Chapter 8

MAX POV

“Max,” Jacob said, his deep voice cutting through the tense air like a blade.

I forced a smile and straightened my tie, trying to steady the panic bubbling inside of me. “Mr. Jacob,” I greeted, nodding politely.

Jacob’s piercing eyes didn’t stay on me for long. They darted to Dennis, who stood by the desk in his all-black outfit, trying and failing to look inconspicuous. I saw Jacob’s gaze sweep over Dennis from head to toe, taking in every detail.

My heart sank. Jacob was scrutinizing him. Hard.

Dennis, of course, didn’t flinch. He stood there with his cap pulled low, hands casually tucked into his pockets, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Jacob turned his attention back to me, and I could feel his unspoken question hanging in the air.

“And who might this be?” Jacob asked, raising an eyebrow as his eyes flickered toward Dennis again.

Before I could formulate an excuse, Dennis moved with lightning speed. He took two quick steps toward Jacob, extending his hand with an overly enthusiastic grin. “Good afternoon, sir!” he said cheerfully.

Both Jacob and I froze, clearly not expecting this sudden move.

Dennis continued, “I’m just Max’s computer guy! You know, fixing laptops, troubleshooting, the usual tech stuff. Nothing big.”

I blinked, completely caught off guard.

“Computer guy?” Jacob repeated, his tone skeptical as his sharp gaze moved on Dennis’s outstretched hand.

“Yes, sir,” Dennis said, nodding almost immediately. “Max called me earlier today to help with some technical issues on his system. You know how these office computers can be…always acting up.”

Jacob’s expression didn’t change. His eyes flicked between Dennis and me, clearly trying to know the truth of the situation.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. “Yes, uh... that’s right. Dennis is helping with... some updates on my laptop.”

Dennis bowed his head slightly in my direction, pretending to be the obedient technician. “I’ll get back to it, sir,” he said, his voice dripping with fake professionalism.

He then backed away slowly, still bowing slightly, and slipped out of the room with a calm stride. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with Jacob.

I exhaled shakily, but I knew I wasn’t out of trouble yet.

Jacob turned back to me, his intense gaze locking onto mine. His dark eyes seemed to drill into my soul, searching for something I was desperately trying to keep hidden.

“What was that about?” Jacob asked, his tone casual, but there was an edge to it that sent a shiver down my spine.

I fumbled for words. “Just, uh... standard IT stuff. My laptop’s been acting up, and I needed someone to take a look at it.”

Jacob tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into the faintest hint of a smirk. “You seemed... tense, Max. Is everything all right?”

“Yes, of course,” I said quickly, though my voice cracked slightly. “Just a busy day, you know how it is.”

Jacob didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper.

“Busy day,” he repeated softly, almost to himself.

He placed the note on my desk with deliberate slowness, his eyes never leaving mine.

My heart raced as I stared at the tiny paper. What was on it? Why was he giving it to me?

“Take care, Max,” Jacob said finally, his tone deceptively pleasant.

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving me staring at the note on my desk, my mind racing with a thousand questions.

I stared at the tiny paper Jacob had left on my desk, its presence almost mocking me. My hands trembled as I reached out to pick it up, the weight of his strange behavior pressing down on me. Slowly, I unfolded it, my heart kept increasing by it beats against my ribcage like a drum.

On the paper was a drawing. Two knives crossed against each other, their blades gleaming as if they were real. My breath hitched. The crude yet precise illustration spoke of violence, a warning hidden in plain sight.

“What does this mean?” I muttered under my breath.

My mind thought about it, chasing shadows of possibilities. Was this a threat? A challenge? Was Jacob onto something? My chest tightened as I sat back in my chair, the image of the knives burning into my mind.

“This can’t be good,” I whispered.

The more I thought about it, the darker my thoughts became. The drawing wasn’t just a meaningless sketch. It symbolized conflict, danger, and something else…something I couldn’t quite place.

The thought of it alone stirred something sinister in me, a creeping coldness that made me feel less like myself and more like... someone unfeeling.

“Focus, Max,” I told myself, shaking my head.

But my mind refused to let go of the note. What did Jacob mean by this? Why now, just hours before the ball? I looked at the clock. Only an hour and a few minutes remained. Panic clawed at my insides as I realized I wasn’t even dressed for the occasion.

Grabbing my coat, I rushed out of the office and headed straight to a fashion store. The streets weren't really dark as I focused on one thing which was finding the perfect suit for tonight.

Finally at the store, I was greeted by a well-dressed attendant, who immediately noticed my urgency.

“Good evening, sir. How can I assist you today?” the attendant asked politely.

“I need a suit,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “Something classy, sharp…perfect for a high-profile engagement ball.”

The attendant smiled knowingly. “Right this way, sir. I have just the thing.”

He led me to a section lined with designer suits, each more extravagant than the last. I began trying them on, one after the other. The first was a navy-blue three-piece suit. It felt too tight around the shoulders.

“Not this one,” I muttered, discarding it.

The next was a dark green suit. It looked stylish but felt wrong for the event.

“Hmm... maybe,” I said, but I wasn’t convinced.