CHAPTER 16

Maya didn’t sleep that night. The latest note weighed heavily on her mind, the chilling message echoing over and over:

“He’ll destroy you too.”

She sat by the window, her knees pulled to her chest, watching the estate grounds bathed in moonlight. Her exhaustion tugged at her, but every time her eyes drifted shut, she imagined faceless figures lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

By dawn, she made a decision. She couldn’t wait for answers to come to her. She had to find them herself.

Maya knew Zane had locked the room where Cocona’s photographs were kept, but something about that room felt pivotal. It was more than just Zane’s connection to his past—it was a puzzle piece in the web of secrets that now consumed her life.

After breakfast, when she knew Zane was out at a business meeting, she slipped away from the main part of the house and made her way to the eastern wing. The hallway was empty, and her footsteps were muffled on the thick carpet as she approached the locked door.

She crouched down, her fingers trembling slightly as she fished a small hairpin from her pocket. Reese’s idea of a joke—she’d given her the pin after a drunken night out, calling it her “get-out-of-trouble card.” Maya hadn’t thought she’d ever actually use it.

Working the pin into the lock, she twisted and jiggled it, her heart pounding with every passing second. When the lock finally clicked open, she exhaled sharply, quickly slipping inside and closing the door behind her.

The room was just as she remembered: dimly lit, with Cocona’s photos staring back at her from the walls. The air felt heavy, almost suffocating, but Maya forced herself to move further in.

She approached the desk, rifling through the papers she hadn’t dared touch before. Most of it seemed irrelevant—contracts, receipts, fragments of correspondence. But one file stood out: a manila folder labeled with a single name in bold letters.

“Donovan Scott.”

Her stomach twisted as she opened it. Inside were photos of Donovan at various public events, along with detailed notes about his business dealings. But it was the final page that made her blood run cold.

“Known connections: Luca Moretti. Potential coalition.”

Maya’s breath hitched. Luca and Donovan were working together?

Before she could process the implications, the faint sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Her heart leapt into her throat. Quickly, she slid the folder back into place and darted behind a large curtain just as the door creaked open.

Through the narrow gap in the curtain, she watched as Helena entered the room, her elegant features set in a deep scowl. She moved with purpose, crossing to the desk and rifling through the same papers Maya had just been examining.

Helena muttered something under her breath, too soft for Maya to make out. But her movements were quick, almost frantic. Finally, she pulled a slip of paper from the desk drawer and tucked it into her pocket before turning and leaving the room.

Maya didn’t move until the sound of Helena’s heels faded completely. Her pulse was racing as she stepped out from behind the curtain, her mind spinning.

Helena’s involvement wasn’t a surprise, but the desperation in her actions was. Whatever was on that slip of paper, it was important—and Maya needed to find out why.

That evening, Maya sat in the library, her thoughts consumed by what she’d found in the locked room. She barely noticed when Zane entered, his presence filling the space with an almost palpable tension.

“You’ve been quiet today,” he said, his voice smooth but probing.

Maya looked up, forcing a faint smile. “Just tired.”

Zane studied her, his silver eyes sharp and unyielding. “Tired, or avoiding me?”

She swallowed hard, her fingers curling around the edge of her chair. “Why would I be avoiding you?”

His jaw tightened, and he crossed the room, stopping just a few feet away from her. “You tell me.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was heavy with unspoken words, the weight of their secrets pressing down on them both.

“You’ve been investigating me,” Maya said finally, her voice quiet but steady.

Zane’s eyes narrowed. “You were listening last night.”

“Yes,” she admitted, lifting her chin. “I heard you. You don’t trust me, do you?”

“It’s not about trust,” Zane said, his tone firm. “It’s about keeping you safe.”

Maya stood, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Safe from what, Zane? From who? Your mother? Luca? Or is it you I should be worried about?”

His expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Then explain it to me!” she snapped. “Because right now, I’m drowning in secrets and lies, and you’re giving me nothing.”

For a moment, Zane said nothing, his silver eyes boring into hers. Then he exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair.

“You want the truth?” he said, his voice low and raw. “Fine. Luca is working with Donovan Scott. They’re trying to dismantle everything I’ve built, and they’ll use anyone—anything—to do it.”

Maya’s heart raced. “And Helena? Where does she fit into this?”

Zane hesitated, his jaw clenching. “Helena doesn’t trust you. She thinks you’re a liability, and she’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.”

The words hit her like a blow. She’d suspected as much, but hearing it from Zane’s mouth made it real.

“So I’m just a pawn in all of this,” she said quietly.

Zane stepped closer, his hand brushing against her cheek. “You’re not a pawn, Maya. You’re everything.”

His words sent a shiver through her, but they didn’t erase the doubt clawing at her chest.

“And Cocona?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happened to her?”

Zane’s expression hardened, and he stepped back, the wall between them slamming back into place.

“That’s not a conversation for tonight,” he said coldly.

Maya stared at him, her heart sinking. “You can’t keep shutting me out, Zane. If you want me to trust you, you need to trust me too.”

But Zane didn’t respond. He turned and left the room, leaving Maya alone with the weight of his secrets.

The Next Warning

As Maya returned to her room later that night, she found another note waiting for her, this time folded neatly on her pillow.

Her hands trembled as she unfolded it, her breath catching at the words written in the same jagged scrawl:

“You’ve seen enough. Leave, or you’ll end up like her.”

Her pulse thundered in her ears as she stared at the message. It wasn’t just a warning—it was a threat.

Maya sank onto the bed, her heart pounding as fear and defiance warred within her. She wasn’t going to run. Not yet. But whoever was playing this game had just made one thing clear: they weren’t finished with her.

And she wasn’t finished with them.