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The Escape Route
Last Updated:
2025-03-18 09:02:31
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The Perfect Lie The Price of Truth
Chapter 21The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the cold wind biting at Lena's skin as they emerged from the collapsed tunnel. Her lungs burned from the sprint, her heart pounding in her ears, but she didn't relent. Couldn't relent.Noah grasped her wrist and pulled her with him, his gaze raking the row of trees with calculating coldness. His gun stayed at the ready, the tension in his stance unbroken. Evelyn trailed a few steps behind them, patting her coat into place with the same malignant calm with which she always did everything as if their near-miss with death had been no more than a trifling incident.Lena's heart continued to flutter, her mind trapped in a never-ending cycle of Damien's words."Vincent Mercer is not an arms dealer. He's the one in charge."A ghost. A hushed name in the darkest corners, someone whom no one had ever seen and lived to talk about.She clenched her teeth. They were no longer attempting to flee from Damien. They'd stepped into so
Last Updated : 2025-03-19The Perfect Lie The Devil's Invitation
Chapter 22The highway unspooled ahead of them, an empty road consumed by darkness. The car's engine hummed softly, but inside the car, silence thickened like fog.Lena sat rigid in the passenger seat, her fists clenched in her lap. Noah clutched the steering wheel with both hands, his knuckles white. Evelyn, ever calm, lay back in the rear seat, her eyes distant.They were heading straight into the lion's den to meet Vincent Mercer.Lena couldn't believe it. Evelyn got a call—mere hours after they'd barely escaped Damien's men—and now they had an "invitation" to sit down with the man no one was ever meant to see.That wasn't a coincidence.Someone was playing puppeteer.And Lena had a hunch it wasn't just Mercer.Noah's voice cut through the silence. "This is a trap."Evelyn laughed. "Of course it is."Lena turned around. "And we're just going to walk into it?"Evelyn's eyes locked with hers in the rearview mirror. "Sweetheart, traps are only an issue if you don't know how to flip th
Last Updated : 2025-03-19The Perfect Lie No More Chains
Chapter 23The warehouse air was thick with tension. The suffocating burden of betrayal pressed on Lena's chest, but she gritted her teeth and kept breathing. Keep thinking.Her own mother. Evelyn - the woman she'd been afraid of, disliked intensely, and obeyed without question - had been running the show.Behind Damien; behind the hunt; behind it all.And Vincent Mercer—the man said to be behind the scenes in control—was offering her a deal. A way to kill Damien, to finish what she had been trying to escape for so long.A pretty little present, nicely packaged.Lena was no fool.Contracts with the devil came with sharp teeth.But currently, she did not care.She gazed at Evelyn, her tone unyielding though her mind reeled. "How long?"Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "More specific, darling."Lena's fists bunched. "How long have you been playing games with me?"Evelyn exhaled a sigh, waving an imaginary speck of dust from her sleeve. "Since the day you were born."The words strike like a blo
Last Updated : 2025-03-20The Perfect Lie The End Begins
Chapter 24 The drive to Ashford Street was in silence.Lena sat in the passenger seat, drumming her fingers against the grip of her gun. It was heavy in her hand, reassuring.Beside her, Noah drove quietly, his hands steady, his jaw set. The streetlights caught his face, shadowing the tension on it.He didn't even try to call a stop this time.He knew better.Evelyn lay back in the backseat, utterly at ease, as if they were headed to a business lunch rather than an execution.Lena's mind was already in the hotel. Three stories. Thin corridors. Limited exits.Damien would be expecting an assault, but he wouldn't expect her.Not tonight. Not like this.The weight of the moment hung in her chest.This was it.The end of the nightmare.Noah only talked, his voice low. "If this goes wrong…"Lena cut him off. "It won't."His hands clamped on the wheel tightly. "If it does, we go out together. No matter what."She drew a breath, eyes fixed on the road."Agreed."Evelyn whistled. "Aww. Sweet
Last Updated : 2025-03-20The Perfect Lie The Devil's Move
Chapter 25 The fire had consumed itself by the time Lena, Noah, and Damien stumbled away from the wreckage. Smoke poured into the night, thick and acrid, overlaying the scent of blood and burned wood.Lena's body protested, every step a battle against exhaustion. Mercer had attacked them. That much was clear.What wasn't clear was why.He might have killed them stone dead, but he hadn't. He'd only given them time to escape.A message? A game?Noah kept pace beside her, gun in hand, his eyes flicking up the street for risk. Damien limped to her other side, gasping for breath."You didn't have to let me go," Damien snarled.Lena did not look at him. "I know."Noah exhaled a harsh breath. "Yeah, well, let's not pretend like this is some sort of feel-good reunion. We still need to get the hell out of here before Mercer calls in cleanup."Lena's mind raced fast, cutting through the haze of exhaustion. "We can't go back to the safe house. It's been breached."Noah nodded. "I have a place.
