Blackmail *

I left Sarah asleep with several bodyguards at her door. I instructed them to keep an eye on her all the time. I wouldn't let that idiot Ian try to get back at her or do anything else.

Although I'm afraid he won't dare do anything at the moment, grandfather must have already given him an ultimatum or something. 

However, knowing him, he won't let this go so easily. At any moment he's going to start something and I have to be ready to give him what he deserves.

I went back to Grandpa's mansion, but I didn't want to see him right now. I was very angry and thought about leaving the place for another apartment, maybe Maya's for a few days.

"Miss Eva," Nigel knocked on the door. Too bad, I was already starting to pack my things. "Your grandfather wishes to speak with you."

"I don't have time, Nigel, please tell Mr. Lark that I'm busy."

I wouldn't talk to him, this would be my cold war with that old man. I know I can't disobey him at the moment, I had no choice but to do what he asks for the safety of my friends, but nothing more. I don't have to pretend to be his granddaughter.

"Miss Eva, please, your grandfather wants to introduce you to an important person. They are waiting in the study."

I felt my forehead wrinkle completely, I didn't want to go, but Nigel's voice was insistent. Only for him will I obey.

I opened the door and the sweet butler smiled at me as always. He led me to the study. It was very strange that my grandfather would invite someone to the study room. Only trusted people could enter. I hadn't even had a chance to go inside before.

When we reached the wooden doors, Nigel rang a small bell. It seemed that if he knocked on it, nothing would be heard. That made me suspect that whatever was inside was something very important. Maybe the old man's weakness, if I could hack into this place and then find out his secrets, I could get out of the clutches of that old malefactor.

I would be completely free.

The door made a sound and opened. Nigel invited me in. For some reason, I could feel my heart racing, like when you discover a mystery or a treasure and you just hope it's great.

What could be there? machines? Computers? Valuable paintings?

What was there was... nothing interesting. The place was like any other study, with a small living room in the middle, and an almost empty desk at the end of a corridor. There was also a wide window with a glass door that led to a terrace adorned with several plants.

There were also shelves and a huge bookcase that needed stairs to touch the books on top. There even seemed to be a second floor that could be seen from below, but the place was covered in books too. All the walls.

Maybe the books were what the man was trying to hide, this was more complicated than I initially thought. I couldn't hack books, it was impossible. Damn. Then I had to enter the place and check everything. I'm not good at fieldwork and never have been. Maybe I should call Maya's brothers, but if the old man finds out... I can't create such a conflict.

"Eve," I heard my grandfather's voice.

Right next to him was my uncle Julian Lark, the CEO of the company. He was a very handsome man, just like my father, both of whom had inherited almost perfect genes. Although I must say that my uncle was a bit better, even in his adulthood, he seemed like a leading actor in a movie.

"Eve, please sit down."

Right now I wasn't wearing my disguise, only my mask. Still, how dare this old man bring my uncle over and say my name so openly?

"Don't worry, Eve," Uncle Julian said, "I won't tell anyone."

"What does this mean? What is going on here?"

Julian sighed and gestured for me to sit down, "Eve, we want to explain about Ian, your brother."

I froze with anger. I didn't want to listen to him, but seeing my grandfather's arrogant eyes now looking at me with guilt, I couldn't help but sit down. That old man... is going to be my downfall.

Uncle Julian smiled at me and nodded. "You look great, Eve."

I took off my mask and looked at my uncle and grandfather. They both seemed to smile gently at me. I already knew that look from his grandfather, although sometimes I didn't understand it. We barely met but it was like we had seen each other years ago, there was a strange connection. As for my uncle, I had never spoken to him before.

My father and my uncle did not speak to each other too, they seemed like a pair of strangers, enemies. Although the reality was that my father was the only one who considered my uncle his enemy or competition. Even in the novel, he was said to be incompetent against the genius of Uncle Julian, who had been a gifted child and had achieved innumerable achievements in his life, unlike my father.

Maybe that was the reason why he hated Eve so much. What a jerk.

"If you're thinking of apologizing on his behalf, don't, I'll never forgive him..."

Grandpa sighed again. He seemed tired. "We won't apologize, Eve, but before you do anything, we need to tell you something important."

The grandfather looked at his son and nodded. Uncle Julian looked back at me, his aura seemed to change at that moment. I didn't understand but this man seemed very familiar to me.

"We believe that your brother Ian has been blackmailed. Someone else did those things to Sarah and Lucas and threatened him," his eyes seemed to tell no lie. But how could I trust them? 

I guessed my suspicion was written on my face when they both sighed at the same time.

"I know it's hard to believe, but we've been tracking the hacker called Disaster for quite a long time. He's the one who's been wreaking havoc on the company and we believe he's been using Ian for it."

"How is it possible? Why?"

"We don't know," Grandpa continued. "But your brother Ian, he seems to be under this hacker's authority, we don't know what that man's real objective is, we just know that he has something on Ian."

"That doesn't excuse him."

"We know," Uncle Julian continued. "But Ian is the only one who can link us to Disaster. We have to find him before he causes anything worse. What he did to Sarah was a warning to Ian, not to you or Lucas."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your brother seems to have feelings for Sarah," Grandpa said with a sigh.

  I almost burst out laughing, it was impossible to believe that that idiotic jerk could have feelings for someone. It was impossible, it couldn't be… right?

"Are you making fun of me?"

The two seriously denied it.

"Sarah's kidnapping was planned by Disaster to scare Ian if he hadn't arrived sooner..."

Uncle Julian took his phone and showed me a couple of messages. Looks like they were taken from Ian's phone. "These are the messages we were able to rescue before they were deleted."

[Disaster: if you don't want her to die, you better do what I tell you.]

[Ian: Don't do anything to her... I'll do everything you tell me... please, let her go.]

[Disaster: I don't want another mistake, you heard me.]