Share
Chapter 45
Related chapters
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 46
(THIRD POV)Vanessa’s heart pounded in her chest as the footsteps grew louder, echoing ominously through the narrow corridor outside.She could feel the cold sweat running down her back, her breaths becoming shallow and erratic. She bit down hard on her lower lip, silently cursing herself for taking such a stupid risk. Why did I do this? she thought, panic coursing through her veins. Why did I think I could outsmart Maxwell? Her imagination ran wild, conjuring images of what he would do if he found her here his cold, She imagined his devious face, his cold expression.The footsteps stopped just outside the door, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence. Vanessa’s pulse quickened. Maybe they’ll leave. Maybe they’ll think it’s empty and move on, she tried to reassure herself, but she knew better. Her hand gripped the edge of the desk tightly, her knuckles white with tension.Then came the first knock, it was soft, almost tentative, but it sent a jolt through her entire body.
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 47
(THIRD POV)The air inside the car felt thick.Ethan and Lily were still staring at their mother from the backseat, their eyes wide and expectant. They had just asked her about the man who had driven away so abruptly.Ivy gasped softly, quickly masking her anxiety with a forced, shaky laugh. "Yeah... I mean, no," she stammered. "I actually thought I did. He just looked really familiar."Her eyes darted to the side, and she forced a smile, but the nervous quiver in her gaze was unmistakable. Ethan caught it, his eyes dimming. Lily nudged him with her elbow, and they shared a glance to say their mom was hiding something.Dr. Collins, who had been standing outside, finally opened the car door and slipped into the passenger seat. The kids readjusted themselves, subtly bracing to eavesdrop on whatever would follow between the women.Maybe they would hear something more about this strange "doppelgänger."But instead of speaking, the two women exchanged looks, their lips sealed. Ethan
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 48
(Adrian’s POV)The road stretched out ahead.The hum of the engine was steady, but the tension in the car was anything but steady.My eyes kept shifting from the road to Barrister Gabriel beside me, who sat stiffly with his gaze fixed straight ahead. He hadn’t moved an inch since we left the restaurant, as if afraid any gesture might betray him.I shifted in my seat, glancing at him again. His face was carefully blank, but there was something too calculated about his stillness, too rehearsed. The memory of the woman in the veil inside that car, at the restaurant flashed across my mind. And the other older woman he was standing with.She had been standing too close to him, like there was something more between them. My gut twisted. Something just seemed off .I thought back to the conversation at the restaurant entrance. When I had asked him about the snacks he told me he wanted to buy, he had waved me off, saying he hadn’t had time to pick them up because I had "forced" him out
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 49
(ADRIAN POV)The wind howled through the open windows as I raced down the road, leaving Gabriel behind in the rearview mirror. His running figure quickly blurred into the distance, swallowed up by the night. I held the wheel tightly as my car sped through the curvy road and out into another path entirely. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest.The phone…his phone…was still lying heavy on the passenger seat beside me. I could barely tear my eyes from it, but I knew I needed to keep my focus on the road until I found somewhere safe, somewhere quiet. Somewhere I could look through it without interruption.“Just a little longer,” I whispered to myself, as if trying to steady the growing storm inside me.The houses thinned out as I drove further from the city, the bright streetlights giving way to shadowed lanes..Then I noticed a quiet spot near a small, secluded park. I gasped and pulled into it steadily and once the I was properly parked, I turned off the ignition, letting
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 50
(THIRD POV)Vanessa’s mouth went dry. Her mind raced, trying to grasp onto any coherent thought, but all she could focus on was the cold dread spreading through her veins. Maxwell’s gaze bore into her. The whites of his eyes reddeningCaleb subtly squeezed her arm, a silent plea for her to follow along with his ridiculous lie. The room seemed to shrink around her as time stretched on painfully.Vanessa’s lips parted, but no sound came out at first. She swallowed hard, her throat tight, and managed a weak nod. "Y..yes," she stammered, her voice trembling. "Mice... I... I thought I saw something run in here."Maxwell’s expression remained unreadable, his icy stare flicking between the two of them. For a moment, Vanessa wondered if he could see right through her, through Caleb, and knew exactly what they were hiding. Her hands shook, and she clenched them into fists to steady herself.Maxwell stepped further into the room, his presence looming. He didn't say anything for sometime
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 51
The car rolled to a stop outside the warehouseThe place was an imposing structure, a dark monolith of corrugated steel and rotting wood. .I stepped out of my black Hyundai quietly wearing a resolved look.Caleb stepped down as well from the passengers seat, following closely behind me, his eyes scanning the desolate surroundings with practiced vigilance. The silence of the night was heavy, broken only by the crunch of gravel under our feet as we approached the entrance.I straightened my suit jacket, feeling the cool, crisp fabric against my skin. The suit was a deep, absorbing black, designed to blend into the shadows as if I were one with the darkness itself. Caleb, , kept his distance but remained close enough to sense any danger that might lay behind.. His dark leather jacket and stern face spoke volumes, his silence echoing the tension that crackled in the air.When we finally reached the the steel door right at the front of the entrance I took some moment to wait and give
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 53
( Ivy's POV)The high-pitched voices of Ivy and Dr. Collins broke the evening silence as they walked back to the car, their discussion now animated.This was a contrast to the hushed tones from just a few minutes ago. The streetlights shone, casting their rays on them as they approached the vehicle. Ivy was gesturing broadly, her hands slicing through the air in a sign of her agitation, while Dr. Collins nodded emphatically, her brow furrowed lost in whatever it is they were saying.As they neared the car, Ivy’s hand moved to pull the door handle when a sudden sharp movement inside caught both women’s attention. Ivy’s eyes narrowed, her hand freezing mid-motion as she exchanged a quick, puzzled glance with Dr. Collins."Did you see that?" Ivy asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and amusement.Dr. Collins raised an eyebrow, a slight smile creeping onto her face. "Looks like your twins are up to their antics again."Ivy chuckled softly, shaking her head as she glanced th
Shadows Of Deception Chapter 53
(Ivy's POV)The taxi hummed beneath us, the steady rumble of the engine weaving into the faint whispers from the backseat. Ethan and Lily were talking in low tones, their words a mixture of arguments and hushed laughter, lost in their own little world. I glanced at them briefly, catching Ethan’s furrowed brows and Lily’s exaggerated hand movements. A small smile tugged at my lips. Kids.I turned my gaze back to the road ahead, but my mind drifted elsewhere, inevitably pulling me back to earlier that day. Adrian. It had been years since I last saw him, and yet, when our paths crossed again, my reaction had been immediate, like a reflex. I could still feel the thud of my heartbeat from the moment I saw him, standing there, looking as handsome as ever. The years hadn’t touched him, it seemed. If anything, they had only sharpened the edges of his charm.The way my stomach had turned in that moment I couldn't ignore it. I had ducked into my car, hiding like a teenager caught staring
Latest chapter