Last Updated : 2025-03-20The Perfect Lie Striking First
Chapter 26Lena stood at the window, gazing out over the black streets. The city never slept, but tonight it seemed different. There was a tension in the air, as if a storm was ready to break loose.Behind her, Noah checked his gun for the third time. Damien sat in the corner, rewrapping his arm. Evelyn leaned against the wall, watching them like they were a spectacle she was witnessing.They were outnumbered. Outgunned. And if they messed this up, Mercer wouldn't kill them—he'd make an example of them.But they had no choice.Lena stood facing the others. "We do this fast. We do it neat. Mercer does not walk away."Noah nodded. "Where do we hit him?"Evelyn smiled. "Now that's the question."It had been an hour, and Lena sat opposite Marco Valenti in the upper room of a high-class nightclub. He was a mid-rank boss with enough power to be worth something and enough desperation to be stupid."I don't think you believe me," Marco said, lighting a light for his cigar.Lena did not flinch
Last Updated : 2025-03-20The Perfect Lie No Way Back
Chapter 27 The SUV sped down the empty highway, city lights dwindling in the distance. Lena gripped the wheel in her fists, her heart pounding. The blast had given them minutes, but those were not nearly enough.Mercer sat quietly beside her, his hands trembling against his leg. He wasn't the calm, invulnerable kingpin now—he was a man running from death.Damien, seated behind Mercer, reloaded his gun. “That was sloppy.”Evelyn smirked. “It was effective.”Noah, next to her, glanced at the side mirror. “We’re not alone.”Lena flicked her eyes to the rearview mirror. A black car was tailing them.No headlights. No noise. Just a silent shadow creeping closer.Carrow’s people.Lena gritted her teeth. “Hold on.”She yanked the wheel, sending the SUV swerving off the main road onto a dirt path. The tires kicked up dust as the vehicle bounced violently over the uneven ground.The black car followed.Noah leaned out the window and fired. The gunshots echoed in the night, but the driver didn
Last Updated : 2025-03-20The Perfect Lie Into the Fire
Chapter 28 The warehouse was cold, the air heavy with dust and the stench of rusting metal. Lena lingered near the entrance, still holding her gun. They'd managed to escape for now, but she knew it wouldn't last. Mercer sat on an overturned crate, rubbing his face. "You don't comprehend. You've made an error." Lena frowned. "The only error was letting you live this long." Mercer shook his head. "You think Carrow's the enemy? He's nothing. What they want is to watch. And now they know you're here." Noah leaned back against the wall, arms folded. "Then let them come." Mercer laughed a harsh laugh. "You don't understand. You don't fight them. You go away, or they make you go away." Lena moved forward. "Who are they?" Mercer stopped. And then finally exhaled. "They're called the Black Circle. No files. No faces. Just power." The words sent shivers down Lena's spine. She had heard whispers and rumors of a dark power controlling the underworld. Evelyn laughed. "Cute name.
