I stood in front of door number 22.
The corridor lights of Avellyn Suites were dim, making the beige walls look paler than they should. I stared at the tips of my ivory heels, trying to hide the sudden nervousness that hit as my finger pressed the doorbell.
Once.
Twice.
Then the door opened.
Nathan stood there in a plain black T-shirt and black pants, his hair a little messy but somehow still neat. His smile was, as always, too friendly for someone like him.
"Come in, Em," he said, motioning me inside.
As soon as I stepped in, the scent of coffee and cinnamon filled the air.
His apartment was simple, but warm. A few paintings hung on the wall, books stacked neatly, and a yellowish hanging lamp that made the place feel... safe.
Nathan watched me for a moment before walking to the small kitchen, pouring two cups of coffee. "Relax. I'm not gonna scare you you," he said teasingly.
I put my bag on my lap and faked a smile. "I'm not scared," I said softly.
"Oh?" He sat across from me on the couch, facing me directly. "That's too bad. Usually, the ones who say that are the ones most afraid."
I let out a small laugh, but my attention was caught by his hand stirring the spoon in his cup. His movements were calm.
Then he started talking. Slowly, as if telling something casual.
"Emily, do you know why I'm not really close with Leo?"
I shake my head.
"He's stubborn. Not just about work, but about people too."
Nathan glanced at the window for a moment before looking back at me. "He's had girlfriends before, several, actually. But none of them lasted more than one month. You know why?"
I stayed quiet.
"Because he's violent," Nathan said calmly, but his words felt cold. "Verbally, physically, he can scare you with just a look. One of his exes once ran away overseas. That's how afraid she was."
I looked down, pretending to be shocked.
Nathan continued, "He used to bully people back in school too. No one wanted to be his friend. I remember once he tore up my award certificate. Said I didn't deserve praise from our father."
He gave a small laugh, but his eyes didn't.
"Sometimes I think people like him shouldn't have that much power," he murmured, taking a sip of coffee. "Especially now that he owns Rhys Tech, and everyone bows to him. Including you, right?"
I pretended to look away, acting awkward. "I… just work there, Mr. Nathan."
"Of course," he said with a thin, sweet smile. "Just… be careful, yeah? People like Leo, they're manipulative. They make you believe they're good until you realize you've gone too far. Especially now that you're his wife."
That sentence lingered in my ears.
I took a deep breath, looking at Nathan nervously. "So… you think he's capable of hurting someone that bad?"
"Not capable," Nathan raised an eyebrow, "he already has."
I swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"
He set his cup down and leaned forward slightly.
"I want to show you something."
Nathan stood, walked to his desk in the corner, opened a drawer, and pulled out a brown folder. The sound of paper rustling broke the quiet of the apartment.
"I can't give this to anyone else, but as his wife, I think you need to see it."
He handed the folder to me. My hands trembled slightly as I took it, but I forced myself to stay calm. When I opened it, the first thing I saw were photos, taken secretly.
They all showed Leonardo, wearing a gray suit, expression blank standing near a man.
And that man…
My breath caught.
I knew that face.
Thomas Kessler.
My father.
The small smile on Nathan's lips didn't change. He watched my reaction closely, like he was reading every flicker on my face.
"He was a cop," he said finally, "and he once had dealings with Leo. I think… Leo tried to bribe him to keep the Orion-78 project quiet. But the cop refused. And after that—" Nathan paused, lowering his voice, "the man died."
I bit my lip.
"Who… who is this?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Nathan smiled thinly. "Someone who shouldn't have gone against Leonardo Rhys. His name's Thomas Kessler."
He glanced at the photo once before continuing, "You know how I know all this? I have connections in the police office. They said there was a witness who saw Leonardo with that cop, right before it happened."
I stared at him, feeling a storm build in my chest. "Are you sure… this isn't just a rumor?"
Nathan shook his head slowly. "If it were a rumor, I wouldn't be showing you the photos, Em."
"Then why didn't they arrest Leo?"
"Because they lacked evidence."
His tone was soft, but there was something in his eyes, conviction too firm to be just gossip.
I looked down at the photo again. My vision blurred, not because of the dim light, but because tears started to gather at the corners of my eyes.
Ah shit… you can't cry here, Valerie.
I tried to swallow everything, disgust, anger, fear, but all that came out was a shaky breath.
Nathan handed me a tissue. "Hey…" he said softly, "it's okay. I know this is hard for you. I was shocked too when I found out Leo could be that cruel."
I took the tissue, lowering my head to hide my face more to cover the anger trembling just beneath my skin.
Nathan stared at me for a while, then moved closer. "Emily," he said quietly, "I know you're strong, but someone like Leo… he can break you without you realizing it. He's really dangerous."
