Pretend to be mine tonight (GXG)

Chapter 27

Alexandria's POV

The hum of my office was almost meditative, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. I stared at my laptop screen, the words on the document blurring together as my mind drifted. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't focus.

It had been days since I'd handed Chloe's name to Mr. Calloway, and the silence was suffocating. I'd told myself the wait was normal—that digging into someone as guarded as Chloe would take time—but the unease in my chest only grew heavier with every passing day.

Chloe Marlowe. The name that had once been nothing more than a painful reminder of betrayal was now something darker, something tangled in shadows I hadn't yet uncovered.

The sharp ring of my phone shattered the quiet. My heart jumped as I saw the caller ID: Calloway Investigations.

I hesitated for only a moment before answering. "This is Alexandria."

"Ms. Vieira," his voice came steady, almost calm. "I have findings to share. Some of it is... sensitive. Are you available to meet?"

I straightened in my chair, gripping the phone tightly. "I'm in my office. How soon can you get here?"

"Thirty minutes," he replied.

"Good. Don't be late."

When Mr. Calloway stepped into my office, he looked as composed as ever, his leather briefcase clasped in one hand. His presence carried a weight I wasn't sure I was ready to bear.

"Ms. Vieira," he greeted, nodding as he took the chair across from me.

I gestured for him to continue without preamble. "What did you find?"

He set the briefcase down, snapping it open with precision before withdrawing a folder thick with papers. "As requested, I began investigating Chloe Marlowe. What I've found raises significant concerns."

He opened the folder, revealing a series of documents and photographs. "Chloe joined Vieira Holdings three years ago as a junior assistant. However, within one year, she was promoted to your grandfather's private secretary—a role that places her in close proximity to his personal affairs."

I folded my arms, leaning back slightly. "What justified such a quick promotion?"

"That's unclear," Calloway admitted. "On paper, there's no discernible reason. Her qualifications are adequate but not exceptional, and there's no documented event that would explain the shift. What I did find, however, was a pattern of financial irregularities."

He slid a bank statement toward me. "Chloe has received substantial payments from Vieira Holdings over the past two years, far exceeding her listed salary. One payment in particular stood out—a deposit made three years ago, shortly after an incident involving someone you're connected to."

I frowned, my pulse quickening. "What incident?"

Calloway hesitated, his expression carefully neutral. "Emily."

The name hit me like a punch to the chest. My voice was sharp when I replied. "What about her?"

"While investigating Chloe, I came across records that led me to Emily. Specifically, the accident she was involved in three years ago. Or, rather, what was masked as a car accident."

The air seemed to thin, and I fought to keep my composure. "Masked?"

He nodded. "The official report labeled it an accident, but there are details that suggest otherwise. her injuries was not consistent with a car accident but this is what the police report said."