In a city plagued by crime where injustice thrives in every corner, murder is just the beginning. People are dying and nothing is as it seems. Two person (a detective and a Journalist) from different worlds are United by One mission, uncovering the...
The morning of September 5th felt unusually heavy as Katherine, Edward, and Jordi sat in the opulent dining hall of The Peninsula London.
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The grandeur of the hotel, with its marble floors and chandeliers, felt starkly out of place compared to the cold, nervous tension between the trio. They were about to walk straight into whatever trap the Alchemist had set for them that night, and the weight of that reality was palpable.
Katherine absently stirred her tea, her thoughts far from the breakfast in front of her. Edward kept glancing around, his mind working through a thousand scenarios of how the night could go wrong. Across from them, Jordi sat with a paper in hand, his eyes scanning the headlines.
"What do you think they've planned for us?" Katherine asked softly, her voice betraying her anxiety. "I can't shake the feeling that we're walking straight into a nightmare."
Edward didn't reply immediately. He leaned back in his chair, staring into the distance. "We're not going in blind," he finally said, though even he didn't sound convinced. "We know it's a trap, but at least we have a choice—walk in knowing the risks or wait for them to make the first move."
Jordi, still engrossed in the paper, gave a short laugh. "You won't believe this," he said, his voice cutting through the tension. "Listen to this headline—Petrov Mansion Shines in Night of Stars: Italian Business Tycoon Vincenzo Petrov's Lavish Wedding Feasts Draws Celebrity Royalty." He shook his head in disbelief and continued, "'Sources have confirmed the attendance of none other than Taylor Swift, Zucchero, and Gigi Finizio, all spotted among the glittering guests of the night.'"
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Vincenzo Petrov?
Before they could continue, a butler approached their table, his gaze settling on Katherine with a look of surprise. "Katherine? Katherineeeee?" he called, his voice betraying an almost excited recognition.
All three froze, the tension in the air thickening. Katherine looked up, her eyes widening in shock as she took in the man standing before them. "Jason?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Umm... hey."
Edward and Jordi exchanged confused glances, unsure who this stranger was or why Katherine suddenly looked so uncomfortable. Jason, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the tension and continued with an overly familiar tone.
"Hey, it's been a long time! Wow, you look great here. Fancy seeing you in London!" Jason grinned widely, clearly pleased with himself. Edward leaned forward, frowning. "Sorry, we didn't recognize you."
Jason quickly recovered, offering an exaggerated laugh. "Oh, right! Where are my manners? I'm Jason, Jason Eclipse. Katherine and I go way back—we were, uh, a *thing* in high school." He paused, his grin widening. "Used to ditch classes together, hang out, get high sometimes, you know?"
There was a sudden, shocked silence at the table.
Katherine's face turned a deep shade of red, her gaze dropping to the table as she visibly winced at Jason's words. Edward's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he processed what Jason had just blurted out. Jordi's face remained expressionless, but his eyes darted between Katherine and Jason, clearly uncomfortable.
