The soft hum of the office's fluorescent lights was a familiar backdrop as Alex sat hunched over his desk, the computer screen's glow illuminating the worry lines etched on his forehead.
Though worry lines were clearly visible on his face, his eyes fixed on his laptop, he wasn't thinking about work.
He clicked through emails, his mind racing with thoughts of Emma and how he could help her now that she was ready.
Should he come clean with his sister about Emma so that the struggles could make her strong, or should he go about it entirely differently? But what way?
His thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of his phone which was on his desk, the sound cutting through the monotonous drone.
He sighed when he glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Mark.
"Hey, Mark," Alex answered, a flicker of curiosity sparking in his chest as he wondered what Mark had for him.
"Got something for you," Mark replied, his voice steady but edged with a hint of urgency.
"I figured. What is it?" Alex asked as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping anxiously against the desk.
"Jake just called me. It appears he wants me to keep an eye on you and report everything about you to him," Mark said, and Alex couldn't help the chuckle that slipped from his lips, the absurdity of the situation momentarily lightening the weight on his shoulders.
"Really? So why are you telling me that instead of doing your job?" he asked, and a frown creased Mark's brows.
"What do you mean, sir? I don't know how to go about this or even how to do this job, seeing as it concerns you. I called to tell you so you can tell me what to say to him," Mark said, a small laugh escaping him as well.
Seeing that both Uncle and Nephew were contacting him to keep an eye on the other was very much amusing to him. If Alex hadn't been his helper, he probably would've been playing them both and sending information to them both, after all, he needed the money.
But then, money was nothing compared to what Alex did for him.
After hearing what Mark said, Alex sighed. He had known exactly why Mark had told him that, and he didn't need him to explain it to him in detail.
He sighed again, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a serious glint in his eye. "I understand what you said. But you should do your job.... the job he hired you for. I'll give you details to tell him every day, and no matter what, I want you to keep every scrap of information about Emma out of it. I'll let you know when it's time to tell Jake about her," he said, and Mark could hear his underlying warning from his tone
"Got it," Mark replied, his tone a mix of compliance and respect.
As the call ended, Alex set the phone down, a grin creeping back onto his face as he thought about it again.
He shook his head, bemused by the delicate dance of loyalty and secrecy playing out around him. Mark's loyalty was a double-edged sword, one that cut through the fog of uncertainty. If it weren't for that steadfast commitment, he thought, they would all be lost in the chaos of the unfolding drama.
Perhaps it was time to show Mark that his loyalty was not going unnoticed.
Leaning back in his chair, he let out a soft laugh, the sound echoing through the empty office. "What a mess," he muttered to himself, feeling a strange satisfaction in the absurdity.
But beneath the humor, a nagging concern bubbled up—Jake's plan felt precarious as the thought of Emma's safety passed through his mind.
What if Jake hadn't hired Mark? What if it was someone else? He thought, the laughter dying in his throat.
He tapped his fingers against the desk, lost in thought. He narrowed his eyes when a thought crossed through his mind.
That was what he would do. He told himself as he immediately made a mental note to call a security agency.
He needed to hire a shadow bodyguard for Emma. Someone discreet, someone who could blend into the background but remain vigilant and watch Emma and make sure she was not only safe from those swam of reporters but also from Jake.
The world outside was a maze of potential dangers, and he wouldn't let anything happen to her, not while he could help it.
As the shadows lengthened in the fading light of the office, Alex felt the gravity of his decisions settle around him.
This was more than just business; it was a web of emotions, threads of fear and hope intertwining, binding him to Emma in ways he had yet to fully understand.