His voice was so calm, yet every word pierced right through my heartbeat.
I pretended to tremble, to be scared.
Then Nathan suddenly pulled me into his arms. Warm, but wrong.
"It's okay. You're safe here," he whispered near my ear.
I stayed still for a moment, staring at his shoulder without really seeing it.
Then I gently pulled away, forcing a small smile, trying to steady my breath. "I'm okay, Mr. Nathan. Really. Just… shocked."
He nodded slowly. "Alright. But there's one more thing you should know, so you'll believe me more."
I frowned, trying to focus.
"The knife that was used to kill that cop," he said carefully, "it's rare. Only three exist in the world."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"And the other two are owned by collectors overseas," Nathan continued, "the last one… belongs to Leonardo. I know because I saw him bidding for it at an auction."
I could barely keep up my act. My voice cracked when I asked, "You're sure?"
Nathan gave me a small, sympathetic smile. "You've seen his knife, right? There's a Japanese engraving on the handle."
I lowered my head. Of course.
I remembered that photo, the one they showed me when they said the murder weapon had gone missing.
I shook my head slowly. "Never."
Nathan looked at me again, his voice dropping, sharper now.
"If you really want to know whether I'm lying or not, try going into Leo's house. There's a room he always keeps locked. A secret room. Even the maids aren't allowed in."
My eyes widened. "You know about that room?"
"Of course," he said quickly. "Everyone knows about Leo and his secret room. But no one's ever been inside. I'd bet that knife's there, maybe even some bodies."
I stared at Nathan for a long moment. Nauseous.
The world spun in my head.
Okay, maybe he's lying, but this… this fits too perfectly. The secret room. The knife.
I couldn't deny it anymore. Leonardo did kill my father.
And I was going to prove it.
I stood up slowly, wiping the last tear off my cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Nathan. I…" I paused, pretending to swallow my emotions, "I'll be careful."
Nathan stood too, opening the door with that soft expression that could almost make me believe he cared.
"Don't be alone tonight," he said. "And if you need a safe place, you know where to find me."
I nodded. "Yeah."
The Avellyn night sky was dark but my thoughts were darker.
Every step felt heavier.
~~~~~
LEONARDO'S POV
The door swung open without warning. Sebastian's footsteps echoed in as usual, uninvited.
"You always have time for work but not for sleep, huh?" he said casually.
I glanced at him over my laptop. "You crazy or something, breaking into my house? Where the hell'd you get my key?"
"I have special access," he replied with a smirk, tossing the key toward me.
Sebastian dropped onto the couch, staring at me. "I found the guy."
I closed my laptop. "What guy?"
"The one who can get into the Slither Ring," he said lazily. "And he's close enough to Emi—uh, Valerie."
I froze for a moment. "Who?"
Sebastian shrugged. "Can't tell you. But don't worry. He's reliable. He's already close to Emily."
I stayed silent.
Sebastian groaned, "Valerie. Damn, it's still hard to get used to that."
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "And he's doing this for free?"
Sebastian hesitated, then nodded.
"Yep."
I scoffed. "People like that are never free. What's he want?"
Sebastian stared for a few seconds, then answered quietly, "Just one thing. You make sure Valerie loses in the big match two months from now at Slither Ring. Doesn't matter how. She just can't win."
I stared blankly. "Lose, as in?"
"He said… you know, break a limb, poison her before the match or something."
I rubbed my face slowly. "We'll see," I said flatly.
Sebastian stared at me, mouth open. "You're not seriously thinking of doing that, are you?"
I looked down at my desk, silent.
"Fuck you, Leo. I know you're pissed at her, but seriously you'd—"
"Damn it, Seb. That's why I said we'll see, okay? I don't know if Valerie's dangerous or not. If she's Nathan's dog, she's dangerous. Seb… I have no intention of hurting a woman. But if she's trying to hurt us first, then what?"
Sebastian sighed and finally got up. "Alright, boss. But don't expect me to like this plan."
When he left, the room felt quiet.
I pulled open my drawer, taking out a small envelope. Inside, an old photo, Thomas Kessler with a little girl smiling in a park.
I stared at it for a long time, then murmured under my breath,
"This isn't over."
~~~~~
The next morning, I decided to drive to an old house on the outskirts of Avellyn.
Thomas Kessler's house.
The yard was quiet, paint on the walls starting to peel. I knocked twice, but no answer.
When I stepped into the yard, I realized the grass had grown wild, tall, swallowing the small stone path beneath it. I crouched down, touching the tips of the grass, absentmindedly pulling a few strands out.
Then,
Click.
The sound of a camera shutter came from the right.
I turned my head sharply, but no one was there.