My hands are trembling as I hold my phone up, a photo of Alexander and Jennifer staring back at me. She’s smiling at him, and he’s looking at her; the two of them standing in the jewelry store he took me to pick our rings. Based on the suit he’s wearing in the photo, this must have been just a few days ago.
Has he been seeing her all along? I can’t make sense of this. The way he reacted when I broke that photo frame made me think that maybe, just maybe, he was actually moving on from her. But the way he looks at her in this photo… it’s the same way he’s always looked at her.
I don’t understand why he’s even with her at all. Why wouldn’t he have told me about it? He’s been acting so possessive lately that I was under the impression that I’m the only woman in his life. Was I wrong? Was his behavior really just him projecting his own unfaithfulness?
“What’s wrong?” Lucian asks, startling me.
I lock my phone and look up at him, shaking my head. He’s been so incredibly depressed after everything that happened with Marcus. He’s barely leaving his bedroom, he sleeps most of his days away, and he’s too scared to leave the house, scared that someone found out his secret, somehow. There’s nothing I can do or say to convince him that everything is fine, that his secrets are safe.
“It’s nothing,” I tell him, pasting a smile on my face. I don’t need him to worry about something so trivial. This is between Alexander and me, after all.
My phone buzzes and I frown when I realize that it’s the private investigator I hired. “Ma’am,” he says. “There have been some developments in the case. I have some evidence to show you. Would today be a good time?”
I swallow hard and try my best to keep it together, even though my heart is sinking. I was hoping I was wrong, that my suspicions were just that—suspicions. “Yes,” I say, my voice shaky. My mind is buzzing as I give the PI my address, my heart racing.
I don’t even realize when Lucian helps me to the sofa. “Elena, you’re worrying me,” he says.
I turn to look at him and blink, absentmindedly, before forcing a smile onto my face. “It’s nothing, Luce. I’m sorry.”
He sits down next to me, searching my face. My phone rings again, and this time it’s Alexander. I watch it ring until it finally stops. Before I saw that photo, he’d have been the first person I’d want to speak to after hearing that there’s a new development in my mother’s case. But now? Now I need some distance.
He calls me again, and this time I click the incoming call away. Lucian frowns at me and wraps his arm around me. “Okay,” he says. “Something is definitely wrong.”
I shake my head and put my phone down as Aiden walks in, the PI in tow.
“Mr. Starling,” I say, nodding at him. He and I have never met in person. In fact, it was Aiden that found him for me.
“Please call me Lucas,” he says, smiling. Lucas looks around in wonder, and I belatedly realize that the Kennedy residence isn’t a place people usually get to see from the inside. I wonder if I should have met him elsewhere, instead.
He pulls a manila folder out of his bag and places it in front of me. “You were right to be suspicious,” he tells me, his expression serious. “We found evidence that there was foul play in your mother’s car accident.”
My heart twists painfully, and I rub my chest as though that’ll alleviate the pain. Lucas lays out some photos for me and my heart sinks. “These… these are parts of my mother’s car?”
He nods, his expression grim. “It looks like nothing was wrong with it, and honestly, it took me weeks just to find some of the scraps. Someone went through great lengths to make this car disappear.”
I nod, a shudder running down my spine. “So, what happened?”
Lucas points at one of the photos. “This console, it’s connected to the car. Somehow, someone managed to manipulate it, to make your mother lose control of her car. I’ve brought the part here for you. All my technical team could tell me is that it was tampered with, but I was unable to find out more.”
He opens his bag and takes out an almost unrecognizable piece of technology. I take the plastic wrapped object with trembling hands and examine it before turning to Lucian.
“Luce,” I murmur. “Could you call Elliot for me?”
Lucian blinks, a blush creeping up his cheeks, and the edges of my lips tip up slightly. The only positive words to have come out of his mouth since Marcus have all been about Elliot.
“I… yeah, I guess,” he says, fiddling with his phone.
I sit up in surprise when the doors open and Alexander walks in, a worried expression on his face. His eyes find mine and he storms into the living room, his eyes blazing.
“You’re ignoring my calls and texts,” he tells me, his voice rough.
I frown at him, annoyed, and cross my arms over my chest. His eyes roam over the room, settling on Lucas.
“Who the fuck are you?”
Lucas rises to his feet, his eyes bouncing between Alexander and me.
“Lucas,” I say. “Meet Alexander Kennedy.”
Lucas nods but struggles to hide his surprise. I turn to Alexander and sigh. “Lucas Starling is the PI Aiden hired. He’s found some evidence that there was foul play in my mother’s accident.”
Alexander nods and walks up to me, taking a seat next to me as Lucas runs him through the case. He places his hand on my knee, his thumb stroking my skin. I’m tempted to push his hand off, but I don’t want to be childish or petty.
“Elliot can figure this out,” Alexander says, nodding at me. “I’ll call him.”
I shake my head. “No need. Lucian is on it. We have this under control.”
Alexander looks into my eyes, his gaze searching, and then he sighs. “You’re mad at me.”
I turn away from him and rise to my feet as Lucas packs his belongings. “I’m sorry that this is all I was able to find, ma’am,” he says. “I’ll keep looking into this case.”
I shake his hand and smile. “I’m grateful for the work you’ve done,” I tell him honestly. “This is more than I dared hoped for. Without you, I’d still be living with fear and suspicion. Now I have something to go on.”
He nods, his smile as sad as mine must be. “I’ll get to the bottom of this,” he promises, and I smile at him gratefully as the housekeeper walks up to him to lead him out.
Alexander leans back in his seat, his eyes on Aiden. The second the doors close behind Lucas, Alexander glares at him. “Where did you find that guy?” he asks, his tone sharp. “He looks younger than I am. There’s no way he’s an experienced PI.”
Aiden smirks and shakes his head. “I assure you, he’s one of the best. He comes from a long line of law enforcement and private investigators.”
“Thank you,” I tell both Aiden and Lucian, and then I rise to my feet and walk away, making my way to the bedroom.
As expected, Alexander follows me.
