The Masked Face of Power

Chapter 6: The Masked Face of Power

Light shone through the window of Alex Montgomery's study casting a shadow of his figure on the leather-bound books and antique artifacts that filled his room. Alex sat at his desk, tapping his fingers on his desk; he stared at the man trembling before him, his face filled with disgust as he took a puff of his smoke.

"You disappointed me, Edward," Alex said, his voice calm but his countenance was far from calm. "I thought you understood the cost of failure."

Edward swallowed hard, his hands shaking as he tried to respond. "I—I didn’t expect that Melissa would piece things together very quickly, she had help sir, I am working on it sir. She has more resource and help than we thought."

Alex leaned back in his chair, he chuckled slightly before regaining his facial expression and gaze at Edward. "And yet, she’s still just one journalist Edward! Just one! She is a thorn, yes, but nothing more. You’ve been given every tool, you required, everything at your disposal to finish her, and yet here we are, discussing your incompetence."

"I can fix it, I will fix it" Edward stammered, desperation creeping into his voice. "I just need more time—"

"Time," Alex interrupted, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "Time is a luxury I cannot afford and a luxury you no longer have."

Without warning, Alex stood up, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over Edward. He picked up the decanter on the desk, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. He took a slow sip, savoring the taste before putting the glass down.

"Do you know what separates men like me from men like you, Edward?" Alex asked his tone almost conversational. "Men like me act decisively. Men like you hesitate, and hesitation is weakness, and I hate every form of weakness."

Edward flinched as Alex’s gaze bore into him. He opened his mouth to protest, but Alex raised a hand, silencing him. "You’ve become a liability. And liabilities, Edward, must be eliminated."

The door behind Edward creaked open, and two of Alex’s men stepped inside, their expressions cold and unreadable. Edward’s face drained of color as he realized his fate.

"Take him," Alex ordered his tone calm but void of emotions. "Make sure the message is clear." He said

As the men dragged a pleading Edward out of the room, Alex returned to his desk, picking up his whiskey. He took another sip, his expression unchanging.

"I won’t tolerate failure," he murmured to himself, his gaze drifting to the window overlooking the city. "Not now. Not ever."

Across town, Catherine sat in her dressing room, her reflection staring back at her with an intensity that made her feel very uneasy. Elisa, her cousin and partner in crime, was lying down on a couch behind her, flipping through a magazine as if there was no tension in the room. The two looked identical same sharp features, same dark eyes but their personalities were totally different.

"Do you think he suspects anything?" Elisa asked, not looking up from the magazine pages.

Catherine’s jaw tightened as she adjusted her earrings. "No. Rico’s too busy drowning in his own issues to notice what I’m up to."

"Good," Elisa said, finally setting the magazine aside. "I am only making sure, because if he finds out about your little adventure, it won’t just be your wedding that’s at risk. It’ll be your entire future and mine"

Catherine turned to face her cousin, her expression hardening. "You think I don’t know that? Do you think I like sneaking around like this? Hiding every move I make? Do you think its fun for me?"

Elisa raised an eyebrow, unbothered by Catherine’s frustration. "Then why do it? Why risk everything for someone who can’t even show his face in public?"

Catherine’s shoulders dropped, the fight draining out of her. She sank onto the edge of the couch her hands clasped tightly on her lap. "Because I love him," she admitted her voice barely above a whisper. "And because he’s the only man who has ever made me feel alive."

Elisa studied her cousin for a long moment, her expression softening. "I get you, Cathy. I do. But love doesn’t pay the bills or keep your name out of the tabloids, or make your parents proud. Rico does. So, whatever you’re planning with …him… Ensure it’s worth the risk."

Catherine nodded, her mind already racing with the details of her next move. She couldn’t afford to fail. Not now, when she was so close to setting everything in motion.

Melissa stared at the stack of files spread across her desk; her eyes had a faraway look. The deeper she dug into the Blackwood family and their connections, the more tangled the web became. But it wasn’t just the Backwoods. Her investigation was uncovering a pattern—an intricate network of power, corruption, and secrets that stretched far beyond one family.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, her stomach tightening when she saw the sender: Unknown.

"Stay out of this, Melissa, for your own good."

Melissa set the phone down, her hands trembling slightly. She’d received threats before, but this felt different more personal, more direct. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her, waiting for her to make a mistake.

"Hey, you okay?" her assistant, Emma, asked, poking her head into the office.

Melissa forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt. "Yes, just tired again. Long day as usual"

Emma nodded sympathetically. "Well, don’t burn yourself out. You’re no good to anyone if you’re running on empty."

"Thanks, Emma," Melissa said, her voice softer now. "I’ll be fine."

But as Emma left, closing the door behind her, Melissa knew she wasn’t fine. She was in deeper than she’d ever been, and the threats were starting to feel like more than just empty words, “I should get personal body guards” she thought

She glanced at the files again, her determination fueled. Whoever was trying to scare her didn’t realize one thing: she wasn’t the kind of person who backed down, she loves a mysterious case.

In a dim lit hotel room on the outskirts of the city, Catherine sat across from her lover, their hands intertwined. His face was partially obscured by the shadows, but his presence was enough to calm the storm raging inside her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked his voice low and filled with concern.

Catherine nodded, her grip on his hands tightening. "I don’t have a choice. If I don’t find a way to be with you, I’ll lose myself. I can’t keep pretending to be someone I’m not."

He leaned closer, his eyes searching hers. "It’s dangerous, Catherine. If Rico or Alex finds out"

"They won’t," she interrupted, her voice firm. "Elisa’s covering for me. No one will suspect a thing."

He sighed, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand. "I hope you’re right. Because if this goes wrong, we could both lose everything, including our lives"

Catherine leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his. "I’d rather lose everything than lose you. I want to be lost with you or for you"

The weight of their situation hung heavy in the air, but for a brief moment, it didn’t matter. In that room, in each other’s arms, they were free.

As the city slept, Alex Montgomery stood on the balcony of his penthouse, staring out at the skyline. His phone buzzed, and he answered without hesitation.

"It’s done," a voice said on the other end.

"Good," Alex replied, his tone as cold as the night air. "Now we move to the next phase."

He ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket, a small smile playing on his lips. Everything was falling into place, just as he planned. And anyone who dared to stand in his way would soon learn the price of defiance.