Chapter 1 - Makayla

Thick, blinding snow whipped across the highway, turning the landscape into swirling chaos. I barely blinked, my focus fixed on the road ahead. The biting wind howled outside, but determination surged within me. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the wheel, pushing through the storm. The engine purred beneath me, a steady reminder of my resolve with each turn of the tires on the icy asphalt.

Next to me, the flash drive in the console felt alive, pulsating with energy. It contained everything I needed to dismantle Stacey Sherbourn’s empire—a foundation built on deceit. Inside were damning emails, revealing agreements, and hidden financial transfers that exposed her greed. These weren’t just documents; they were weapons poised to ruin her and shatter her carefully crafted image. The weight of their implications was palpable in the small space between us.

Pockets, my loyal companion, stretched beside me before flopping back onto his blanket, blissfully unaware of the danger ahead. His innocent demeanor contrasted sharply with the gravity of our mission. While he sighed contentedly, I felt my heart race, knowing each mile brought us closer to the truth. I was prepared to face the storm—both outside and within.

Aspen.

Stacey thought she was untouchable, mingling with CEOs and senators at a luxurious resort. When she invited me, she expected me to drop everything for her. Instead, I chose to spend the holidays with my family, embracing warmth over her cold, glittering lifestyle. To my surprise, Stacey didn’t argue; she seemed to believe I would return as before. I had begun to see her true self—not the champion she portrayed, but someone far more complex and compromised.

In hindsight, I should have recognized the signs much earlier. The little things that had started to bother me—the dismissive wave of her hand whenever I brought up thought-provoking topics, her casual brush-offs of my concerns, the vague reassurances of “Don’t worry about it, Makayla”—they were all glaring red flags that I had chosen to ignore. Each time I sacrificed a piece of my own beliefs for her convenience, she called it “compromise,” but deep down, I was beginning to understand the true cost of those compromises.

This network of backroom deals wrapped in silk ties and whispered promises painted a stark picture of betrayal. Stripping protected lands for corporate gain while flashing a winning smile for the cameras, the public façade of a champion overshadowed Stacey’s ruthless ambition. 

Anger surged within me as I clenched my jaw, a mix of love and disappointment coursing through my veins. I had once cherished her and had put my faith in her vision of a better world, but that vision was built on deceit and self-interest. It served as a warning sign that I could no longer ignore. I realized it was time to reclaim my voice and stand against her, even if it meant being the one to ignite the flames that would burn her carefully constructed world to the ground.

Pockets yawned widely, his tired eyes blinking sleepily at me as I sunk into the couch beside him. “Yeah, I know, buddy,” I muttered, absentmindedly rubbing the soft fur on his head. “This is either the smartest move I’ve ever made or the dumbest.” He responded by flopping onto his side, giving me an unimpressed look that suggested my dramatics weren’t fooling him.

I stole a glance at the clock on the wall—2:04 AM. Meanwhile, Stacey was likely nestled in the comfort of a five-star suite, blissfully unaware that I was racing toward a plan that could completely shake her world. 

I had taken every precaution to ensure she couldn’t trace my steps. The regular phone she thought she could track sat back in D.C., meticulously scrubbed clean and rerouted to show false signals that I was still there. When she discovered the truth and realized I was gone, it would be too late to stop me. 

As I drove, the quiet of the night enveloped me, broken only by the rhythmic hum of the tires on the asphalt. Suddenly, the lights of a roadside sign pierced through the thick darkness like a beacon. 

Aspen – 198 miles. 

I was almost there, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. A potent mixture of anticipation and adrenaline surged through me, a stark contrast to the calm facade I desperately tried to maintain. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows that danced around me, yet my focus remained unwavering. I had a job to do, and nothing—absolutely nothing—would deter me now.

What would she do when finally confronted? Would Stacey lie, her words dripping with false charm, attempting to seduce her way out of this mess? Or would she, at long last, drop the pretense when she realized I wasn’t here to be swayed by her usual games? The thought of her feigned innocence, the way she could so easily weave a story, made my resolve harden.

But it didn’t matter. Each mile I drove solidified my purpose. By the time I was finished, Stacey Sherbourn would regret ever underestimating me or believing she could toy with my emotions. I was ready for whatever facade she would throw my way; the truth was about to surface, and I wouldn’t let her escape unscathed.

The steering wheel creaked as I gripped it tightly, the coarse leather biting into my palms. Tension filled my jaw, threatening to shatter a molar. A heavy weight settled in my chest—I should have known better than to push my luck. Growing up around politicians, I witnessed their intricate dance of deceit. My father, one of the few I deemed good, made genuine efforts but often compromised his integrity. I watched him shake hands with figures he loathed, casting votes that betrayed his true beliefs.

“It’s how the system works, Makayla,” he would say, his voice heavy with fatigue and resignation. “You must play the game to stay in it long enough to make a difference.” 

But in my heart, I couldn’t accept that. It felt like a thin veneer over a much darker reality. The truth was that power was the only currency that mattered to politicians. The only discernible difference among them was whether they were upfront about their thirst for it or masked it with slogans and smiles.

And yet, in the whirlwind of grassroots movements and eloquent speeches, I convinced myself that Stacey was an exception to that rule. 

