The Threefold Secret

Chapter 18

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The room was steeped in a chilling tension, the kind that wrapped around your spine and squeezed until you couldn’t breathe.

The name Zane Hayes Donovan hung in the air like a death sentence. My words, laced with fury, had struck him—Zane, the man I’d once foolishly considered an ally, now exposed as a ruthless criminal.

His cold, calculated smirk confirmed every suspicion that had haunted me since I first saw those cursed initials.

His hand, tattooed and powerful, slammed against the armrest, making the entire chair jolt. The force of it was so sudden that I flinched, my breath catching in my throat.

Then, in one swift motion, he spun the chair to face me, the steel of his gun glinting in the dim light as he pressed it against my forehead, forcing my head back against the leather seat.

"Such a smart girl, aren't you?" His voice was a venomous hiss, the smirk on his face twisted into something cruel and taunting.

He enjoyed this—enjoyed the power, the control. The metal was cold, biting into my skin as he pushed harder, my skull grinding against the headrest.

“Why do this?” I gasped, trying to keep my voice steady, praying for any distraction that might buy me time. “Why be part of something so horrific when you’re already a billionaire?”

His response was a whisper, yet it sliced through the air like a blade. “Power, Nadia.”

I froze. He had never used my first name before; it was always “Miss Steele” with that hint of mockery. Hearing my name from his lips sent a shiver down my spine, a reminder of the intimacy that wasn’t there and never would be.

“I drink power to exist. Money and power make me Zane Hayes Donovan…” Each word was punctuated by the tap of the gun against my skin, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Z… H… D…”

It was an obscene rhythm, and I could feel my fury rising with each tap. My teeth gritted together, but I knew I had to keep him talking, keep him distracted from pulling the trigger.

“You can continue with your filthy operations all you want, but why murder so many? I know about the cases involving Z.H.D. How low do you have to be to murder innocent people? Does it really give you power?!” My voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a razor.

His eyes gleamed with a psychotic glint, the smirk deepening. “Power, my dear, comes from making a few sacrifices. Death comes to everyone anyway; I’m just making the painful reality end faster.”

He leaned in close, his breath hot against my face, his gaze piercing. The gun slid down from my forehead to trace the line of my cheek, pausing at my lips. I could feel the metal vibrating against my skin, the only barrier between life and death.

I spat out the words, my voice shaking with anger. “I’ll bring everything down. I’ll destroy you, your company, and your filthy business. I’ll make sure you pay for all the lives you took.”

His smirk only grew wider, infuriating me further. He seemed almost pleased by my rage, as if it was what he wanted all along. “I know you would, Nadia.”

His tone was disturbingly calm, like a teacher praising a student. “I knew you could, from the day your boss gave you the case to solve. I was there when he ever so openly discussed it with his sidekick. And so, I caused a commotion to get you into my office—remember the ‘stolen files’?” He chuckled, a deep, dark sound that made my blood run cold.

“The moment you told me that I planned the stolen files myself, I knew you’d figure out the case quickly. You’re very observant, Miss Steele.”

I felt like a fool. How could I not have seen through his act? Every move, every interaction—he had played me like a puppet. My chest tightened with rage and regret, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.