Last Updated : 2025-03-22
Latest chapter
The Perfect Lie The Heist at Warehouse 14
Chapter 58 – The Heist at Warehouse 14The air stank of salt and rust. The docks were quiet, the city lights distant against the black water. Warehouse 14 stood at the end of the pier, metal doors shut, guards at each corner.Lena crouched behind a stack of shipping containers, taking in the scene with binoculars. The Russians were here, just as Ivanov had said.They brought additional muscle," Marco muttered from beside her.Luca's voice came through the earpiece. "Sniper in position. Provide the signal."Lena slowly exhaled. This had to be fast and neat. No mistakes."Noah, Michael, move into position," she said. Lena had split the team into three groups.Noah and Michael would make a diversion at the north entrance, drawing the guards off.Luca would take out the rooftop sentries.Lena and Marco would enter through the side entrance, bringing the shipment safe.They had a ten-minute window until backup arrived.Lena said into her earpiece. "Go."Noah strolled toward the north gate
The Perfect Lie The Storm Approaches
Chapter 57 The scent of smoke still clung to Lena's clothes. The Russian piers had burned throughout the night, and at dawn, the news had reached every corner of the city. The message was loud and clear—she wasn't surrendering.But the war was never solely about destruction. It was about control.Lena stood in her office, the city stretching out past the glass windows. Marco, Michael, Luca, and Noah sat around her. A map of the city lay on the table, red lines and black crosses crossing it."They'll strike back," Marco stated, his voice determined.Lena nodded. "Let them."Luca leaned forward, elbows on the table. "We hurt them, but we didn't break them. The Russians still control the east side, and their allies aren't giving up yet."Michael folded his arms. "Then we take their allies away from them."Lena smirked. "Exactly."She nodded to a name on the map—Gregor Ivanov. A top-level Russian supplier, the one that kept their wheels turning. If they eliminated him, the Russians would
The Perfect Lie Fire and Blood
Chapter 56 – Fire and BloodLena occupied the head of the table, her drumming fingers on the glass top. Around her, the inner circle waited. Marco leaned back in his chair, arms folded. Michael stood near the window, watching the streets below. Noah spun a knife between his fingers, his smirk never wavering.Luca was the last to speak. "The Albanians are in chaos. Fifty percent of their men demand vengeance. Fifty percent demand to fall in line."Lena nodded. "And the Russians?"Michael spun around. "Quiet. Too quiet."Bad. Quiet meant planning. Quiet meant threat."They're waiting, observing to see if we stumble," Marco said to her.Lena met his eyes. "We won't."The attack came sooner than anticipated.Lena had driven the car back up to the estate when Michael's voice crackled into the earpiece."Lena. Take out."She did not debate it. She pulled open the door, twisting over onto the road as the car blew up behind her.The blast resounded down the road. Shattered glass echoed off th
The Perfect Lie The Queen's Move
Chapter 55 – The Queen's Move The city was quiet. So quiet that one can hear the sound of a dropped pin, but not enough to distract Lena and her team. Lena stood in the window of her new office, gazing out at the skyline. It still smelled of gunpowder. Romano's body wasn't even cold before his empire was sold. People were standing by, observing, unsure what the next move would be. She wasn't sure, either. "Report," she said without glancing around. Michael braced in the doorframe, arms folded. "Luca's rallying the lieutenants. Some aren't happy, but they won't move." "They should." Noah filled the gap, dropping a folder onto the desk. "Romano's companies, contacts, offshore accounts. All yours now." Lena snapped the folder open. Money. Power. A crime empire at her fingertips. Marco finally spoke. "They'll fight you." She smiled. "Let them." The first fight came sooner than she'd expected. Luca called a meeting. Not just a meeting—a reception by the most powerful
The Perfect Lie The Price of War
