All Chapters of ECHOES OF DECEPTION: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

"Isabella, what is he talking about?"Alexander's voice was sharp and demanding answers. My mouth closed, worry twisting around my mind like an iron grasp. Richard Steele's presence had left a storm in his path, his words like a bite of a poisonous snake.I tried opening my mouth, yet nothing came out. My heart hammered, and my head spun through all the likely meanings Richard may have meant. What knowledge did he possess? What was he going to do?Alexander's eyes were steady, keen and merciless. He was waiting. Expecting me to offer him something or an explanation. "I have no idea what he meant," I whispered.His fists tightened at his sides, breathing steadily. "He's always playing games, yet this one seems unusual."I nodded, though confused. "He wants power. He wants to pull the ropes and make us dance to his song." Alexander continued. "but we must cut the strings." His words were sure, like a fixed with determination. A spark of relief rushed through me. He was not just standin

"This isn’t over," my mother said, her voice colder than before.I felt Alexander’s hand around mine. His warmth was the only thing keeping me from shaking. I stood my ground, even as my mother’s eyes burned into me, filled with quiet anger.I knew what she was thinking. She thought I was making a mistake, that I was toiling with my future, or maybe I was taking the wrong step.But I could not feel anything of this; I wasn’t afraid.She inhaled deeply and breathed out before looking away. "We’ll talk later." Her comments weren’t a refusal but a warning.I didn’t answer. My heart was beating too quickly. Alexander and I shared a look at each other, but before either of us could say anything, his phone rang.He quickly went for it as he took it out of his pocket. Immediately, he glanced at the screen, and I saw something change in his countenance.He let go of my hand to reply. "Yes?"His tone of voice was mixed with something I couldn’t quite place. What I could only hear was…."Underst

"You did something wrong. And you have the boldness to change your mind."Alexander held on tight to his phone and clenched his teeth as he looked at the message then followed by a call. It felt like his dad's words were crushing him. The atmosphere between us became tense with worry, and for a minute, none of us spoke. "Alexander..." I called him, though it was hard for me to speak.He looked away from me. His fingers paused over the screen as if wondering whether to answer. He then let out a big sigh, locked the phone, and threw it away."Let him be angry," he mumbled. "I do not care anymore about anything he may want to think of."But I knew that wasn’t true. No matter how hard he tried to hide it. His father wasn’t just a man he could toil with because the man was highly influential and ruthless above all, he knew so much about his son's strengths and weaknesses.I held his hand, pleading with him to at least answer the call.He finally met my look, his blue eyes dark with purpose

Chapter 18"You have to tell me everything, Father," I said, clenching the phone more firmly. My heart raced within my chest as the seriousness of his end-of-tone settled in.Alexander was nearby, his touch tenderly on my back, his presence calming me. His look, intense and mysterious, flashed with a whirlwind of unvoiced emotions.My dad let out a sigh from the other end. "Isabella… this is not an issue to treat casually." “ The person who came called me wasn’t merely anyone. He has a connection with Alexander’s family. "I gulped nervously. "Who is the person?"For a moment, neither of us said anything. Then, gradually, my father uttered the name."Blackwood, William."The atmosphere within us appeared to grow denser. Before, as I glanced at Alexander, I noticed the changes in his countenance. His jaw clenched as if he had heard the unexpected."Is it William Blackwood?" I asked again to ascertain the name, hardly louder than a murmur.Alexander's fingers trembled on my lower back be

“I’ve been ready,” Alexander said, determination sharpening his voice. Jane stared between them, her anxiety giving way to decision. "I'll support you, regardless of the circumstance." The trio felt an instant friendship, knowing that the path ahead would be laden with risk. Nonetheless, there was no prospect of going back at this point. While they began preparing for their next move, Alexander couldn’t escape the feeling that the worst was yet to come. Hidden facts and hidden deceit boil under the surface, waiting to erupt.And when they did, nothing would ever be the same. The unimaginable abyss throbbed with pressure. Alexander paced the room, his thoughts racing with half-formed schemes and lingering concerns. Clara stood at the corner, her arms folded, studying a weathered map on the table with a single flickering light bulb overhead casting lengthy shadows. Jane sat on a box nearby, her face pale. And drawn, her hands nervously holding the ends of her coat. “This won’t work