Hercules Thompson stepped out of Liam's office, his mind racing with thoughts. He had been trying to get a read on Liam's emotions, to see if he would let his guard down and reveal something about Ava's death. But Liam had remained tight-lipped, revealing nothing.
As Hercules walked down the hallway, he couldn't shake the feeling that Liam was hiding something. He had seen a flicker of something in Liam's eyes, a hint of guilt or anxiety. It was subtle, but Hercules was convinced that he had seen it.
He pushed through the doors of the office building and stepped out into the bright sunlight. He spotted the car waiting for him at the curb, Eleanor and Sebastian sitting inside.
Hercules slid into the backseat, closing the door behind him. "What did you find out?" Eleanor asked, turning to face him.
Hercules shook his head. "Nothing concrete. But I have a feeling that Liam knows something about Ava's death."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "What kind of feeling?"
Hercules hesitated, trying to put his finger on it. "I don't know. It's just a gut instinct. But I think we need to keep pushing him, see if we can get him to crack."
Eleanor nodded, her eyes flashing with determination. "We'll keep digging. We'll find out what really happened to Ava."
The car pulled away from the curb, merging into the flow of traffic. Eleanor watched as the office building receded into the distance, her mind still racing with thoughts of Liam and Ava.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number, waiting for her best friend, Mia, to answer.
"Hey, girl," Mia said, her voice cheerful. "What's up?"
Eleanor smiled, feeling a sense of relief at hearing her friend's voice. "Hey, Mia. Can I come over?"
Mia's tone turned serious. "Of course, Ellie. What's going on?"
Eleanor hesitated, "I'll tell you when I get there, okay?"
Mia's voice was laced with concern. "Ellie, is everything okay?"
Eleanor forced a laugh. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'll see you soon."
The call ended, and Eleanor leaned back in her seat, her mind still racing.
She arrived at Mia's apartment, a cozy little place in a trendy neighborhood. As Eleanor stepped out of the car and walked towards Mia's house, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
It had been far too long since she'd seen her dear friend, and she was eager to reconnect. Since her marriage to Liam, their friendship had taken a backseat, and Eleanor had missed Mia's constant, reassuring presence in her life.
As she knocked on the door, Mia's excited voice carried through from the other side. "Ellie, it's so great to see you!" she exclaimed, flinging the door open and enveloping Eleanor in a warm hug.
Eleanor hugged her back, feeling a sense of comfort and relief wash over her. It was a welcome respite from the tension and uncertainty that had been plaguing her life.
As they pulled away from each other, Mia's expression turned serious, her eyes filled with concern.
"How have you really been, Ellie? What's it like being married to a billionaire? Is everything okay?" she asked, a playful grin on her face.
Eleanor couldn't help but smile at her friend's playful banter.
She took a deep breath and looked into Mia's eyes. "There's something about Liam," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "that makes me feel uncomfortable."
Mia raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Uncomfortable?" Mia repeated, her voice low and encouraging. "What do you mean?"
Eleanor hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Mia's kind and non-judgmental gaze put her at ease, and she began to open up.
"It's just little things," Eleanor said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The way he looks at me sometimes, like he's trying to read my mind. The way he's always questioning me, like he doesn't trust me. And then there's the way he's been acting lately, all secretive and withdrawn."
Mia's eyes narrowed, her expression thoughtful. "That does sound suspicious," she said. "But maybe he's just stressed about work or something."
Eleanor shook her head. "It's more than that, Mia. I can feel it. And then there's the thing with Ava..."
Mia's expression changed, her eyes flashing with something like anger. "Ava?" she repeated, her voice low and menacing.
Eleanor felt a shiver run down her spine as Mia's eyes seemed to bore into her soul. And then, in an instant, Mia's expression changed again, her eyes flashing with a cold, hard light.
"She'd still be alive today if she had known her place," Mia said, her voice dripping with malice.
Eleanor's eyes widened in shock, her mind reeling with the implications of Mia's words. But before she could ask her what she meant, Mia's expression changed again, her eyes flashing with a look of innocence.
"What's wrong, Ellie?" Mia asked, her voice concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Eleanor's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with confusion. Had Mia really said what she thought she said? Or had she just imagined it?
"Mia, what did you just say?" Eleanor asked, her voice firm.
Mia's expression was puzzled. "I didn't say anything, Ellie. What are you talking about?"
Eleanor's eyes locked on Mia's, searching for any sign of deception. But Mia's expression was innocent, her eyes sparkling with concern.
Eleanor felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her. Had she really heard Mia say those words? Or was she just losing her mind?
Mia stepped forward, her arms open wide. "Ellie, I'm here for you," she said, her voice warm and comforting. "Whatever is going on, I'll help you through it. You can trust me."
Eleanor felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Mia. She trusted Mia so much.
"Mia, I'm so scared," Eleanor said, her voice low.
Mia's expression turned fierce, and grasped Eleanor's shoulders. "We'll face this together," she said. "And if it means talking to Liam, I'll do that too."
Eleanor threw her arms around Mia's neck. "Thank you, Mia." She said, her voice muffled against her friend's shoulders.
Eleanor felt a sense of relief wash over her. She knew she could trust Mia, and she couldn't help but feel that there was more to their marriage than what she knew. And she was determined to find out what that was.