Luna's grip tightened around her phone as she read the message again. The weight of the words sent a shiver down her spine. She barely had time to process the implications when Killian's voice cut through the tense silence.
"What is it?" he asked, his sharp gaze locked onto her.
Luna hesitated. She had spent years keeping secrets, shielding herself from threats she never wanted to face again. But this? This was different. This involved him, too.
She turned the phone screen toward him. "I just received this."
Killian took the phone from her, his expression darkening as he read the message.
His jaw clenched. "Did Adrian send this?"
"It's an unknown number," she muttered. "But the timing? It's not a coincidence."
Killian's fingers hovered over the screen as if considering calling back. Instead, he let out a slow breath, his eyes still fixed on the message. "If he wanted to be subtle, he failed. He's making a statement."
Luna folded her arms, trying to mask the unease creeping up her spine. "And what statement is that?"
Killian looked up, his gaze unreadable. "That he's already playing his game, and we're in it whether we like it or not."
The morning dragged on with a suffocating tension neither of them acknowledged. Luna buried herself in work, but the message lingered in her mind. When she finally left for the Aldridge Foundation's office, she did so with a cautious glance over her shoulder.
Killian, meanwhile, had his own plans. By noon, he was seated in a dimly lit corner of a high-end restaurant, awaiting his meeting.
The private investigator arrived precisely on time. A wiry man in his forties, Matthew Crane had an unsettling ability to blend into a crowd. He slid into the seat across from Killian, placing a slim folder on the table between them.
"You were right to be concerned," Matthew said, his voice quiet. "Adrian Carlisle didn't just reappear—he's been active for months, just below the surface."
Killian's fingers drummed against the table. "Doing what?"
Matthew flipped open the folder, revealing a series of documents and photos. "Acquiring businesses under different aliases. Making strategic alliances. Quietly pulling strings in sectors that matter. And then there's this—"
He slid a grainy photo toward Killian. It showed Adrian sitting across from a man in a suit, their expressions serious.
Killian's jaw tightened. "Who is that?"
"Daniel Graves. High-stakes investor, rumored to have connections with less-than-legal dealings. If Adrian is working with him, he's not just playing a game—he's making a move."
Killian sat back, tension coiling in his muscles. This wasn't just about revenge. Adrian was laying the groundwork for something bigger.
"Find out what their next step is," he ordered. "And keep an eye on Luna. If Adrian's message is anything to go by, he's not done yet."
Luna spent most of her afternoon pretending she wasn't waiting for the next bad thing to happen. But the feeling of being watched never quite left her. She was in the middle of reviewing documents when her office phone rang.
She picked up. "Luna Aldridge."
A pause. Then a voice she hadn't heard in years.
"Hello, Luna."
Her stomach dropped. "Adrian."
A chuckle. "You sound surprised. I told you—we have unfinished business."
Luna gripped the phone tighter. "If this is about the past—"
"Oh, it's always about the past," Adrian interrupted smoothly. "And speaking of which, have you told Killian everything? Because secrets have a way of unraveling at the worst possible moments."
Her pulse pounded. "What do you want?"
Another chuckle, dark and amused. "You'll find out soon enough. See you around, Luna."
The line went dead.
Luna sat frozen, her mind racing. Adrian wasn't just back.
He was already in control of the game.