Light streamed through the mirror, and a sharp pain throbbed in Evelyn's head. She groaned softly and moved lazily, reaching for the water bottle beside her bed. She took a long gulp before pushing herself up and heading toward the kitchen.
The apartment was quiet.
She turned on the radio, and the broadcaster's voice filled the room, reporting yet another crime in the city.
Evelyn grabbed a box of cereal. As the report continued, she paused and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Same story every morning," she muttered under her breath.
She took the almond milk from the fridge, poured it into a bowl with the cereal, then placed everything neatly back where it belonged.
Without bothering to sit down, she leaned against the counter and began eating, listening half-heartedly to the radio as it droned on about violence and investigations across the city.
As Evelyn listened to the radio reporting the success of her latest case, her jaw tightened. Instead of feeling proud, irritation crept up her spine.
"Damn it," she muttered.
Her appetite vanished instantly. She carried the bowl to the sink, poured the cereal down the drain, and rinsed the plate. Glancing at the clock on the wall, her eyes widened.
She was going to be late for work.
"Geez."
She rushed back to the bathroom, quickly pulling off her clothes. A few minutes later she hurried out, struggling into a black leather jacket and black pants. Hopping on one leg as she tried to get her shoe on, she grabbed her phone from the table and dialed Tiffany, her secretary.
She adjusted the waistband of her pants, trapping the phone between her cheek and shoulder.
"Hello, Miss," Tiffany answered excitedly from the other end.
"Morning. What's the boss's schedule today? Is he going anywhere around 3 p.m.?" Evelyn asked, bending down to finish putting on her shoe.
"Hmm… actually no, Miss. He won't be around today."
Evelyn froze and brought the phone properly to her ear. She grabbed her bag from the table.
"Why? Is there a problem?" she asked, a hint of panic creeping into her voice.
Tiffany chuckled lightly.
"Don't be so curious, Mrs. Ashford. He just mentioned a new client he's working on. It's no big deal."
Evelyn exhaled slowly as she locked the door behind her and stepped outside.
"Alright. Let me know when he comes back," she said, slipping the keys into her bag.
"Of course, Miss," Tiffany replied.
Evelyn ended the call and slid the phone into her pocket. She walked toward her car, but stopped abruptly when something caught her eye.
A note rested on the bonnet.
She picked it up and read the message.
Stay out of this, Evelyn. I'm warning you.
A slow smirk crept across her face.
"Silas Montclair…" she murmured. "Are you always this dramatic?"
She crumpled the note in her hand.
"I'm going to find you," she said quietly. "And when I do, I'll bring you to your knees."
With that, she got into the car and drove off toward work.
------
Evelyn arrived a little late.
She hurried toward the reception desk, her eyes buried in her bag as she searched for her office key. The quiet buzz of phones and distant keyboard taps filled the office floor.
Just as she lifted her head, she froze.
Standing near the secretary's desk was a woman with short blonde hair… and beside her, a boy of about twelve.
Jonas.
Her cousin.
And the woman beside him—her mother.
Evelyn quickly walked toward them, almost running, a smile spreading across her face.
"Mom? What a surprise visit."
Her mother turned around. She was wearing an ash turtleneck sweater and a brown skirt.
"Oh, there you are, Evelyn."
Charlotte had just finished asking the secretary where Evelyn was and thanked her politely before stepping forward. A trace of worry lingered on her face as Jonas looked up at Evelyn with a shy smile.
Evelyn smiled back and bent down to peck his hair.
"Miss me, huh?" she teased.
Jonas gave a small, shy nod.
Charlotte gently cupped Evelyn's face, studying her closely.
"Look at you… so stressed," she murmured. "And look at these wrinkles."
Evelyn chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully as she wrapped an arm around Jonas and began walking toward her office.
"Don't exaggerate, Mom. It's just work."
Charlotte quickly caught up with her pace.
"Yes, I know, darling," she said, glancing up at her. "But this is the first time I've seen you this stressed."
They walked down the hallway together.
"By the way, Evelyn, did you hear the news about the deaths?" Charlotte continued. "I was so worried about you. We prayed every night."
They stopped in front of Evelyn's office door.
"I'll be taking Jonas to his lessons now," Charlotte said softly. "Please take care of yourself."
Evelyn smiled and tilted her head slightly to meet her mother's gaze, placing her hands gently on Charlotte's shoulders.
"Mom, it's okay. I'll be fine. I'm a detective, and this is my job, remember? Just take Jonas to his lessons."
Charlotte sighed, clearly unsatisfied.
"It's just that… darling, I…" She hesitated, her brow tightening with worry. "I just wish I could see my little girl again without being glued to that laptop screen all the time. It drains me. And the fact that these tough cases always find their way to you…"
She shook her head slowly.
"Just like the last one. And now this investigation into the Montclair empire. Those people are not small people, baby."
Evelyn exhaled quietly and tightened her grip on her mother's shoulders.
"Okay, Mom. I'll be late for work. Stay safe, alright?"
She kissed her mother on the cheek and forehead, then bent down to peck Jonas on the head.
"You both have a great day."
Charlotte nodded and took Jonas's hand before turning to leave.
"You too, darling."
Evelyn stood there for a moment, watching them walk down the corridor until they disappeared around the corner.
The smile slowly faded from her face.
She sighed, pushed open her office door, and stepped inside.
Her mind drifted back to the note she had found earlier that morning.
Stay out of this, Evelyn.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
"Not a chance," she murmured.
Then she closed the door and prepared to start the day.
Evelyn moved to the other side of the table and pulled her laptop closer. She bent slightly, inserting the flash drive again before opening the files.
The photographs appeared on the screen.
She leaned forward, studying them carefully.
"There has to be something… anything," she muttered.
For several minutes she sat there, staring at the images, deep in thought. Finally, she opened the search engine.
Silas Montclair.
Last time she had made Morales handle the research. This time, she wanted to check every detail herself.
Her eyes scanned the screen.
29. Entrepreneur. Heir of the Montclair Empire.
She clicked through several photos of him.
Her eyes narrowed.
Scars.
Small marks along his face and neck.
She wondered how he had gotten them.
Her fingers tapped again as she scrolled further down the page.
A headline caught her attention.
"Argument Heard Over the True Heir of the Montclair Empire."
Evelyn clicked the article.
A photograph appeared.
Silas stood outside a tall building wearing a black suit, calm and composed as reporters crowded around him.
Evelyn studied the image carefully.
Then her attention shifted to another figure standing nearby.
A man beneath a black umbrella, dressed in dark clothing and wearing sunglasses.
She zoomed in, trying to identify which member of the Montclair family he was.
Her eyes froze.
The ring.
The same ring she had seen before.
"Yes," she whispered suddenly, standing up as her heart quickened.
She quickly returned to the article and continued reading.
Dallas Montclair — one of the three brothers involved in establishing the Montclair Empire.
Evelyn quickly copied the name and searched again.
Her fingers tapped across the keyboard.
Dallas Montclair.
A new profile appeared.
Age: 62.
Current residence: a small cottage in Cortland Town, on the west side.
Evelyn leaned back slowly.
"Why would someone from the Montclair empire be living in a town famous for flower breeding?" she murmured to herself.
She wrote the address down on a piece of paper and slipped it into her pants pocket.
"You'll have something to say, Mr. Dallas… when we meet."