28. Dark Waters

The air felt electric in the wake of their conversation, a mixture of tension and determination threading between Belle and Noah as they settled into a new reality. With their families’ tangled histories looming over them, every moment spent together felt charged with possibility—and danger.

Belle took a deep breath, looking around her apartment as if seeing it for the first time. This space, once a sanctuary, was now a potential battleground, a place where secrets could unravel and truths could surface. Her heart raced at the thought of what was to come.

“Okay,” she said, breaking the silence that had settled between them. “What’s our first step?”

Noah looked thoughtful for a moment, his brows furrowing as he considered their options. “We need to gather information—understand what exactly we’re dealing with. I have some contacts who might be able to help us look into your family’s past, the busin