Colton himself had never worn his ring. He had tossed it into the safe-out of sight, out of mind. This was the second time he’d laid eyes on Allison’s ring; the first being at their wedding.
It had cost around four hundred thousand. Though not as extravagant as the ring he’d quietly purchased for Melany, for someone like Allison-coming from nothing-it had been a fortune.
Yet, she’d left it behind.
Colton moved toward the closet, opening it to reveal the untouched relics of Allison’s past-luxury dresses and jewelry hanging with meticulous care. Even the limited-edition handbags, each worth a small fortune, sat undisturbed.
These were all things he’d given her without much thought over the years, or that Lindy had bought for her. Allison had taken everything that was truly hers. But the lavish gifts from the Stevens family? She’d left those behind without a second glance.
It should’ve been easy, this clear-cut separation. But as Colton pressed a hand to his chest, an unexpected heaviness settled there, as though something had quietly slipped away, leaving behind a space he hadn’t noticed before.
His heart felt strangely hollow. There was no sense of belonging.
“Colton, stop dwelling on it. Even though Allison got that Cobweb invitation, I’ve already had my dad look into it.” She assumed his silence was frustration and spoke up, hoping to comfort him. “Whoever the ad executive is doesn’t matter. I’ve found a lead.”
Allison’s parting words had stung more deeply than Melany cared to admit, even though they were likely spoken in passing. But to Melany, they were an unspoken challenge-one she was determined to rise above. She wouldn’t spend her life playing second fiddle to Allison.
“What kind of lead?”
“Kellan Lloyd-the heir to the Lloyd Group. He’s got connections with the advertising executive. If we can get him on our side, that’s our in. He’s been hanging around Athton lately, something about ceramics.”
Colton weighed her words before nodding, reaching out to run his fingers gently through her hair. “Melany, you always know exactly what I need!” He was resolute. He would win Kellan over in Athton, and this time, failure wasn’t an option!
Allison ended the call and leaned back in her seat, finally finishing up the loose ends at the villa. As her hand cradled her head, preparing for a brief rest, her phone screen lit up with a new message.
She unlocked the phone and saw it was from Emanuel Welsh.
“Allison, how am I supposed to survive without you? When are you coming back to Athton to visit me?” A crying cat emoji followed, completing his dramatic plea. A smile spread across Allison’s face.
Keanu was always serious and stoic, while Emanuel had the energy of someone half his age. He was constantly keeping up with the latest fads and trends. Whatever the young crowd adored, Emanuel embraced without hesitation.
Before Allison could even think of a response, her phone began vibrating wildly as Emanuel called her directly.
“Allison! Have you abandoned this poor old man, rotting away in a lonely, quiet town? It’s been three years, and you always dodge my invitations with your ‘busy, busy, busy’ excuses. I’ve been wasting away! You don’t even know how many people take advantage of me now that you’re not around to keep them in check!”
Allison instinctively pulled the phone away from her ear, letting Emanuel’s rant reach its dramatic crescendo before returning it to her ear.
As for people taking advantage of him? Emanuel, who had built a reputation for outwitting even the most cunning, was hardly the one being outwitted. If anyone was running circles around others, it was him.
But for all his grumbling, Emanuel was like a mischievous child-he thrived on banter and attention.
“Come on, Emanuel, who’s daring enough to mess with you? Don’t they know you’ve got a legion of students and apprentices scattered across the globe? They’d be petrified, imagining someone coming after them with a sculpting knife!”
Emanuel huffed, more irritated than truly upset. “You’re missing the point! I’m getting older. Back in my day, I could work nonstop for days. Now, my hands are stiff, and every pot, every sculpture-it all feels like I’m repeating myself. No thrill, no spark. Just the same thing over and over!”
Art wasn’t just about talent; it was about inspiration. And that spark could be dulled by the grind of life. Still, Allison knew Emanuel well enough to sense that this wasn’t the root of his restlessness.
He quickly moved on.
“Also, there’s this guy. He won’t leave me alone, keeps showing up like a stray cat I can’t shake. I swear I’ve tried everything to get rid of him!”
Allison raised an eyebrow. If Emanuel hadn’t kicked the man out yet, he was probably enjoying the company, even if he’d never admit it.
Now that she no longer had to deal with the household chores for Colton, and it had been a while since she’d seen Emanuel, Allison glanced at her phone and quickly did some math.
“Alright, I’ll come visit you on Saturday.”
Emanuel’s mood shifted instantly. “Really? Don’t tease me, Allison. You’ve stood me up before!”
“I’ll be there. No backing out.”
After a few more reassurances, she ended the call.
As she made her way back home, her thoughts began to swirl. While Rebecca had been more than generous by offering her a place to stay, Allison knew she couldn’t depend on her forever. Rebecca had enough to deal with in her own life, and Allison’s prolonged stay would only add to that burden.
The money Colton had given her-the four million and the villa-was a mere drop in the ocean when it came to her real needs. It barely covered the costs of maintaining the hacker network she’d built.
Her true wealth, the funds and properties scattered across Vrining, were all tied up and frozen since she had walked away from that life. She had been ready to leave it all behind when she married Colton, to settle into a simpler life. But life rarely played out the way anyone planned!
Now, she needed to unlock those frozen assets.
When Allison finally arrived at Rebecca’s, she made her way to the private room that had been set aside for her.
Locking the door behind her, she moved swiftly to the bookshelf and pressed a hidden button. Four concealed screens emerged from the walls, casting a soft blue glow across the space.
With practiced precision, Allison navigated to a hidden website, initiating a series of commands to regain access to her backup account. Her fingers moved rapidly, inputting passwords and executing lines of code. The screens filled with streams of data, the code flowing seamlessly as she unlocked hidden reserves.
IDs were changed, identities verified, secured pages accessed. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
In that dimly lit room, bathed in the cold glow of the screens, Allison’s face mirrored the same chill. Her expression was focused, detached, and emotionless.
On the forum, high bounties filled the page. Allison didn’t miss a beat as she scoured the listings for information about the serpent bracelet, a search she’d conducted countless times before.
This forum boasted everything under the sun, but the serpent bracelet remained as elusive as a shadow at dusk. As expected, there were no fresh leads.
With a resigned sigh, Allison closed her laptop and took a deep breath.
To say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. The bracelet was the only memento her mother had left her, and it was also the only breadcrumb in her quest to uncover the truth about her parents. And then there was the Charisma Company.
Her fingers drummed lightly on the desk, a habitual gesture whenever she was deep in thought or felt restless.
Years ago, the enigmatic CEO of Charisma had submitted a fragrance to the International Perfumery Contest under the veil of anonymity. The scent was peculiar: cold and distant, yet cloaked in a delicate orchid aroma. The blend of icy and warm notes struck a chord with Allison, evoking memories of her mother’s signature style. She couldn’t believe it was mere coincidence. She wasn’t about to let this lead slip through her fingers.
“The fourth International Perfumery Competition, huh?” Allison murmured to herself, feeling the weight of exhaustion.
Competing meant putting herself in the spotlight, which was risky. But if it meant getting closer to the truth about her parents, she had no other choice.
She gazed out the window at the city lights, which blotted out the stars and left only a bright full moon hanging in the sky. It was clear she’d been working well into the night.
Stretching her arms, Allison decided it was time for a shower and some much-needed sleep. But as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, a troubling thought struck her.
Where was the necklace? Had she misplaced it?
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.