Chapter 6

• JENNA POV
• We were silent, deep into our thoughts when the door dramatically swung open. I tensed, my heart slamming against my ribcage.
• "Senior Mr. Blackwood fell into the pool!" one of the staff screamed in terror.
• "What?" Nathaniel yelled, already in motion. I had half a second to watch his face twist into a scowl before he was pushing elbows and out of the room.
• I was frozen in place, all the air knocked out of me.
• Shit, my plan failed.
• Why did Nathaniel have to distract me at that moment? I lost my chance to win Davis Blackwood's favour.
• "This is so annoying." I panted to myself, grabbing at the hem of my silk dress as I chased after Nathaniel.
• My heels clicked off wooden floors, a tick-tock in my head like the drone of a time bomb running down. The hall, the one that shone with wax, was a blur of shadows and moon light as I pushed my way past the packed crowd of people and stunned waiting staff.
• We had reached the patio doors. Nathaniel pulled one open and we went on through.
• Bitter cold night air slapped me in the face.
• The garden, once dotted with music and laughter, was quiet. Fairy lights danced in the wind between the faces of the onlookers. All their laughing eyes were fixed on the pool.
• Old Mr. Blackwood braced against the railing, towel draped across his wet suit, slicked silver hair on his forehead. Medec beside him and two of the security guards standing on either side of him like white blanks. Dripping water from the leg of his suit and collecting in little puddles at his slicked shoes.
• Too late.
• He was already saved.
• Nathaniel got there first. "You want to go get you a blanket or something?"
• Senior Blackwood shoved him aside. "I'm fine. Wet. Damn embarrassing."
• I couldn't help but look across the crowd of people. No Sophie.
• "What happened?" I whispered, but my gut was curling up.
• He glared at me, his eyes burning. "I got pushed."
• Those six words slid down my spine.
• "What?" Nathaniel stepped between me and the scene, his jaw clenched tight. "By whom?"
• "I don't know," Senior Blackwood snarled. "But I want those cameras checked. I want to know who in the devil's name did it. Tonight."
• Nathaniel didn't flinch. He turned to the guards. "Search all the borders. Get me all the footage right away. If you even catch a glimpse of anyone spot him, I want a name."
• The guards nodded once more and vanished.
• I scanned again, wildly.
• Where was Sophie?
• Not in the back of the pool.
• Not in the back of the buffet stand.
• Not at the back gate.
• She wasn't anywhere.
• I gulped a raw one, not going to let seething fear just beneath my veneered calm surface. My heart was pounding against my ears.
• This wasn't part of the plan, everything was supposed to go smoothly.
• Nathaniel stayed with his father, low-keyed, attempting to soothe him. The rest of the guests dispersed, feigning distress, some already mumbling behind wine glasses.
• Old Blackwood swore and allowed the medic to drag him off.
• I got up and trailed after him. He was soaked and angry.
• This was my moment. My chance to get close. To be trusted. Not this.
• I strode over to one of the posts either side of the terrace and took out my phone. I texted Sophie.
• Me: Where the heck are you?
• I was vibrating my thumbs as I sent the message.
• It had taken a minute or two to get the reply.
• Sophie: I'm hiding in the Garden
• I had already seen the message.
• What in the world?
• Why on earth would she be hiding? And why hadn't she texted me when something had gone wrong?
• Something was not right.
• I glanced about, and took the side road curving in front of the house. Pea gravel rasped out a grating noise under my heels with every unwilling stride. The east garden was empty, far from the buzz of the party. It was a place no one ever went to during parties—a secret retreat.
• I climbed up the tall, curved neat hedging. Phone in hand, even tighter.
• Please be alright, Sophie.
• I ran through the archway, still hoping to find her crumpled against a tree. Perhaps curled behind one of the stone benches with frizzy hair back.
• I didn't see that. I was frozen in my spot instead.
• Someone was present.
• Not Sophie.
• Alex.
• His back to me, holding a phone in his hand.
