The Girl of Shadows [COMPLETE]

Ten

["Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and that hollow part in your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go." -Jamie Anderson]

"This dress is disgusting." I scoffed, flattening the wrinkles on the smooth satin fabric.

"It's not like you have to wear it forever." Niko replied, checking for any obvious mistakes that could easily give us away. He gave me a thumbs up after approximately thirty seconds.

I pouted as Hugo adjusted his dress shirt. Celia, Thorne, and Khai were all worried about this plan, whispering sweet nothings to each other as I watched them. They knew I saw them, and still, they didn't care.

Our plan to get inside the skyscraper was simple. Hugo and I will act as a married couple, ask for a favor, help the others get in, and boom. We're in. The company is 'Campos Insurance' but is really an abducting service underneath all of it. And we simply want to ask for a small and subtle favor of abducting my annoying 'mother-in-law.'

Hugo had me grab his arm just as Gianna would do to Cedric as we walked up the marble stairs to the glass doors that were just yards away. A doorman stopped us in our tracks. Oh, no.

I tried my best to fake a calm smile over the chaos unfolding inside. "ID, sir." He asked, reaching his gloved hand out towards Hugo's form. I nudged him and he found it in his thick pants pocket.

"My apologies, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Right this way." He motioned for us to follow him. I waved as we approached the beautiful staircase. A chandelier made of millions of crystal clear diamonds shone above us, mesmerizing in every way. I was brought to marble waterfalls and greenery I've never seen before in my life. A secretary at the front desk called us towards her.

"State your name and reason for being here." She told us, looking up from her computer screen. Her nails were clear and long, sharp enough to scratch someone's eyes out. I shivered.

"Harvey and April Thompson, and our purpose is.. 'Top Secret.'" He winked, receiving a pleased expression from the secretary lady. "Alright. Please have a seat." She beamed, typing away our information.

We took a seat on the white leather sofa as far as we could get from her to have a minute of small talk. My hands were on my thighs, which were widened from resting down.

"They're way too friendly. Too good to be true, if you ask me." I started, leaning on his shoulder to lesser suspicion. "Yeah, I get weird vibes from this place, no matter how peaceful it is." Hugo replied, forming a smile to the secretary across the room.

As awkward as it was to have a new identity and purpose, I knew it wasn't permanent. If anything it was weird being your brother's fake wife, but I had to stick with it. Cedric had to know he was worth it.

I was about to say something, but was cut off by a dark haired man wearing a suit. His hands were gently placed behind his back, with the posture of a serious person. I rose along Hugo and followed the man to his penthouse office.

We silently rode the elevator upwards, each of us drifting gradually to the edges, avoiding touch from the company. I guess the CEO liked his personal space. DING

A black and white office was met with my eyes, shining against the city lights beyond the frosted windows. A lamp in the corner was perfectly lit, making the room more lively. I sat against the leather seats across from the mahogany desk, still gripping Hugo's hand as if he'd fall if I let it go. I was nervous now, and it was starting to show, but I tried to put it behind everything else that crossed the tracks of my train of thought.