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The Name in the Dark
Last Updated:
2025-02-18 15:30:57
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The Perfect Lie The Picture
Chapter 7Lena clutched the picture in her trembling hands, her heart beating so fiercely she was certain the walls of the cabin could hear it. Noah Graves. The name she had scribbled in her diary before her memory had been erased. The name that had lingered in the back of her subconscious mind like a whisper she couldn't quite hear.And here he was now, staring back at her from the old photo-standing beside her, close enough that there was no doubt they were together.The ramifications sent a shivery chill down her spine. If she had known Noah before if they had meant anything to each other, then why would Ethan have gone and erased all trace of him?Her heart was racing with a terrifying realization. Ethan hadn't just kept Noah from her-he had destroyed him.Lena quickly tucked the photo into the pocket of her hoodie. She wasn't sure how much time she had before Ethan returned from gathering firewood, but she needed to hurry.Her eyes darted back to the bookcase, hunting for anythin
Last Updated : 2025-03-11The Perfect Lie The Return
Chapter 8 Lena sat in the passenger seat, her hands crossed tightly in her lap, her back stiff despite the heater blasting warm air through the car. Ethan drove in silence, his hands wrapped around the steering wheel with practiced familiarity, his gaze on the road ahead. The winter trees flashed by the window, long bare limbs stretched out over the bottomless white. The drive home from the city was supposed to be a homecoming, a move toward freedom. It was a creeping advance toward something terrible. Lena had practiced all morning words, every glance, every breath so carefully under control. She couldn't afford one misstep. She was acting the part of the ideal wife, the loving mate with no doubts, no covert plans of flight. But her mind was racing inside. She knew Ethan was observing. He always was. "Happy to be going back?" His tone cut through the silence, smooth as always, but Lena saw through it. There was something under it. Something in waiting. She smiled at him, maki
Last Updated : 2025-03-12The Perfect Lie The Trap
Chapter 9There was silence between them, thick and uncomfortable.Lena's hand tightened around her phone as her heart pounded against her ribs. Ethan's stare was intense, holding her there, trapped, her breath caught in her throat.He took a step closer, the second phone-a burner she'd hidden weeks ago-dangling loosely from his hand. The air in the room shrunk, compressing around her as his eyes blackened to an immeasurable depth."Lena," he repeated, his voice lower now, more controlled. "Who are you calling?"Lena's mind reeled, scouring her brain for an excuse, a lie, anything to diffuse the situation before it got entirely out of control.But she was trapped.He had her cornered and there was no turning back.She faked a shaky smile, raising her phone slightly. "I was just checking my voicemail. I haven't had my phone all weekend."Ethan made a sound, his eyes never leaving her face. "And this?" He raised the burner, his face unreadable. "You've been carrying a second phone?"Len
Last Updated : 2025-03-12The Perfect Lie The Paper Trail
Chapter 10The door slammed shut with a click, the sound echoing through the stillness of the house like a gunshot.Lena's heart pounded against the inside of her head as she gripped the creased, folded square of paper in her hand. Her fingers, slippery with sweat, were curled hard around it, the thin sheet of paper folding at the least pressure.Motionless behind her stood Ethan, a looming presence like a shadow."Wrong address, huh?"Lena forced herself to turn around, her face carefully serene. "Yeah," she murmured, stuffing the note into her sweater pocket. "He was confused."Ethan didn't react. Didn't move.But she felt that small tension in his jaw, the tightening of his fingers at his side.Lena knew him too well. She knew he didn't believe her."You should've let me reply," Ethan finally said, voice smooth, trained. "Strangers on our porch this late at night. It's not safe."The threat was there, woven into the worry.Lena gulped. "I didn't think it mattered."Ethan studied he
Last Updated : 2025-03-12The Perfect Lie The Investigatir
Chapter 11: The Investigator.The doorbell rang again, sharp and insistent.Lena stood frozen in the doorway, her hand trembling near the doorknob. Her back was slippery with cold sweat.She wasn't ready, but she had no choice.Taking a deep breath, she cajoled her face into one of easy interest before unlocking the door and flinging it open.A man stood at the doorstep, a tall and sharply dressed man, his crisp black suit pushed back against the morning light. He was not tall for his age, but there was something that unsettled her about him-something about the way he didn't shift, like a predator waiting for just the right moment to strike.His eyes, dark and unreadable-roved over her, drinking in every detail."Mrs. Calloway?"Lena's heart skipped a beat."Yes," she said, keeping her voice steady.The man held out a hand. "Malcolm Pierce. Ethan hired me to conduct a routine security survey."Lena paused before taking his hand. His was a firm but fleeting, professional handshake."I
