The Phantom's Game | 18+

Chapter 7

The following day passed by quickly, the morning rays shifting to the setting sun – engulfing the world in golden light. The heat was beginning to simmer down, however, the breeze blew gently, blowing strands of hair around Isadora's face, which caused her to sigh in annoyance.

After what happened last night, the brunette had stayed awake until midnight thinking about what Vincent had said to her and about the strange encounter between them. Although she couldn't deny that the events that had happened in her room the other night had frightened her a bit. 

However, the fact that Vincent Falcone came to her home unexpectedly and threatened her with violence was something that truly worried her. 

She knew that he was dangerous and that this "Phantom" person might end up being a threat as well. But what she didn't know was how dangerous he was or why he decided to target both of their organizations.

If she wanted to know what exactly was happening, she would have to approach Vincent directly rather than ask someone else. And if he had told her what was really wrong, then she should have known better than to trust anyone. She didn't know how many of her father's associates the mafia was connected to, but she knew that whoever was behind this could be connected to anyone of them. So, she drove directly to her father's workplace. 

He had to know something about this figure, somehow. And it might be possible that he knew who this person was.

As soon as she reached the building, she entered the lift and pushed the button for the top floor, where his office awaited her. She waited patiently for the lift to arrive at its destination. Once the doors opened, she walked briskly toward her father's office. Upon reaching his door, she knocked twice before pushing the door open slightly.

"Isadora," Her father looked up from a stack of papers and smiled brightly at his daughter, "Hello, sweetie."

She smiled faintly as she stepped into the office and closed the door behind her, "Hello, father. There is something urgent I must discuss with you."

Her father raised an eyebrow inquisitively as he placed the papers he had been reading down onto the desk, "Is there something wrong, child?"

Isadora sighed, "Father... Something odd happened last night and I wish to discuss it with you this instant."

"Of course, dear. Please sit down," He insisted, nodding towards the brown leather couch facing the desk. As Isadora took a seat, he stood from his chair and moved across the room to grab two cups of tea, handing one to her. She gladly accepted it, thanking him lightly.

The brunette sat opposite of her father and took a sip from her cup.

"So, what did happen last night, child?"

"Vincent Falcone visited the manor last night."

"What? And why would he do such a thing?"

"He came in demanding answers... answers to which we both are uncertain of. That's why I came to you, father... I need to know who the "Phantom" is."

"Ah. This man is not good news, Isadora. He is one of the most ruthless men you could possibly meet. He has killed countless innocent lives with his actions."

She frowned, shaking her head slightly. "How do you know that, father?"

"I worked with him. He is extremely powerful and ruthless, with almost unlimited means. Not once do I ever see his face, especially when he is planning out his next move. His goal is always to kill or destroy his enemies; no one stands a chance against him. He is always two steps ahead; that is why I want you to be cautious. Do not forget that he is very deadly and that he is capable of inflicting immense pain upon any individual or group, whether people are human or animal. Remember that and stay alert, alright?"

His words caused a shudder down her spine. Goosebumps emerged on her skin as she tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt. She nodded and stared down into the depths of her teacup, her brows furrowing as her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Vincent. 

Was he lying, or did he truly believe in those threats he threw at her? If she didn't know any better, she might have believed him as well.

"Anyway, here is the invitation for the ball. Remember to keep this with you at all times, if they catch you without one; lord knows what they'll do with you."

He handed her a fancy envelope with red wax that sealed it tightly. Then, his daughter grabbed it gently and glanced at it. A few seconds later, she stood up and bowed, taking her leave as her father watched her disappear down the corridor. 

Once she got to her car, she opened the envelope and removed the contents, unfolding it carefully. Her eyes skimmed over the contents while her brows wrinkled together. It looked like a normal invitation, just printed out on fine paper.

She decided to ignore the warning in her head and put the invitation away in her bag. Then, she started the engine and drove off to her own office. Soon, Isadora found herself inside her office, sitting at her desk, flipping through some documents on the laptop. As she sat there, she heard her phone start buzzing from somewhere. Without looking up from her work, she picked it up from the table and answered the call.

"Yes? I'm occupied at the moment," she replied curtly.

"Hey, Isadora, do you remember the design I sent to you in email? Have you approved of it yet? Our client is still waiting for your response, so we could proceed with the process."

The woman looked at the document she had opened on her desktop, "No. I haven't gotten around to reviewing it yet. You may receive my approval by tomorrow."

"All right, then," the female secretary replied.

After ending the call, Isadora put her cell phone away and resumed working. Until a vibration disrupted her from her laptop once again. The brunette sighed, fetching her phone and checked it quickly – a message sent from Gabriel.

Hey, you free tonight? I might have a clue where The Phantom might be in the near future – G.

She raised a brow at the message in confusion. How could he know where this figure might be? Never mind, she set her phone aside again and focused her attention on her laptop screen. Soon, she opened up her email and checked out the secretary's dress design she had sent a couple of days ago. It looked nice, but it didn't quite fit Isadora's own style of clothing. 

So, she decided to make some changes of her own. It took her a while to change some aspects, but in the end, she was satisfied with the final product and print it out instead.

"Amber!" She called out to her personal assistant from her office, reviewing the prints over and over again.

A young woman with dirty blonde hair, Amber, appeared moments later, carrying some folders. "Oh, Miss Isadora, can I do anything else for you?"

"Send these prints to Rachel. Tell her I made some changes to her dress design," She directed her employee, "Also, please let Mr. Drew know that I require a black gown and mask for a masquerade ball."