• Not some phone—her phone. I knew the purple casing and small lightning bolt sticker on the camera lens.
• My heart thumped against my chest.
• Alex turned, his movements slow, as if he didn't have anything better to do.
• He looked vacant. Polished. Too polished.
• He looked at the phone.
• "Looking for this?"
• Alex's face was tranquil as he stroked Sophie's phone. The atmosphere in and around my backyard seemed to be dead somehow.
• My stomach churned. "Where is she?" I bellowed, shivering more than I'd like to admit.
• He didn't budge. He tucked the phone back in his pocket. "I need an explanation. What are you trying to do?"
• I put my head down, trying to think of a good excuse. If he knew I had my own plans and reason for joining the Blackwood family, he won't let me off.
• "I was trying to help…" I stuttered. "Help you. I thought it would benefit us to Senior Mr. Blackwood on our side. It would make things a lot easier. This was the only way I could think of."
• Alex scowled. "By pushing him into the pool?"
• I winced. "Yes, I was supposed to save him in time, to make him grateful and win his favour. It would have worked if Nathaniel hadn't distracted me."
• Party music in the background was muffled by hedges. Thick quiet enveloped us all.
• Alex edged closer. "You're playing with fire. Davis Blackwood is not someone you should mess around with." He was smoking tobacco.
• My heart stuttered. "I know what I'm doing."
• "Are you?" He was speaking barely above a whisper. "Because if I catch on to the fact that you're messing around with me… I'll kill you."
• My heart complained. I blinked, swallowed. "That will not happen."
• He glared at me, his eyes searing my breath off me. "It better not…"
• Infernos raged through me. Both lungs, both blood, the very pulse of my heart—hell, all of it seared with shame. I gritted my teeth. "I'm doing what you asked of me. And I'm willing to take any turn to complete my mission and get out of here as fast as possible "
• Something flickered on Alex's face, something not in view—respect? Distaste? I don't know.
• He hesitated, then reached into the jacket pocket and pulled out Sophie's phone and held it out to me. "Take it. My men will take Sophie home. She's safe."
• My heart pounded. I sat there and watched Alex stride on until he was out of the garden. My legs shook, and I fell onto the rock bench. Breaths came in clenched gasps.
• Sophie's fine. Relief so great it nearly bricked me off the bench. I prayed silently, my eyes closed.
• And then the rest of it came crashing down on me.
• The plan had failed. Nathaniel had blocked my way and I didn't get to inform Sophie to hold on with the plan. . The only one that I was able to successfully do tonight was convince Alex. And the worst of all. I'd lied to him.
• I had to speed up with my plans before Alex began to realise that I had tricked him, or else, all my trouble will be for nothing.
• I stood up and smoothed my skirt and cleared hair from my face. I made my way back to the party, where the rest of the Blackwood family were still hanging around, whispering among themselves.
• I had just seen Nathaniel at the ballroom door. Stiff stance, clenched jaws, distant eyes.
• "Hey," I said, my trembling fear and trembling voice barely above a whisper.
• He swung around to face me, his expressionless face not moving. "You okay?"
• I grinned, artificially. "Could ask the same of you."
• Nathaniel nodded in confirmation. "The cameras. They were malfunctioning at the time of the accident precisely."
• A sense of relief ran through me, but I remembered I had to act shocked. "What? That's… that's not possible."
• He rubbed his temple. "Everything else is fine. Those few minutes alone are corrupted. We're looking at disks now. Trying to recover anything. But it's not good."
• My chest tightened. "You think it was deliberate?"
• He looked at me with darkened eyes. "It has to be. The timing is too perfect."
• "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, placing my hand on his arm.
• He hesitated for a moment, "I don't want you to get involved in this. I will take care of it just watch the kids."
• "Okay. Make sure to let me know if you need anything." I smiled at him.
• "I will." He smiled back before pulling me into a hug. "Everything is going to be fine, trust me."
• The guilt rose in my heart again, and I felt tears stung my eyes. 'I'm sorry, Nathaniel. '