040: Closing in

The night air was unusually still.

Victor Carter remained beside his car, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the trees.

He had learned long ago to trust his instincts.

Someone had been there.

He was certain of it.

Without making any sudden movements, he unlocked the driver's door and got inside. Instead of starting the engine immediately, he adjusted the rearview mirror, carefully watching the narrow road behind him.

Nothing.

Only darkness.

After another minute, he finally drove away.

A pair of headlights remained hidden farther down the road.

Whoever had been watching him didn't follow.

Not tonight.

The following morning, Blackwood Mansion was unusually lively.

Mrs. Harper was already preparing breakfast while humming softly.

Elena walked into the dining room wearing a simple cream-colored dress.

"Good morning."

Her grandfather smiled.

"Good morning."

Mrs. Harper turned around with a grin.

"Perfect timing. Breakfast is ready."

A few moments later, Damian joined them.

He looked exhausted.

"You worked late again," Mrs. Harper said, placing a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Guilty."

"You'll work yourself into an early grave."

Damian laughed.

"I'll try not to."

Elena noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes.

"You barely slept, did you?"

He looked at her before answering.

"I had a few things on my mind."

She wanted to ask more but decided against it.

Whatever it was, Damian would tell her when he was ready.

Later that morning, Damian arrived at Blackwood Group.

His assistant was already waiting outside his office.

"Good morning, sir."

"Anything urgent?"

"Someone requested a meeting with you."

"Who?"

"Victor Carter."

Damian stopped walking.

"When?"

"He didn't leave a time."

"He only said he'd return this afternoon."

Damian's expression became unreadable.

"Very well."

"And don't tell anyone."

"Especially Miss Elena."

"Understood."

As his assistant walked away, Damian looked through the glass wall toward the charity department.

Elena was laughing with her team again.

He silently promised himself that whatever Victor wanted...

He wouldn't allow it to destroy the peace she had finally found.

Across the city, Adrian couldn't stop thinking about the photograph connecting Victor Carter to the Vale family.

He had spent the entire night reviewing every report his investigator had gathered.

None of it made sense.

If Elena had known Victor since childhood...

Why had she never mentioned him?

His thoughts were interrupted by another knock.

The investigator entered.

"I found something."

Adrian looked up immediately.

"What is it?"

"I traced Victor Carter's financial records."

"And?"

"They've been almost nonexistent for years."

"No salary."

"No business."

"No property purchases."

Adrian frowned.

"So how has he survived?"

"That's exactly the question."

The investigator placed another document on the desk.

"But there is one interesting detail."

"Every few years..."

"A large anonymous payment appears in his account."

"The sender can't be traced."

Adrian stared at the report.

Someone had been paying Victor for years.

But why?

Across town, Vanessa sat impatiently inside a private investigator's office.

The elderly investigator adjusted his glasses before handing her a thin folder.

"I couldn't find much."

She frowned.

"That's it?"

"The man is extremely careful."

"But I did discover one thing."

"What?"

"He has been seen meeting with Elena's grandfather."

Vanessa's eyes widened.

"Her grandfather?"

"Yes."

"I thought Elena barely had any family."

"So did I."

Vanessa left the office with more questions than answers.

As she walked toward her car, she looked down at the folder in her hands.

Everything seemed to lead back to Elena.

She could no longer convince herself it was only Adrian's lingering feelings.

There was something much bigger happening.

And she intended to find out what it was.

Back at Blackwood Group, Elena spent the afternoon reviewing proposals for the charity foundation.

One file caught her attention.

It contained a request from a small orphanage asking for emergency funding.

She smiled sadly.

"I know what it's like to need help."

Without hesitation, she approved the recommendation and forwarded it to Damian's office.

When Damian read her comments later that afternoon, he smiled.

She never stopped thinking about others.

Even after everything she had endured.

His phone buzzed.

A message from his assistant.

Mr. Carter is here.

Damian took a deep breath.

"Send him in."

The office door opened slowly.

Victor Carter stepped inside.

This time there were no phone calls.

No hidden voices.

No shadows.

Only two men standing face to face.

Victor removed a sealed envelope from inside his jacket and placed it gently on the desk.

"You shouldn't open that while Elena is anywhere near this building," he said.

Damian looked from the envelope to Victor.

"What is it?"

Victor's expression was grim.

"The first piece of the truth."

Damian reached for the envelope.

Before his fingers touched it, Victor spoke again.

"And once you read it..."

"There will be no turning back."

Damian slowly looked up.

"What exactly is Elena in danger from?"

Victor held his gaze.

"You'll understand after you read what's inside."

Without another word, Victor turned and walked out.

Damian remained alone in his office, staring at the unopened envelope.

Outside, through the glass wall, he could see Elena laughing with her colleagues.

Completely unaware that the answers she had been searching for all her life were now only a few feet away.

Damian closed the blinds.

Then, with trembling hands...

He broke the seal.