Last Updated : 2025-03-13The Perfect Lie The Hidden Truth
Chapter 12 The basement was colder than Lena expected. Down there, the air smelled of wet concrete and something metallic—rust or dried-up blood traces, she suspected, and shivered.Noah's flashlight cast a very long shadow on the bare concrete wall. The room was empty, yet not empty. The room was filled with metal shelves stacked high with boxes that had dates and symbols on them. There was an old workbench in the corner, covered with dust, and a priceless bottle of wine beside it.Noah closed the downstairs door softly."We don't have a lot of time," he whispered. "We have to get to work in a hurry."Lena nodded, her heart racing. Quick. Good. Sign in and out.But his gaze didn't leave the boxes.Something about them bothered him. "Noah," he said, gesturing. "What's happening?"Noah looked at the shelves and shook his head. "We can't waste time to find out what Ethan is keeping here. His office is upstairs. That is where we go." But Lena was unsure. He reached for one of the boxes
Last Updated : 2025-03-14The Perfect Lie No Safe Place
Chapter 13The forest enveloped them.Lena stumbled for air as she ran, her boots into the soggy ground and small twigs crackling under her. The fingertips of her fingertips grazed against his skin, but he barely noticed.They heard a noise behind them. The beam tore through the darkness, scything through the thick woods like a searchlight. The men would not relent.Noah stood beside her, gasping like a working man, bag to his chest. The records he had stolen - evidence of Ethan's guilt - were contained within.They had risked everything for him.Now they could barely manage. Lena ducked under a branch that hung too low, her heart pounding in her ribcage. The adrenaline was dissipating and the heat was creeping in. His shoulders bucked from the shock, his legs aching, and every nerve in his body was screaming relief.Stopping wasn't on the agenda.Noah grabbed her hand and brought her to a stop. Lena almost choked. "What the."He put a finger to his lips and stepped forward.Through t
Last Updated : 2025-03-14The Perfect Lie A Deal with the Devil
Chapter 14: A Deal with the DevilLena held a knife hidden in her thin sleeve.The doctor took another slow step forward, his bright shoes crunching on the stones of empty ground. His soldiers surrounded him; they were like silent shadows, menacing silently.Noah came closer to her, took a deep breath, and pressed his injured hand onto his chest. Blood seeped into his arm, yet he grumbled not a single word. He was also glaring at the editor in the very same way.Measure. Compute.Escape with dignity.The doctor smiled self-satisfied like a winner beforehand. "You were poor at this, Lena."Lina set back on her chin and fought to speak in a firm tone. "I have a habit of that."The doctor chuckled. "I heard that." His eyes were on the bag over Noah's shoulder. "Send it again."Lina's heart pounded the hardest.Information. They risk it all to obtain evidence.That evidence would be enough to destroy Ethan.Noah stood at his side.Lina fought to remain stationary. "And then?"The doctor s
Last Updated : 2025-03-14
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The Perfect Lie The Heist at Warehouse 14
Chapter 58 – The Heist at Warehouse 14The air stank of salt and rust. The docks were quiet, the city lights distant against the black water. Warehouse 14 stood at the end of the pier, metal doors shut, guards at each corner.Lena crouched behind a stack of shipping containers, taking in the scene with binoculars. The Russians were here, just as Ivanov had said.They brought additional muscle," Marco muttered from beside her.Luca's voice came through the earpiece. "Sniper in position. Provide the signal."Lena slowly exhaled. This had to be fast and neat. No mistakes."Noah, Michael, move into position," she said. Lena had split the team into three groups.Noah and Michael would make a diversion at the north entrance, drawing the guards off.Luca would take out the rooftop sentries.Lena and Marco would enter through the side entrance, bringing the shipment safe.They had a ten-minute window until backup arrived.Lena said into her earpiece. "Go."Noah strolled toward the north gate
The Perfect Lie The Storm Approaches
