The ballroom glittered with cold elegance, all polished marble and chandeliers that dripped like icicles. Eva stood beside Lucian, her hand resting lightly on his arm as they worked the room. She smiled where needed, nodded politely at investors, but her thoughts were elsewhere on her father, on the weight of her decisions, on how trapped she felt despite the pearls around her neck.
That was when he walked in.
Gavin Pierce.
He was the kind of man who drew attention without trying. Tall, lean, sharply dressed in a charcoal suit that fit him like second skin. He moved with quiet confidence, each step measured, his gaze scanning the room like a man who already knew its secrets.
Lucian's arm tensed slightly beneath Eva's fingers.
"Who is that?" she asked, noticing his reaction.
Lucian's lips twitched into a practiced smile. "Gavin Pierce. CEO of Veritas Capital. A rising star in the investment world. And someone I don't particularly trust."
Before Eva could ask more, Gavin approached them with a practiced ease, extending his hand toward her.
"Mrs. Thorne," he said, voice as smooth as aged whiskey. "A pleasure. Gavin Pierce."
She took his hand cautiously. His grip was firm, but not aggressive.
"I've heard of you," she said.
"I hope mostly good things." His smile widened. "I've been following your father's unfortunate situation. A shame, truly. But I believe there's still value in Langston Innovations. Immense value, in fact."
He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a sleek black business card, handing it to her.
"My firm, Veritas Capital, is prepared to offer a sizable investment. No harsh clauses. No takeovers. Just capital to keep the company afloat and innovating."
Eva narrowed her eyes. "No strings attached? That's a rare offer in this city, Mr. Pierce."
"Oh, I never said there were no strings," he chuckled. "Only that the strings are transparent. We invest in people, not just numbers. And I believe in second chances."
Lucian stepped forward, his voice cutting like frost.
"Veritas usually deals in high-growth tech startups," he said. "Langston Innovations is under federal review. Seems off-brand for your portfolio."
Gavin turned to him with a calm expression.
"Mr. Thorne. Always a pleasure. Veritas also invests in long plays. And sometimes, what looks like a fire sale is really just a phoenix moment."
Lucian smiled coolly. "Or a money pit."
"Only if you lack vision," Gavin replied smoothly.
Eva felt the tension building between them two predators circling, both charming, both dangerous. She folded the business card in her hand, turning it over.
"Why Langston?" she asked.
"Because your father, despite his current mess, was once a man with integrity. And because I also admire your… journalistic side." Gavin's eyes met hers with unsettling precision. "E.L. Verity. I read everything."
Eva's breath hitched.
Lucian's expression darkened. "What exactly is your angle, Mr. Pierce?"
"No angle," Gavin said, hands raised. "Just a belief that justice and business don't have to be enemies."
After he walked away, Eva glanced at Lucian.
"He knows about E.L. Verity."
"I know," Lucian said flatly. "I'll run a full check. I don't like how clean he is. No real background before five years ago. That usually means one of two things either he's brilliant, or very good at hiding something."
Two days later, Eva texted Gavin from a burner phone.
"Meet me. Somewhere quiet. No security."
He responded within minutes.
"Wednesday. Holloway Gallery. 4 PM. The West Wing is always empty."
The art gallery was quiet, almost sacred. Sunlight filtered through high windows, casting golden patches on the hardwood floors. Gavin stood by a painting something abstract and angry when Eva walked in.
"You came," he said, turning to her.
"I need answers," she replied. "Real ones."
He gestured toward a bench, and they sat, surrounded by silent canvases.
"I know about your past," he said gently. "The pharmaceutical trial. The whistle-blower articles. Your father's silent complicity. And Zadie Monroe."
Her breath caught. "How do you know that?"
"I investigate," he said simply. "And I don't stop until I find the truth. That's why I'm here."
"You said my father was a pawn. What do you mean?"
Gavin's eyes darkened slightly. "He was used, Eva. Pressured, threatened, manipulated. He tried to speak up, but by the time he realized what he was part of, it was too late. And he had a family to protect."
Eva clenched her jaw. "And you? What's your role in all this?"
He reached into his coat and pulled out a flash drive. "This contains emails, files, recorded calls. Some from ten years ago. All pointing to the real culprits behind the scandal. And not just the trial much more."
She stared at it, hesitant.
"That's not the real bombshell," Gavin added softly. "Your mother's alive, Eva. And she's been working with me."
Eva's heart dropped.
"No," she whispered. "She left. She abandoned us. She…"
"She left to protect you. She was being watched. She knew if she stayed, you and your father would become targets too."
He leaned in.
"She's spent years trying to expose the network behind the pharmaceutical cover-up. The same network Vivian Thorne and Derek Chad are part of."
Eva blinked hard, tears threatening.
"My mother… she's alive?"
"And fighting," Gavin said. "In her own way. She's been feeding me intel, staying underground. She believes the only way to bring them down is from the shadows. And now… she believes it's time to come into the light."
Eva stood, pacing. "This is insane."
"I get it," Gavin said. "It's a lot. But you're not alone in this. You, me, and Margaret we can end this. We can save your father. We can burn their entire empire down."
She turned to him, eyes fierce. "Or I'm walking straight into another trap."
Gavin stood too, slowly.
"I won't pretend to be spotless. But I care about the truth. And I think you do too."
She stared at him, trying to read his face. Was he a savior or a new devil in disguise?
"You'll need to choose soon," he added, voice low. "Before they make the choice for you."
Eva looked at the flash drive in her hand.
The web was stretching around her, sticky and dark and suffocating. But maybe just maybe there was a way out.
If she dared.