Chapter Five: Unraveling Lies
Raven's POV
The office was suffocating.
Raven stared at the pile of documents spread across her desk, the numbers and figures blurring together. She had been at it for hours, scanning through financial statements, emails, and contract details. The deeper she dug, the clearer it became—there were discrepancies in Santoro Enterprises' financial records.
Money was moving in ways that shouldn't have been possible.
Someone was covering something up.
And whether she wanted to or not, she was now tangled in it.
She exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. She hadn't expected this investigation to be easy, but she hadn't expected it to bring her straight to the doorstep of the man she had spent six years avoiding.
Aurelio Santoro.
Just thinking about him sent a sharp, unwelcome ache through her chest.
She had come back to this city for work. That was supposed to be the only reason. But now, sitting here, staring at the name "A. Santoro" scribbled across multiple documents, she knew it was never going to be that simple.
Her phone vibrated, snapping her from her thoughts.
She glanced at the screen.
Isabella: We need to talk.
Raven hesitated before typing back.
Me: Not now. I'm working.
Isabella: It's about Aurelio.
Her fingers froze over the keyboard.
Aurelio.
Of course.
Taking a steadying breath, she responded.
Me: Tonight. My place.
She shut off the screen before she could second-guess it.
There was no avoiding this anymore.
Later That Evening – Raven's Apartment
Raven leaned against the counter, arms crossed as she watched Isabella pace the small kitchen.
"He's suspicious, Raven," Isabella said, her tone sharp. "He's been asking questions. He knows something is off."
Raven exhaled, gripping the edge of the counter. "I figured as much."
"Figuring isn't enough. You know Aurelio. Once he gets it in his head that someone's lying to him, he doesn't stop until he gets the truth."
"Then I just have to be careful," Raven muttered.
Isabella scoffed. "Careful? You're investigating his company! And you have his—" She stopped herself, shaking her head.
Raven tensed.
Luna.
"He can't find out, Isa. He can't."
Isabella sighed, rubbing her temples. "And what happens when he does?"
Raven looked away.
She didn't have an answer.
Because deep down, she knew—when Aurelio found out the truth, there would be no escaping him.
Aurelio's POV – Santoro Estate
Aurelio poured himself a drink, staring out at the city skyline from his penthouse balcony.
Raven was lying.
He had seen it in her eyes, in the way she stiffened whenever he got too close. She was hiding something.
And it wasn't just about work.
She had disappeared without a trace six years ago, leaving behind nothing but questions. No calls, no letters. It was as if she had vanished from existence.
Until now.
Now she was back, working an investigation tied directly to his company, and expecting him to believe it was a coincidence?
No.
Raven never did anything without a reason.
And he was going to find out what that reason was.
Setting down his glass, he pulled out his phone.
"Track her. I want to know where she goes, who she meets, everything."
The man on the other end gave a short confirmation before the line went dead.
Aurelio smirked darkly.
If Raven wanted to play games, she was about to learn—
He never lost.
The Next Day – Raven's POV
Raven stirred her coffee absentmindedly, her eyes scanning the bustling café.
She had agreed to meet her contact here—an informant who had inside knowledge about the financial discrepancies at Santoro Enterprises. If she was going to get to the bottom of this, she needed more than just paperwork.
A man slid into the seat across from her. Mid-forties, thinning hair, and nervous eyes.
"You're late," she said quietly.
"I had to be careful," he muttered, glancing around. "If Santoro finds out I'm talking to you—"
"He won't," Raven assured him, though her stomach twisted at the thought.
"Look, I don't know everything, but something is going on," the man said, lowering his voice. "Money is disappearing, rerouted through shell companies. It looks clean on the surface, but dig deeper, and it's a mess."
Raven's grip tightened around her cup.
"Who's behind it?"
The man hesitated.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But there's a name that keeps coming up in the transactions. 'Luna.'"
Raven's breath stopped.
Her body went cold.
"What?" she whispered.
"Luna. The name appears as a codename in several accounts. I don't know what it means, but it's big."
Her heart pounded.
Luna.
Was it a coincidence? Or something more?
Her thoughts were spinning when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
She was being watched.
Slowly, carefully, she turned her head.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Aurelio.
He stood near the café entrance, his gaze locked on her, unreadable, unyielding.
Raven's pulse raced.
He wasn't supposed to be here.
He wasn't supposed to see this.
The man across from her stiffened, clearly recognizing Aurelio as well. "I have to go," he muttered, grabbing his bag and leaving without another word.
Raven barely noticed.
Because Aurelio was already moving toward her.
And from the dark intensity in his eyes, she knew—
She was trapped.
Aurelio's POV
Aurelio stopped in front of the table, his presence looming over her.
"You have two seconds to tell me what the hell you're doing," he said, voice low, controlled.
Raven forced herself to stay calm. "I don't owe you an explanation."
He tilted his head slightly, as if amused by her defiance.
"No?" He leaned closer, his breath brushing her skin. "Then let's make this simple. You're investigating my company, meeting informants in cafés, and thinking I wouldn't notice? Do you take me for a fool?"
Raven's nails dug into her palms.
"This isn't about you, Aurelio."
His gaze darkened.
"Everything about you is about me."
Raven swallowed hard.
She was losing control. Fast.
And from the dangerous smirk tugging at Aurelio's lips, he knew it.
She needed to get out.
"I have to go," she said, standing.
But Aurelio blocked her path, his large frame unmoving.
"I don't think so, Raven."
His voice was quiet, lethal.
"Not until you tell me why the name 'Luna' is showing up in my accounts."
Raven's breath caught.
Shock.
Panic.
Fear.
She stared at him, unable to move, unable to breathe.
Because in that moment, she knew—
Aurelio was closer than ever to uncovering the truth.
And when he did, there would be no turning back.