Chapter 57 The scent of smoke still clung to Lena's clothes. The Russian piers had burned throughout the night, and at dawn, the news had reached every corner of the city. The message was loud and clear—she wasn't surrendering.But the war was never solely about destruction. It was about control.Lena stood in her office, the city stretching out past the glass windows. Marco, Michael, Luca, and Noah sat around her. A map of the city lay on the table, red lines and black crosses crossing it."They'll strike back," Marco stated, his voice determined.Lena nodded. "Let them."Luca leaned forward, elbows on the table. "We hurt them, but we didn't break them. The Russians still control the east side, and their allies aren't giving up yet."Michael folded his arms. "Then we take their allies away from them."Lena smirked. "Exactly."She nodded to a name on the map—Gregor Ivanov. A top-level Russian supplier, the one that kept their wheels turning. If they eliminated him, the Russians would
The Perfect Lie Fire and Blood
Chapter 56 – Fire and BloodLena occupied the head of the table, her drumming fingers on the glass top. Around her, the inner circle waited. Marco leaned back in his chair, arms folded. Michael stood near the window, watching the streets below. Noah spun a knife between his fingers, his smirk never wavering.Luca was the last to speak. "The Albanians are in chaos. Fifty percent of their men demand vengeance. Fifty percent demand to fall in line."Lena nodded. "And the Russians?"Michael spun around. "Quiet. Too quiet."Bad. Quiet meant planning. Quiet meant threat."They're waiting, observing to see if we stumble," Marco said to her.Lena met his eyes. "We won't."The attack came sooner than anticipated.Lena had driven the car back up to the estate when Michael's voice crackled into the earpiece."Lena. Take out."She did not debate it. She pulled open the door, twisting over onto the road as the car blew up behind her.The blast resounded down the road. Shattered glass echoed off th
The Perfect Lie The Queen's Move
Chapter 55 – The Queen's Move The city was quiet. So quiet that one can hear the sound of a dropped pin, but not enough to distract Lena and her team. Lena stood in the window of her new office, gazing out at the skyline. It still smelled of gunpowder. Romano's body wasn't even cold before his empire was sold. People were standing by, observing, unsure what the next move would be. She wasn't sure, either. "Report," she said without glancing around. Michael braced in the doorframe, arms folded. "Luca's rallying the lieutenants. Some aren't happy, but they won't move." "They should." Noah filled the gap, dropping a folder onto the desk. "Romano's companies, contacts, offshore accounts. All yours now." Lena snapped the folder open. Money. Power. A crime empire at her fingertips. Marco finally spoke. "They'll fight you." She smiled. "Let them." The first fight came sooner than she'd expected. Luca called a meeting. Not just a meeting—a reception by the most powerful
The Perfect Lie The Price of War
Chapter 54 The air was thick with the smell of burned paper and gasoline. Lena sat at the table, her gaze on the stolen documents. The room was still, except for the occasional groan of a chair as Michael shifted."We hit him hard," Noah said, pushing his hair behind his ear. His knuckles were bruised from the fight. "But Romano will not let this go."Marco leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. "He'll retaliate. Hard and fast."Lena snapped a finger against the table. "We need to strike before him."Michael frowned. "We just got out of that club alive. We don't even know his motive."Lena's lips puckered into a line. "We know what he'll do. He'll strike at our supporters. He'll try to cut us off."She gestured towards the papers."These files don't just expose his crimes. They expose his weaknesses. The men he relies on. Take them away first, and he'll be alone."Marco nodded uncertainly. "You're talking about dismantling his entire operation."Lena's gaze was glacial. "Ye
The Perfect Lie Fire in the Dark
Chapter 53The shelter house stank of gunpowder and sweat. Noah wrapped the gushing area on the kitchen table. Michael leaned against the wall, his jaw clenched in thought.Lena sat across from them, holding the burner phone. Marco's last words recurred in her mind. He's afraid.Romano was not used to being fearful. He was used to mastering. That they had gotten into his head was a sign that one thing—they would strike back worse.Lena exhaled. "We need to get going."Michael's gaze went slanted to hers. "Where?""Right to the heart of his operations," she replied. "We don't let him gather steam."Noah smiled and yelped as he pulled tight the final knot. "I like the thought."Michael frowned. "We barely made it out last time."Lena met his eye. "That was in self-defense. Now we attack."Michael sighed but nodded. "What is the target?"She glanced at Marco, seated mutely in the corner. He had heard and watched. He was a man who understood how and when to voice an opinion.Now, he did.
