Beneath The Golden Gaze

Chapter 19:Secrets Beneath the Surface

The storm outside intensified, the rain slashing against the windows like cold, unforgiving fingers. Heaven’s eyes remained fixed on Alexander, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for him to speak. His silence felt like a barrier she couldn't break through. She knew now—he had been involved in her father’s death, somehow tied to the dark, dangerous world her father had tried to protect her from. But the details eluded her.

She stepped closer to him, her voice barely steady. "Tell me everything. I need to know what my father was involved in. What you were involved in."

Alexander stood by the window, his jaw tight, shadows flickering over his face as the fire crackled behind her. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer. But then he turned to face her, his expression grave.

"Your father," he began slowly, "wasn't just a businessman, Heaven. He was part of something much larger. Something dangerous. An underground world that operates in the shadows—illegal arms, trafficking, money laundering, you name it. Your father got involved with the wrong people. And so did I."

Heaven felt her knees weaken as she sank into the chair behind her, her mind whirling. Illegal dealings? Her father? She could hardly process the words. But Alexander wasn’t done.

"It all started years ago. Your father was approached by some of the most dangerous figures in the world—men who controlled black markets, shadow governments, and empires built on blood money. At first, he resisted. But they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. He became their financial architect, helping them move billions in illegal funds without a trace. No one knew—on the surface, he was the successful, respectable businessman everyone loved. But beneath that, he was building a network for some of the most dangerous people on the planet."

Heaven’s breath caught in her throat. Her father, the man she had idolized, had been involved in something so dark, so dangerous?

"Your father wasn’t just hiding money, Heaven," Alexander continued, his voice growing darker, more intense. "He was gathering evidence. He knew he had gotten in too deep, and it was only a matter of time before they came after him. So, he started collecting everything—financial records, blackmail material, secret recordings. He was planning to expose them all. But they found out."

Heaven’s pulse quickened. "That’s why he was killed, isn’t it?"

Alexander nodded grimly. "Yes. They discovered what he was doing. He had enough evidence to bring down entire crime syndicates, expose governments tied to the underground network. They couldn’t let him live. But before they could act, he hid everything. The evidence is still out there, Heaven. That’s why they’re still looking for it."

Heaven leaned forward, her hands gripping the arms of the chair. "Where is it? The evidence—what happened to it?"

Alexander’s eyes softened for a moment, filled with regret. "He hid it with you."

Her blood ran cold. "With me?"

"Yes," Alexander said, stepping closer. "He hid the key to everything in a place no one would expect—inside you. He embedded clues, memories, things you don’t even realize you know. That’s why they’re still after you, Heaven. They believe you hold the key to their destruction."

Heaven’s head spun, her thoughts racing. "But… I don’t remember anything. I don’t have any clues—"

"You don’t need to remember," Alexander interrupted, his voice firm. "The clues are embedded in your past, in places only you can unlock. He left you pieces of the puzzle, hoping that when the time was right, you would be able to uncover the truth. And I was supposed to protect you until that day came."

Heaven stood, her fists clenched at her sides. "Why didn’t you tell me any of this? You’ve been protecting me, watching over me, but I’ve been walking in the dark this whole time!"

Alexander’s gaze darkened, the weight of years of secrets hanging between them. "Because it wasn’t safe. The people your father crossed—they’re still out there, and they’re more powerful than you can imagine. If they even suspected you knew anything, you would have been dead long ago."

Heaven’s voice trembled, the anger mixing with fear. "And you? What’s your role in all of this?"

Alexander’s face hardened, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I wasn’t innocent, Heaven. I was part of that world. Your father and I… we worked together. I was one of the enforcers. I handled things when they got messy. Blood, threats, whatever was needed to keep their empire running. I was their sword."

Heaven’s breath hitched, her stomach churning. "You… you killed people?"

Alexander’s eyes met hers, filled with remorse. "I did what I had to do. But when your father started collecting evidence, I knew it was time to get out. He made me promise to protect you, no matter what. And so I did."

Heaven felt tears prick her eyes, the weight of it all crushing her. Her father had been involved in illegal dealings, had gathered evidence that could destroy the underworld—and now, she was the key to exposing it all. And Alexander… the man she had come to trust, had once been part of that very world. A man who had killed to protect the empire her father had worked for.

But he had protected her, too. He had risked his life to keep her safe.

"What now?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

Alexander took a step closer, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "Now, we find the evidence. We finish what your father started. But you need to trust me, Heaven. Trust that everything I’ve done, I’ve done to keep you alive."

Heaven’s chest tightened, a war raging inside her—fear, betrayal, anger, and something else. Something deeper. Despite everything, despite the darkness of his past, she couldn’t deny the bond they shared. He had protected her, even when it meant risking his own life. And now, they were in this together.

"Where do we start?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Alexander reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "We start with your memories. There are things you know, things buried deep. We’ll have to dig them out. But whatever happens, I’m with you. Until the end."

Heaven nodded, swallowing the fear that still gripped her. Together, they would face whatever came next. The darkness, the danger, the truth.

And the secrets buried in her past.