1. Behind the facade

"If you want to know your boyfriend's truth, go to Hotel Rockcliffe, Room Number 1802." ~ N

Brielle read the message again, stunned to receive such a bizarre message out of nowhere. But what baffled her even more was the person who had sent the message.

"Niklaus Callahan," she breathed, feeling the familiar name leave her lips. It had been years since she received any message from him. The man was a mystery she never intended to delve into. She was better off without him, or that was what she thought until she received another message from him.

"You do not want to miss this, Elle. Otherwise, you'll regret it forever." ~ N

Brielle's brows contorted into a frown. All her shock turned into confusion. 'What does he mean? Why is he asking me to go to Hotel Rockcliffe?'

She leaned back in her chair and ran her finger across her phone screen. Although she was skeptical of his intentions, she knew he meant her no harm. He had never hidden his true self from her. He was the one person who'd never lie to her.

"Miss Langford, this is the file you asked for."

Brielle snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her secretary's voice.

"Lucy, I need to handle some important matters. I'll be back soon." Picking up her bag, she rushed out of her office, leaving her secretary staring at her back in confusion.

"Miss Langford, what's wrong? What happened?" she shouted. But all she got was silence as Brielle entered the elevator.

Brielle ignored all the peculiar gazes she was receiving from people around her. All along the way, her mind was spinning various scenarios, and even as she entered the hotel, she couldn't stop her thoughts from running wild.

"Hello.. I..." Panting softly, she stood at the reception.

"Are you Miss Brielle Langford?" the receptionist asked, recognizing her immediately.

Brielle nodded in surprise. "You..."

"Miss, this is for you." The woman then handed the keycard to room 1802.

'Did Niklaus arrange this?' Brielle wondered, making her way towards the elevator.

Clutching her bag tight, she tapped her feet anxiously. 'Why am I nervous? What is this odd feeling I'm having suddenly?' she thought, glancing at the numbers jump as she approached the eighteenth floor.

'I hope it's not what I'm thinking it is,' she mumbled when a possible notion popped into her mind. Although she wanted to ignore it, the thought remained stuck even after she reached the room. Brielle sucked in a deep breath and mustered all her courage before tapping the keycard.

At first, she heard nothing, except some rustling. Soon she heard her boyfriend's voice.

"Baby, don't worry. Everything's under control. Brielle won't doubt a thing," she heard Paul say.

"She is freakishly smart. Don't let her catch a glimpse of the truth. Otherwise, our months of planning will go down the drain."

Brielle's heart shattered. But when she heard a familiar voice immediately after, she felt her entire world spin.

'Why is it her?' she glared hatefully in the direction of the voice as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Maisie. Brielle has no idea about us. She's madly in love with me. Soon, we'll have what we want," Paul said gloatingly. "You know she has no business acumen. She needs someone to assist her in handling the company. She's already promised to transfer her shares to me. We just need to wait a little."

"Yes. Once we have the shares, we'll own the Langford Group. Dad, Mom, and I have been waiting for this day all these years. Did she think she could stop us from having what we want?" Maisie didn't hide the malice in her tone, and Brielle's blood boiled as she recalled what the woman and her family had done to her and her parents.

"Her parents couldn't stop us before, and now, she can't stop us. I would have killed her long ago if not for that bitch's parents. They were smart to put a clause in the will," Maisie spat in hatred.

Brielle smiled sadly when she thought of her parents. But soon, her sadness vanished, and her eyes were filled with vengeance. Wiping her tears, she continued to listen to her boyfriend and her cousin's conversation.

"You can always kill her once we gain hold of the shares. She'll be of no use to us then," Paul suggested, and Brielle gritted her teeth as the truth settled in.

"Yes, I will. The plan's all set. Don't sabotage it," Maisie warned.

"Don't worry, darling. Nothing will go wrong. The prey is in our trap," Paul assured. "Let's forget about her now. I've missed you."

"I missed you, too."

Brielle felt nauseous and was disgusted by the squelchy, wet noises. Unable to tolerate it anymore, she quietly exited from the room and didn't stop until she was settled in her car.

This time, she couldn't control her tears anymore. They ran freely as her heart wrenched with her pain. She had prepared herself for the worst. She had more or less guessed what she'd witness once she entered the hotel room. But never had she expected the deception to be so sickening.

The image of her parents lying lifeless flashed before her eyes, followed by the cold smiles of her cousin's family. A chill went down her spine when she thought of the cold night she lost her parents.

"Mom, Dad, what do I do? I miss you so much," she let out a cry of anguish, and soon, they turned into wails. "Why did you leave me so soon? I have no one I can trust now."

Brielle felt utterly defeated. She now had no one. With her parents gone and her uncle's family showing sinister intentions, she had depended on Paul for emotional strength. But now, she had no one she could rely on.

Lost and hopeless, she leaned forward against the steering wheel as tears continued to stream down her face. "Mom, Dad, please guide me. I don't know what to do. Please..."

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in her mind, and she sat up straight in shock. 

'I'll always be there for you, Elle,' the words he had said countless times resounded in her mind, and instantly, her anxious heart quietened.

Wiping her tears, she stared ahead with resolve before starting the car and taking the path she had in mind.

"I'm here to meet Mr. Callahan," Brielle told the receptionist apprehensively. She was unsure if he was even willing to meet her. She had avoided him all these years. What reason did he have to agree to meet her? Tapping her fingers lightly, she waited for the receptionist to reject her, only for the woman to smile at her lightly.

However, before the receptionist could even speak, she was interrupted.

"Miss Langford, Mr. Callahan is waiting for you. Please follow me."

Brielle was startled by the unexpected intervention. But she recognized the man who was now smiling at her ingratiatingly. Not dilly-dallying anymore, he led her to the top floor under everyone's curious gazes.

"Miss Langford, please." He pointed towards the closed door and walked away.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked at the door and waited.

"Come in."

She heard the powerful voice that had once confessed to her years ago.

Mustering all her strength, she entered the office and looked at the man whom she had avoided for years. Dressed in a black suit, he looked as suave as she remembered him to be. He hadn't changed much. The only difference she noticed was that his hairstyle had changed. His shoulder-length hair was trimmed neatly, making him seem refined and mature. He looked more dashing but equally sinister.

The man raised his head when he heard her, and his eyes sparkled with obvious delight. The aura around him changed instantly as he stood up and welcomed her with a warm smile.

"Long time, Elle."