The Perfect Lie The Breaking Point
Chapter 52 The night crawled after Lena had left the club. Every second tested their patience, wondering if Marco Benedetti would betray Romano or them.Lena slept at the kitchen table of the safe house, drumming her fingers on the wood. The air was thick with the smell of burnt coffee and gunpowder. Michael leaned against the counter, arms crossed, while Noah cleaned his gun beside her."We give him 24 hours," Michael said. "If he doesn't call, we assume he's being faithful."Lena nodded. "And if he is faithful, we cut him down."Noah smiled. "I like this side of you."Lena didn't smile. She wasn't in the mood.Then, the burner phone rang.The three of them froze.Lena picked up. "Speak."A deep breath. Then Marco's voice. "Meet me at the old train station. One hour."The phone line went dead.Michael frowned. "It could be a setup."Lena stood up, her fingers around her gun. "Then we put it straight back again."The vacant station was on the edge of town, left to the ravages of time
The Perfect Lie The Cost of War
Chapter 51 The city felt different outside of the docks. The air was heavy, the streets quiet. It was as if the night had engulfed the gunfire and only tension remained. Lena sat in the backseat of the vehicle, staring out at the black horizon.Michael drove in silence, his jaw set. Noah rode beside him, his arms crossed. No words were spoken, but the tension of what had just happened weighed on them. Romano had lived again.Lena exhaled slowly, forcing the anger down. He won't keep escaping.They pulled up at the safe house, a battered building in a barren part of town. The three of them entered quickly, locking the doors behind.The air inside reeked of gunpowder and aged wood. There was one table in the middle of the room, maps and papers strewn about.Noah threw his gun on the table. "We misjudged him."Michael stroked his hair. "We should have expected it."Lena planted herself on the chair, her elbows on the table. "Romano expected us to utilize Leo. He played us."Noah let out
The Perfect Lie Into the Wolf's Den
Chapter 50 The night was cold, the air thick with the promise of violence. Lena stood in the alley behind an abandoned factory, shrouded in the darkness. Her breath came evenly, her hands loose at her sides, but inside she was a storm.Leo had taken the bait. All they had to do now was track him.Michael crouched beside her, his eyes scouring the street. "He's not slowing down."Lena nodded. "He's scared. He thinks he was lucky to escape."Noah adjusted the earpiece in his ear. "Or he knows it's a trap and is attempting to lead us into one."Lena's lips curled into a cold smile. "Either way, we win."Across the street, Leo ducked into a black sedan that had been waiting for him. The car pulled away, disappearing into the city.Michael tapped his radio. “We follow from a distance. No risks.”Lena exhaled, watching the taillights fade. Romano, I’m coming for you.Their own car slid into traffic, smooth and silent. Michael drove, his focus sharp. Noah kept his eyes on the tracker they h
