The Angel And The Bastard

Dangerous game

Luke

The air was heavy with the tropical scent of frangipani as I made my way through the dense greenery, my thoughts racing.

The secret lagoon where Iris and I had shared that unforgettable moment days ago lay ahead, a tranquil oasis amidst the chaos of recent events.

As I approached, the familiar sound of water gently lapping against the rocks greeted me, bringing a fleeting sense of peace.

Iris was already there, her silhouette framed by the fading light of the setting sun.

And she was sitting with a petite woman. "Luke, this is Naree," Iris introduced, her tone filled with warmth and trust.

"She's been helping us, and we can rely on her." I shook Naree's hand, feeling a surge of gratitude.

Iris had never had many friends in her upper class world so I was grateful that she at least had Naree after her fight with Arabella.

I sat down on the white silky sand,joining them by the water's edge.

Reached out for Iris's hand,I almost beamed with pride despite the chaos going on back at the resort,she was so confident now.

Nothing like the forlorn shell of the woman I once known years ago,I found back when we first got here.

She looked out over the lagoon, the water reflecting the oranges and pinks of the sunset. "It's beautiful here, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I agreed, my gaze fixed on her. "It really is."

Before we could both get too lost in a wonderful unattainable dream Naree pulled us back to the present.

"We need to talk about Adam,"Naree said.

I nodded. "Yeah, we do. We need to figure out how to take him down before he can hurt anyone else."

Iris took a deep breath, her eyes still fixed on the water. "There's something I haven't told you both.Something I remembered recently."

"What is it?" I asked, my attention fully on her now.

"One night, a few weeks ago, I walked in on Adam playing cards with some men. I didn't think much of it at first.But they looked... shady, to say the least.

"They were talking about something suspicious, but when Adam saw me, he quickly shut it down and told me it was just for work." She paused, a troubled look crossing her face.

"At the time, I wanted to believe him. But now, with everything that's happened, I'm not so sure."

Naree frowned, processing her words. "Do you remember what they were talking about?"

"Not exactly," she admitted. "But I remember feeling uneasy. They were talking in hushed tones, and it felt... wrong."

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling up inside me.

I remembered Adam telling me and the others when we went out to dinner about how he came get his fortune.

Lots of stuff didn't add up and I think I know why.

"It sounds like Adam's involved in something illegal. If we can find proof of that, it could be our way to expose him."Naree remarked

Iris nodded, determination flickering in her eyes. "If he is then we need to find that proof. This could be our chance to expose him and I can get away."

"You will," I promised, my voice firm. "We'll dig into his business dealings, find out who those men were, and what they were discussing. If we can link him to something illegal, it could be enough to bring him down."