I should have seen the red flags waving furiously, signaling the danger I was stepping into. Stacey’s uncanny ability to navigate conversations, weaving intricate webs of rhetoric and leaving no firm ground to stand on—talking in circles became her second language. She always had a polished answer ready, yet she never truly said anything of substance. 

When she spoke, it was as if she had an enchanting spell over the audience, effortlessly charming them and making them believe every word that slipped past her lips. It was a remarkable talent honed through years of artful manipulation—a dangerous weapon that had undoubtedly served her well.

And I, like so many others before me, fell for it. I fell for the illusion Stacey crafted. I fell for her.

Pockets grunted, stretching his stubby legs before curling tighter into his soft, worn blanket. His little chest rose and fell in a rhythm of steady breaths, blissfully unaware that his owner was caught in the turmoil of betrayal. My gaze shot down at him, and I envied his carefree existence for a fleeting moment. 

“Yeah, yeah, sleep while you can,” I muttered, casting a sidelong glance before focusing on the chaos outside. Snow pounded against the windshield, turning the landscape into a white blur. Despite the storm’s fury, I pressed on, fueled by a rage hot enough to melt the ice surrounding me.

I had defended Stacey against my family’s skepticism, convincing myself she was different from the typical ambitious politician. But now, I realized she had used me as a pawn, entangling me and an entire state in her web of lies. The bitter truth stung deeper than the frigid air, and I felt the weight of my naivety pressing down on me, igniting a determination to uncover the truth she had hidden.

The flash drive glinted ominously in the console, a small yet powerful emblem of betrayal. Just inches from my elbow, it held damning evidence: a labyrinth of emails detailing clandestine negotiations and contracts that concealed her true motives, alongside bribes disguised as campaign donations—each a thread in her tapestry of corruption. 

I recalled the damage she caused to Colorado, gutting the land and pushing out families that had called it home for generations. Before the cameras, she spoke polishedly, feeding the public rehearsed lies. Now, the truth was within reach, ready to be exposed.

I had spent three years tangled in the warmth of her bed, three years by her side, three years basking in the glow of her smile—the kind that made me feel like I was the only person who truly understood the depths of her soul. 

But now, clarity had settled in like a heavy fog. Stacey had been right: I knew her now, perhaps better than anyone else could. And I was determined to ensure the rest of the world recognized her truth, too.

As I drove through the relentless snow, the exit sign for a gas station flickered past in a blur, a mere distraction I didn’t bother to acknowledge. I pressed down harder on the gas pedal, feeling the engine roar to life beneath me. 

The anger coursing through my veins was electric, igniting a fierce determination within. 

“Fucking bitch,” I muttered, filled with pain and resolve. I was done—too close to the edge to turn back. 

Pockets shifted beside me, resting his warm head on my lap, but his affection barely registered. My thoughts spiraled, emotions roiling within me. Fury coursed through me, every memory of Stacey Sherbourn slicing at my heart. I had devoted three years to her, only to uncover her lies. 

Taking a deep breath, I focused on the winding road ahead. Anger simmered beneath the surface as the storm worsened, snow whipping across the windshield. Yet, strangely, I felt calm despite the danger.

But fear was a distant feeling that couldn’t penetrate the passionate fury consuming me. I was too angry to feel afraid—too goddamn tired of being naive, tired of being the fool in this twisted game of emotions.

Pockets let out another small sigh, shifting his weight so it pressed more firmly against me, seeking comfort in my presence. I glanced down, my fingers absently threading through the thick fur on his head, drawing warmth from our connection. His dark eyes blinked at me, filled with a watchfulness that spoke of an understanding only dogs possess. 

If I had allowed even a flicker of uncertainty about Stacey to exist, he would have erased my doubts.

 

From the very beginning, Pockets had never liked her. In the month I had him, his distrust was evident; he would tense up whenever she entered the room and deftly dodge her attempts to pet him. Each time she came too close to me, he would bark and growl as if to warn her away. 

Despite the signs, I brushed it off, convincing myself I was being paranoid. “He’s just jealous. He’ll warm up eventually,” Stacey laughed, watching Pockets wedge himself protectively between us. But he didn’t warm up. Pockets sensed something I refused to acknowledge, and I now realized how foolish I had been to ignore his instincts.

Now, as the snow swirled in thick flurries outside, the road ahead blurred into a white haze. The highway signs were barely visible, half-buried under the relentless frost, offering little guidance in the growing storm. I slowed slightly but didn’t plan on stopping—certainly not now.

Not when I was so close to confronting the truth.

I flexed my fingers against the steering wheel, every muscle coiled with anxiety and determination. Meanwhile, Stacey was likely cozy in Aspen, blissfully unaware that her world would change. I imagined her reaction upon seeing me—would she feign innocence, twisting the narrative to paint me as unreasonable, or would the façade finally crack, revealing her true self? 

It hardly mattered; her game was over when I stepped into that lavish resort. With determination surging, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, pushing deeper into the relentless storm. The blinding snow swirled around me, and the headlights barely cut through the suffocating whiteness.

And then—everything shifted.

The car lurched violently, tires losing their grip on the slippery surface beneath. My stomach dropped as the world tilted precariously, the icy grasp of fear settling in. I barely had time to utter a curse when, in an instant, darkness swallowed me whole.