Bittersweet Symphony

Chapter 62 - Looky Looky

As I rummaged through the dusty boxes of the Nexus Financials records, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of anger and determination coursing through my veins. My parents, once respected business tycoons in their heyday, had built an empire from scratch, we now about to watch it crumble under the weight of their own foolishness and hubris.

Now, Alister, the man they didn't know was actual trouble, agreed to marry me with vengeance in mind; his eyes fixed on whatever they had. I could feel the tension in my shoulders as I flipped through page after page of legal documents, financial statements, and contracts, searching for any evidence that would prove his intentions. Maybe I could use that to distract him from the fact that this baby might not be his.

The clock ticked relentlessly, the shadows dancing across the walls as the sun dipped below the horizon. The room was cold and musty, the air thick with the stale scent of old paper and dust. I paused for a moment, rubbing my aching back, and wondered if I was making a mistake. Perhaps I was being too suspicious, too paranoid. But then again, I couldn't ignore the way he'd been acting lately; the way he'd been talking about restructuring the company, about streamlining operations. It all seemed too convenient, too much like he was setting the stage for something bigger.

With the new project coming up, he was more determined to weed out anyone who was going to give the company problems, especially those who had been there from the start. And my father, with his stubbornness and pride, had made it clear that he would not step aside. I shivered, remembering the cold anger in Alister's voice when he'd told me that he'd make sure the Nexus Financials became "his" soon enough.

I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, rifling through another box filled with shareholder agreements and meeting minutes. There had to be something here, something that would give me the proof I needed. Something that would make him see that he couldn't just take what wasn't his.

The clock ticked on, the shadows lengthening across the floor. A faint creak echoed through the room, making me start for a moment. Was that a draft? Or something else? My heart raced as I glanced around, searching for any sign of movement. But everything seemed to be still, silent. I forced myself to breathe slowly, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

Just as I was about to give up and call it a night, my fingers brushed against something hard and metallic. It felt like one of the old keychains my parents used to use to keep track of their company keys. Curious, I pulled it out from beneath a stack of papers. It was heavy, solid metal, with a tiny key at the bottom. The initials "N.F." were engraved on the side, and there was a small symbol that I didn't recognize below that. What was this? And why did it feel like finding it was the break I'd been searching for?

Just then, I heard a faint clicking sound coming from the other room. My heart skipped a beat as I realized someone else was here, in the office. Who could it be? Lucián? My father? Or worse, someone who just wanted to see what I was up to?

I quickly dropped the keychain down my shirt, making sure it was hidden from view. My heart pounded in my chest as I crept over to the door, careful not to make a sound. Peering through the keyhole, I saw a tall, shadowy figure hovering over one of the filing cabinets. It was too dark to make out any details, but I could tell that whoever it was, they were searching through the files just like I had been.

My breath caught in my throat as I considered my options. I couldn't just stand here and do nothing; I had to protect my family's secrets. But at the same time, I didn't want to confront the intruder without being absolutely certain it was someone who meant harm. I needed to find a way to sneak past them unnoticed, or at least delay them long enough for help to arrive.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered all my courage and slowly began to inch my way along the wall, away from the door and the intruder. The floor creaked beneath my weight with each step, making my heart race even faster. I dared not look back, afraid that if I did, I'd lose my nerve entirely. As I rounded the corner, I heard the figure let out a soft curse, their footsteps growing closer.