The night had been short for Aurora. Lying on her bed, she stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Hilton's words echoed in her mind: "Help me get revenge." Something else was also weighing on her mind: her call the day before with her brother. How could it be that Charlotte, the one who had worked so hard to ruin her life, was not her cousin, but her half-sister? It was completely impossible, and yet she knew better than anyone that when her brother did his research, he always spoke the truth.
Revenge? Was that really the solution? Was she turning against Charlotte out of sisterly obligation, or because she knew, deep down, that this woman was as manipulative as she was ruthless?
She sat up abruptly in bed and took a deep breath. Too many questions. Too many doubts. And above all... Too much silence.
When morning came, she rose with determination. Tyler and Sandy arrived at her house without wasting time. Their faces were closed, the tension palpable.
"We have to find a way to expose Charlotte," Tyler declared, sitting down at the table. "If Hilton is telling the truth, then there's bound to be evidence somewhere."
Sandy crossed her arms, suspicious.
"What if this is all a lie?"
Aurora took a deep breath before replying.
"If it is a lie, then we'll put this story to rest. But if Charlotte really committed this crime..."
She trailed off. Tyler nodded, understanding that this quest was now inevitable.
The trio began investigating, combing through files, interviewing contacts. They found documents on the murder of Hilton's girlfriend. But something was amiss. Too many gray areas. Too many details redacted. As if someone had intentionally hidden the truth.
Then, just as Aurora reached for her phone, a notification popped up.
*Unknown number*: **"You think you can hide Hilton? We're watching you."**
Her blood ran cold.
"What?!" Sandy exclaimed, looking at the screen.
Tyler frowned and stood up abruptly.
"Charlotte's watching us, or someone close to her. That means we've already been spotted."
Aurora felt her heart pounding in her chest.
"We have to be careful," she said, her voice tense. "If someone knows what we're doing, they're not going to stand by."
Sandy ran a trembling hand through her hair.
"What if... what if we really put ourselves in danger, Aurora?"
Aurora held her gaze. She understood her friend's fear. But it was too late to back down.
"That's why we have to act quickly."
She stood up, grabbed her jacket, and turned to Tyler.
"Do you know anyone who could discreetly investigate Charlotte?"
Tyler gave a nervous smile.
"Are you forgetting who you're talking to? Before I was a respectable person, I was a mob boss. Finding information is my specialty."
"But where are you going?" her friend asked with an alert look.
"I'm going to see my brother. Since his last call, I've left him hanging."
"Besides, you still haven't told me what he revealed to you during your conversation." Your complexion was ashen.
"Don't worry. I'll tell you more as soon as I get back." Let me know if you have any updates.
Their plan was simple: infiltrate Charlotte's circle, retrieve evidence, and expose the truth. But an invisible threat loomed over them.
And Aurora felt this fight would awaken secrets far darker than she imagined.
Charlotte's Side
Charlotte stared at her phone, her brows slightly furrowed. Hilton had managed to escape, and Aurora had immediately become involved.
**Careless.**
She opened a drawer and removed a USB drive, which she connected to her computer. A list of files appeared on the screen. Among them, several were named after specific dates. Evidence, transactions, incriminating documents.
A smile slowly stretched her lips. She had spent years building her empire, manipulating the pieces on the chessboard. Did Aurora really think she could outsmart her?
Charlotte quickly typed on her keyboard and sent a message to her informant.
—**Locate Aurora. Monitor her movements.**
A few minutes later, a reply appeared:
*"Copyright. She's not leaving her home for the moment." But Tyler and Sandy are with her."*
Charlotte tapped her fingertips on the desk.
"Interesting..." she murmured. "Tyler, the former mob boss. He's always had a soft spot for justice... in his own way."
She stood up, adjusted her dress, and looked out the window. Aurora still didn't know what she'd just gotten herself into.
She grabbed her phone and sent another message:
"Let him know she doesn't stand a chance. A warning."
# Jasper's Side
Tyler stood in front of his large office window, one hand in his pocket, the other clutching a glass of whiskey. The night was quiet, too quiet.
For the past few days, he'd had a strange feeling he couldn't shake: the feeling that something was slipping away.
Since his accident, he'd lost part of his memory, a fracture in his past he'd never been able to rebuild. And yet, every time he saw Aurora, that feeling of emptiness became an unbearable weight.
Why did he feel so familiar with her?
Why did his heart always beat too fast when she looked at him?
He ran a hand over his face in frustration.
Charlotte was his wife. They'd been married for years. He should have felt at peace with her. But something didn't add up.
Charlotte was distant, too calculating. He'd never questioned her about her past, about her business. He'd accepted this life without ever trying to understand.
But lately, he'd overheard late-night calls, conversations she'd abruptly cut short as soon as he entered the room. And now, Aurora was involved.
Why was Charlotte hiding something from him?
Why did Aurora seem to know a part of his story he'd never been able to retrieve?
He gulped down his whiskey and straightened.
It was time to get some answers.