All Chapters of Shadows Of Deception : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

As Caleb and I stepped through the front door, I could feel the tension hanging thick in the air, like a storm ready to break. The car ride home from the hospital had been silent, but it was the kind of silence that screamed of unspoken words, of buried resentment waiting to explode. I barely had time to set my bag down before he was on me, his eyes blazing with anger."What the hell were you thinking, Ivy?" His voice was a low growl, the kind that sent a shiver down my spine despite my determination not to show fear.I met his gaze, my own anger rising to meet his. "What was I thinking? I was doing my job, Caleb. What else do you expect me to do?""My job is to help people, to save lives," I shot back, the words coming out harsher than I intended. "Not to just stand by and let""Your job," he interrupted, his voice cold and sharp, "is to keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Not to get involved in every bleeding heart case that walks through those doors."I felt a bitter la

(ADRIAN POV)After two extra ringaI swiped the screen to answer, tension abode in the room. “Adrian,” The barrister’s voice was steady, but there was something beneath it urgency, maybe? “We need to meet as soon as possible. Like you must have heard, there’s something regarding your grandfather's….”“You know what? Don’t bother coming here,” I cut him off, my tone sharper than I intended. “I’m coming to you right now. You hear me, right now!”I didn’t wait for his response, hanging up as I pushed back from the table. The entire board turned to look at me, surprise and confusion etched across their faces. “This meeting is over,” I snapped, already moving toward the door. “We’ll reconvene later.”I didn’t look back. The moment I stepped outside, the heat hit me like a wall, but it did nothing to slow me down. The first person I spotted outside was Caleb my chaffeur leaning against the gate, idly scrolling through his phone. I didn’t have time for this.“Caleb!” I yelled, my voic

(IVY POV)I stopped, reaching out to touch the frame, running my fingers over the image as if trying to pull something from the recesses of my memory. But nothing came, just a vague sense of unease."You alright, dear?" Mrs. Hawkins asked, her voice breaking through my thoughts.I pulled my hand back quickly, nodding. "Yes, just… admiring the picture."She smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. "The Blackwood family has a long history. You’ll learn all about it in time."I wasn’t so sure I wanted to.The days passed quickly, and before I knew it, a week had gone by. I was beginning to settle into the routines, getting to know the other staff and even the layout of the massive estate. The others seemed to like me well enough, and I found myself becoming more comfortable, though there was always that underlying tension, a constant reminder that I was here under false pretenses.What surprised me most was the boss, or should i just call him Adrian. He was nothing like the ruthless, cold-

ADRIAN (POV)The note in my hand felt like a bar of weight, each word etched into my brain as if they were carved in stone.The words were hurried, almost frantic, as if she had written it in a rush, desperate to leave before she was caught.I lowered my head again and scanned the note, hoping I had missed something, some clue that would make everything make sense.“ This place dangerous, same are the people who found me. The people who brought me. I didn't mean for this to happen, Adrian. Please understand, I had no choice. They're always watching. Trust no one. And my real name is not Joan."I blinked looking up again.What did she mean by that? Maxwell, and my chauffeur, Caleb they were the only ones who knew about Joan’s background. Had they been keeping tabs on her all along? And if so, why?The revelation that Joan's about her name being fake what did all that mean? I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I considered the implications. If her name wasn’t Joan, then who was

MAXWELL (POV)The police station was a complete contrast to the opulence of Adrian’s mansion, where we were standing few minutes ago.Everyone one of us from the maids to the guards to Adrian himself were all present.The cold, fluorescent lights twinkled overhead, casting harsh shadows on the linoleum floor. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and disinfectant, mingling with the anxiety that permeated the room.Adrian, Caleb, and I were ushered into a cramped waiting area. The anxiety was vivid; no one spoke as we waited for the officers to call us in.I could feel the eyes of some of the maids and guards on me, the fear in the faces was almost a physical thing, pressing in from all sides. Miss Hawkins, the chief maid, sat across from me, her hands wringing together in her lap. She looked up at me with a little hint of accusation as though she were blaming me for the involvement of the police.The door to the interrogation room creaked open, and a uniformed officer s