As Ivy Harper entered the twisting driveway that led to Adrian Cross's lake estate, the gravel crunched beneath her tires. The mansion looked like it was taken from the pages of a luxury home magazine, nestled deep in the woods. The sleek wood-and-stone façade, floor-to-ceiling windows, and clean lines of its modern construction stood out sharply against the untamed, wild nature all around it.
Beyond the home, the lake shimmered, its surface a mirror reflecting the cloudy sky above and the thick woodland. Upon exiting her vehicle, Ivy couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety in her gut. This location exuded a sense of loneliness. Now, in the quiet of the woods, she felt foolish for having consented to see Adrian alone.
She had come seeking answers, though.
On the broad wooden terrace overlooking the lake, Adrian was waiting for her. Although his typical aura of control hadn't changed, he appeared more at ease than she had ever seen him in a black sweater and dark trousers. As she came closer, his sharp eyes followed her, and Ivy briefly questioned whether he could hear her heart's pounding.
Adrian's voice was smooth yet tense as he continued, "Just on time."
Ivy stopped a few steps from him and said, "I wasn't sure I'd come."
A little smile curled Adrian's lips. "And yet you're here."
There were many unanswered questions in the lingering quiet between them. At last, Adrian pointed to the glass door that opened into the house. "Enter now. There is a lot to discuss, and the weather seems like it will change soon.
Following him into the home, Ivy's eyes darted about, taking in her surroundings.
The house's interior design was just as flawless as its appearance. A stone fireplace surrounded a sunken seating area in the living room, which had simple furnishings and subtle décor that radiated understated beauty. The home seemed to hover above the water because of the unobstructed view of the lake provided by the windows.
Adrian gestured for her to take a seat on the soft gray sofa. After a brief absence, he returned with two cups of coffee from the kitchen. Ivy gingerly accepted hers, sipping while observing him.
She broke the stillness by asking, "Why here?" "What makes you invite me to your lake house?"
Adrian sat with his elbows resting on his knees, opposite her. Since I don't have to keep an eye on myself here, that's why. No listening devices, no cameras, and no distractions. It must take place here if we are to have an open discussion.
"And will you tell the truth?" Ivy raised an eyebrow in question.
Adrian's demeanor was impenetrable when he met her gaze. "I've messed up a lot in my life, Ivy. I'm not going to dispute that. However, Victor Hale is not who you believe him to be. He is cunning, vengeful, and prepared to ruin everyone who stands in his path. You are included in it.
Ivy gripped the coffee cup tighter. "You're implying that the documents he provided me are fraudulent?"
Adrian leaned back and acknowledged, "Not totally." Victor has a talent for distorting the facts. Yes, a portion of the data is correct. However, the background? The reasons? They are made up to make me out to be the bad guy.
Ivy responded, "Then tell me your side of the story."
Adrian's jaw tensed, and she briefly believed he may say no. He sighed, however, as if the burden of whatever he was carrying were pressing down on him.
Adrian started, "I created a piece of technology—a prototype for an advanced cybersecurity system—when I was just out of college." Victor saw its potential, and it was revolutionary. He recruited me, guided me, and assisted me in honing the idea.
"So what took place?" Ivy asked.
Adrian's face grew serious. "He took it." He removed me from the agreement, patented the invention under his own name, and utilized it as the basis for the cybersecurity branch of Hale Industries.
Ivy blinked, surprised. "Why didn't you defend yourself?"
"I tried," Adrian said sourly. However, Victor had the means, the contacts, and the attorneys to bury me. I had no chance at all.
"And you left Hale Industries for that reason?"
Adrian's voice hardened as he replied, "That's why I left—and why I vowed never to let anyone take advantage of me again." "I started from scratch and rebuilt everything." I refused to allow Victor or anyone else determine my destiny, which is how CrossTech came to be.
Ivy examined him intently, her feelings and instincts at odds. Both Victor's and Adrian's stories seemed plausible. She was trapped in the center of both men's attempts to distort the story.
"How do the other accusations stand?" Ivy inquired. "The backdoor deals, the corporate sabotage—"
Adrian interrupted her. "I've always taken decisions to safeguard the things I've created. Do everyone else's rules apply to me? No. But, Ivy, I don't betray people. Not Victor.
Ivy wasn't prepared to down her defenses, but the earnestness in his voice was disarming. And those who have suffered harm in the process? How about them?
Something she couldn't quite place—perhaps regret—flitted in Adrian's eyes. "I don't feel proud of what I've accomplished. However, I've never gone above Victor's boundaries. He not only ruins lives, but he makes a living doing it.
With a low rumbling of thunder rolling across the lake, the storm outside decided to make its presence known at that very time. Feeling the tension in the room reflect the weather, Ivy looked toward the windows.
"There is more, isn't it?" Her voice was soft as she asked.
Running a hand through his hair, Adrian paused. Indeed. And you are involved.
Ivy felt sick to her stomach. "What do you mean?"
Adrian got up and started to pace, losing his normal poise. Victor isn't only attempting to ruin me. You're being used by him. The threats you've been getting and the documents he handed you are all part of his scheme to coerce you into removing me.
"Why me?" Ivy insisted. "How am I related to any of this?"
Adrian paused to look at her and replied, "Because you're credible." "People believe your reporting because you're intelligent and persistent. There will be consequences if you reveal me. Victor is aware of that.
Ivy put down her coffee cup, her thoughts racing. "And you were aware of this? Is that the reason you were looking at me?
Adrian's face became softer. Yes, initially. I wanted to know if Victor and you were working together. However, when I learned more about you… His voice was heavy with something Ivy was afraid to mention as he drifted off.
"What happened as you got to know me?" She pushed.
For the first time, Adrian's unguarded black eyes met hers. "I recognized that you were unique. That you were more than a piece in his scheme. Additionally, I didn't want you to suffer harm.
The unvarnished honesty in his speech made Ivy's chest clench, but before she could react, a piercing noise pierced the room.
Breaking glass.
In an instant, Adrian grabbed Ivy and dragged her to the ground. Another thing smashed through the glass, a rock, and the coffee table broke. As Adrian protected Ivy with his body and spoke in a low, frantic whisper, her heart raced.
"Remain motionless."
It wasn't simply the weather; the storm outside had come. There was a visitor.
They weren't friendly either.