Red Hourglass : Dark Coming Of Age Romance Thriller

Trust Me

I opened my eyes on Sunday morning and looked at the giant oak tree outside the window. Conan was sitting in an armchair reading the newspaper.

I went into the bathroom and squeezed my fists as hard as I could. My fingernails digging into my palms reminded me that I was alive. I looked in the mirror and saw the Red Hourglass staring back at me.

I have to tell him before we go back to Manhattan. I threw the bathroom door open and it banged into the wall.

"And good morning to you too," said Conan as he looked up from his paper.

The burden of my secret was like lead weights around my ankles. Each step I took in his direction was harder than the last.

"Conan ... I have to talk to you."

"What is it?" He closed the paper.

"There's something I haven't told you." I looked down at my feet.

"Okay. Tell me."

"I'm not who you think I am."

"What you do mean? You're my one and only Scarlet."

"Scarlet's not my real name."

"Who are you?" he growled and he leaned toward me.

I wanted to run but my feet were stuck to the ground. I forced myself to look him in the eye. This is it. There's no turning back now.

"I am ... I'm ... I've been ... Conan ..."

"Spit it out! Tell me who you are!" Conan threw the newspaper down and stood up.

"I was sent to spy on Wilmar."

"Who the hell do you work for you devious little bitch?!" he screamed as he put his giant hand around my neck. He slammed me into the bathroom door and lifted me off my feet. "Your only hope is to start talking ... NOW!"

"I ... I can't breathe," I wheezed as I clawed at his hand and kicked my legs.

He lowered me to the floor and loosened his grip around my throat. I gasped for air, trying to catch my breath.

"Who do you work for?" He glared into my eyes and sneered at me. His gray eyes were glowing with fury and his lips were quivering.

"White Holdings." I coughed.

"You work for that evil old hag!" He tossed me on the bed and put his knee on my chest. "Did she try to kill my father?! Were you going to kill me?!" Conan's spit rained down on me as he held my arms above my head with one hand and raised his fist.

"I don't know who tried to kill your father!" This is it. I'm not getting out of this alive. I started to trembled under his weight and closed my eyes. "She hasn't told me to kill you. I was supposed to get close to you. She wants to stop the merger with Zhong Yuan ... and to stop Wilmar buying up Manhattan. She told the agents that she's trying to acquire Wilmar to protect the people losing their homes and businesses because of developers."

"Is that what the old bitch tells her agents?" Conan sat on the bed and stared at me. "She's going for a hostile takeover to fill her many accounts. I want you to know that we're planning to build a lot of affordable housing in Manhattan, and we're offering tenants and small businesses long-term leases with rent control. Anyone who's lost their apartment or business is being paid handsomely for the inconvenience, and we're doing everything we can to work with them ... to help them move or set up shop somewhere else."

"I ... I didn't know. I'm so sorry Conan," I whispered.

"Screw you Scarlet. Never mind about that bitch boss of yours. You wormed your way into my life and lied to me ... lied through your teeth! You're just another heartless hussy toying with me, like my ex! I almost killed her when I found out she slept with that hedge fund manager. And now you've betrayed me worse than she did."