Chapter 54 The air was thick with the smell of burned paper and gasoline. Lena sat at the table, her gaze on the stolen documents. The room was still, except for the occasional groan of a chair as Michael shifted."We hit him hard," Noah said, pushing his hair behind his ear. His knuckles were bruised from the fight. "But Romano will not let this go."Marco leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. "He'll retaliate. Hard and fast."Lena snapped a finger against the table. "We need to strike before him."Michael frowned. "We just got out of that club alive. We don't even know his motive."Lena's lips puckered into a line. "We know what he'll do. He'll strike at our supporters. He'll try to cut us off."She gestured towards the papers."These files don't just expose his crimes. They expose his weaknesses. The men he relies on. Take them away first, and he'll be alone."Marco nodded uncertainly. "You're talking about dismantling his entire operation."Lena's gaze was glacial. "Ye
The Perfect Lie Fire in the Dark
Chapter 53The shelter house stank of gunpowder and sweat. Noah wrapped the gushing area on the kitchen table. Michael leaned against the wall, his jaw clenched in thought.Lena sat across from them, holding the burner phone. Marco's last words recurred in her mind. He's afraid.Romano was not used to being fearful. He was used to mastering. That they had gotten into his head was a sign that one thing—they would strike back worse.Lena exhaled. "We need to get going."Michael's gaze went slanted to hers. "Where?""Right to the heart of his operations," she replied. "We don't let him gather steam."Noah smiled and yelped as he pulled tight the final knot. "I like the thought."Michael frowned. "We barely made it out last time."Lena met his eye. "That was in self-defense. Now we attack."Michael sighed but nodded. "What is the target?"She glanced at Marco, seated mutely in the corner. He had heard and watched. He was a man who understood how and when to voice an opinion.Now, he did.
The Perfect Lie The Breaking Point
Chapter 52 The night crawled after Lena had left the club. Every second tested their patience, wondering if Marco Benedetti would betray Romano or them.Lena slept at the kitchen table of the safe house, drumming her fingers on the wood. The air was thick with the smell of burnt coffee and gunpowder. Michael leaned against the counter, arms crossed, while Noah cleaned his gun beside her."We give him 24 hours," Michael said. "If he doesn't call, we assume he's being faithful."Lena nodded. "And if he is faithful, we cut him down."Noah smiled. "I like this side of you."Lena didn't smile. She wasn't in the mood.Then, the burner phone rang.The three of them froze.Lena picked up. "Speak."A deep breath. Then Marco's voice. "Meet me at the old train station. One hour."The phone line went dead.Michael frowned. "It could be a setup."Lena stood up, her fingers around her gun. "Then we put it straight back again."The vacant station was on the edge of town, left to the ravages of time
The Perfect Lie The Cost of War
Chapter 51 The city felt different outside of the docks. The air was heavy, the streets quiet. It was as if the night had engulfed the gunfire and only tension remained. Lena sat in the backseat of the vehicle, staring out at the black horizon.Michael drove in silence, his jaw set. Noah rode beside him, his arms crossed. No words were spoken, but the tension of what had just happened weighed on them. Romano had lived again.Lena exhaled slowly, forcing the anger down. He won't keep escaping.They pulled up at the safe house, a battered building in a barren part of town. The three of them entered quickly, locking the doors behind.The air inside reeked of gunpowder and aged wood. There was one table in the middle of the room, maps and papers strewn about.Noah threw his gun on the table. "We misjudged him."Michael stroked his hair. "We should have expected it."Lena planted herself on the chair, her elbows on the table. "Romano expected us to utilize Leo. He played us."Noah let out
The Perfect Lie Into the Wolf's Den
Chapter 50 The night was cold, the air thick with the promise of violence. Lena stood in the alley behind an abandoned factory, shrouded in the darkness. Her breath came evenly, her hands loose at her sides, but inside she was a storm.Leo had taken the bait. All they had to do now was track him.Michael crouched beside her, his eyes scouring the street. "He's not slowing down."Lena nodded. "He's scared. He thinks he was lucky to escape."Noah adjusted the earpiece in his ear. "Or he knows it's a trap and is attempting to lead us into one."Lena's lips curled into a cold smile. "Either way, we win."Across the street, Leo ducked into a black sedan that had been waiting for him. The car pulled away, disappearing into the city.Michael tapped his radio. “We follow from a distance. No risks.”Lena exhaled, watching the taillights fade. Romano, I’m coming for you.Their own car slid into traffic, smooth and silent. Michael drove, his focus sharp. Noah kept his eyes on the tracker they h
