”She stepped closer, searching his face. “Then we’ll have to break back harder.”The weight of the situation was sinking in. Xander’s father was no longer just a distant figure; he was a direct threat, one with the resources to ruin everything. And Veronica was playing a dangerous game, one that put Callie right in the

  • PLAYING PRETEND   Unveiling Shadows

    The secluded cabin had become their sanctuary, a fragile bubble in a world that seemed intent on bursting it. Days blurred into nights, each one marked by whispered conversations and shared glances that spoke volumes. Yet, beneath the surface of their growing bond, a storm was brewing one neither of them could have anticipated.Callie sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the delicate silver key Xander had given her. The pendant had become a symbol of their connection, a tangible reminder of the promises they’d made. But as the days passed, doubt began to creep in. Veronica’s threats loomed large, and the weight of their situation pressed heavily on her chest.Xander entered the room, his expression unreadable. “We need to talk.”Her heart skipped a beat. “About what?”“About us,” he replied, his voice steady but tinged with something she couldn’t place.She stood, facing him. “Xander, I”Before she could continue, there was a sharp knock at the door. Both of them froze.“Wh

  • PLAYING PRETEND   Crossing Lines

    The city was restless beneath the veil of night, a sprawling maze of flickering streetlights and shadowed alleys. Callie gripped Xander’s hand tighter, her fingers digging into his palm as they moved swiftly down the nearly deserted sidewalk. Each step echoed with the quiet tension of uncertainty, a silent warning that danger still trailed just behind them.Xander’s gaze never faltered, sharp and alert as he scanned the darkness. “We need to get somewhere safe,” he said in a low voice, almost a growl. “Somewhere Veronica can’t touch us.”Callie nodded, swallowing the lump rising in her throat. “Where?”He gave her a fleeting look, something softer beneath the usual hard edge. “I have a place. Not far from here.”They slipped into a sleek black car waiting patiently at the curb, the driver’s eyes flicking briefly to Xander before they were whisked away through the city streets. The hum of the engine was a steady pulse beneath the silence.Callie rested her head lightly on Xander’s shou

  • PLAYING PRETEND   Unraveled Truths

    The early morning light slipped quietly through the blinds, painting thin golden stripes across the floorboards. Callie lay still in the bed, her eyes tracing the soft outline of the ceiling as her mind raced. The night had been too short, filled with whispered promises and the lingering warmth of Xander’s kiss, but the peace it promised felt fragile like a thin glass ready to shatter.Beside her, Xander’s steady breathing was a quiet reassurance, but it wasn’t enough to silence the unease coiling in her stomach. The shadows cast by the room’s dim light seemed to stretch longer, twisting into shapes that echoed the threats she felt looming over them.Her fingers brushed across the cool surface of her phone resting on the bedside table. It buzzed quietly, the screen lighting up with a message from an unknown number.“You think you’re safe? Think again.”Callie’s heart skipped. She knew who it was from before she even unlocked the message.She reached out, gently shaking Xander awake. H

  • PLAYING PRETEND   The Space Between Us

    Callie’s hands were still trembling hours after the morning’s chaos. She sat curled up on the couch, knees tucked beneath her, a blanket draped over her legs. The apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioning, but her mind was anything but still.She couldn’t erase the image of Xander standing in that office, defending her as if nothing else in the world mattered. The way his voice had cut through the room, unwavering, left her both breathless and terrified.The sound of the door unlocking pulled her from her thoughts. A moment later, Xander stepped inside, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the crisp evening air. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it for a second, his eyes finding hers instantly.“You’re still awake,” he said softly, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile quiet between them.Callie tried for a small smile. “Couldn’t sleep.”He crossed the room and crouched down in front of her, his gaze searching her face.

  • PLAYING PRETEND   Baiting the Trap

    The storm had passed by morning, leaving the city washed clean, but for Xander, the sky could have been black as midnight. He sat at the head of the conference table in a private meeting with his most trusted inner circle Aidan, his legal adviser, and two senior members of his security team.“We’re not playing defense anymore,” Xander began, his voice low but edged with steel. “If Veronica and Alaric want to believe they’ve cornered me, I’ll give them exactly what they want a reason to think they’re winning.”Aidan leaned forward. “Meaning?”“Meaning we feed them just enough information to make them reckless. The more confident they feel, the sloppier they’ll get. And when they get sloppy, I’ll have the proof I need to take them down without giving them leverage against Hudson Corp.”The security chief slid a small folder toward him. “We’ve already set up a dummy account in Callie’s name. It’s secure, untraceable to us, but will look just authentic enough to catch their attention if t

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