Eleanor stared at Raven's message for several seconds.
Don't trust anyone in your family until I know what's happening.
She read it again.
Then locked her phone.
"Everything okay?" Sebastian asked.
Eleanor looked up.
"Yes."
He didn't believe her.
But he knew better than to push.
"Your father called earlier," he said.
Eleanor's expression immediately changed.
"What did he want?"
"He asked whether you were coming home for dinner tonight."
Eleanor slowly nodded.
"I'll let him know."
Sebastian left.
Eleanor leaned back in her chair.
Her father's sudden interest in her schedule bothered her.
Especially after everything her mother had revealed.
She opened her phone again.
Her fingers hovered over Raven's name.
She wanted to call.
Instead, she typed:
Eleanor:
Where are you?
The reply came almost immediately.
Raven:
My office.
Eleanor:
Can I come over?
There was a pause.
Raven:
Always.
Eleanor smiled despite herself.
---
At Apex Raven Global, Raven stood beside the conference table while Andrea placed several documents in front of her.
"The surveillance payments came from two separate accounts," Andrea explained.
Raven looked down.
"One belonged to Adrian."
"And the other?"
Andrea hesitated.
"Mark."
Raven's eyes hardened.
"So both brothers were involved."
"Yes."
"Together?"
"According to the records, they worked together for years."
Raven picked up one of the documents.
A payment dated five years ago.
The same month her mother died.
Her breathing slowed.
"What's this?"
Andrea looked at the page.
"That payment was made three days before your mother's death."
"To whom?"
"We haven't identified the recipient."
Raven looked at her.
"Find them."
"We're trying."
"No."
Raven placed the document down.
"Find them."
Andrea nodded.
Before she could leave, Raven's phone vibrated.
Eleanor.
Raven answered immediately.
"Are you okay?"
"I am now."
Raven smiled faintly.
"Where are you?"
"On my way to you."
"I'll be waiting."
---
Twenty minutes later, Eleanor walked into Raven's office.
Raven immediately noticed the tension in her face.
"What happened?"
Eleanor shook her head.
"Nothing."
Raven gave her a look.
"Eleanor."
She sighed.
"My father wants me home tonight."
Raven's expression became serious.
"Don't go alone."
Eleanor frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust him."
The words hurt.
Not because Raven was wrong.
But because Eleanor had never heard anyone speak about her father that way.
"He's still my father."
"I know."
"Then don't ask me to treat him like an enemy."
Raven stepped closer.
"I'm not asking you to."
"Then what are you asking?"
Raven looked into her eyes.
"I'm asking you to be careful."
Eleanor softened.
"I will."
Raven reached for her hand.
"I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I know."
Their eyes met.
The tension between them slowly disappeared.
Eleanor leaned forward and rested her forehead against Raven's.
For a moment, there were no secrets.
No families.
No Blackwood Circle.
Just them.
Then Eleanor whispered,
"Promise me something."
"What?"
"If this gets dangerous, don't shut me out."
Raven hesitated.
Then nodded.
"I promise."
---
That evening, Eleanor returned to the Vance estate.
Mark was waiting in the dining room.
Adrian was there too.
Eleanor stopped when she saw him.
"I didn't know Uncle Adrian was coming."
Mark smiled.
"We thought it would be good for the family to have dinner together."
Eleanor sat down.
Sofia was noticeably quiet.
She kept looking between her husband and daughter.
Dinner began.
Small talk.
Business.
The weather.
Nothing important.
Until Mark finally spoke.
"Eleanor, I've been thinking about your future."
She looked up.
"My future?"
"You've built Vance Capital into something impressive."
"Thank you."
"But there are certain people you should be careful around."
Eleanor's stomach tightened.
"Who?"
Mark took a sip of water.
"People with dangerous reputations."
She knew exactly who he meant.
"Are you talking about Raven?"
Silence.
Adrian slowly placed his fork down.
Mark looked at his daughter.
"I've heard things."
"From who?"
"People who know her."
Eleanor's voice became firmer.
"You don't know her."
Mark's expression hardened.
"I know more about her than you think."
Eleanor froze.
Sofia immediately looked at Mark.
"Mark."
But he continued.
"Raven Hale is not the woman you think she is."
Eleanor pushed her chair back.
"Neither are you."
The room fell silent.
Mark's face changed.
Adrian watched Eleanor carefully.
Eleanor stood.
"My mother told me enough to know that you and Uncle Adrian have secrets."
Mark's voice became low.
"You don't understand what you're talking about."
"Then explain it."
"I can't."
"Or you won't?"
Mark said nothing.
Eleanor looked between the two brothers.
Then at her mother.
Sofia's eyes were filled with tears.
And that told Eleanor everything.
There was much more.
Much more than anyone had told her.
She turned and walked away.
"Eleanor."
She stopped.
Mark's voice softened.
"Stay away from Raven."
Eleanor turned around.
"No."
Then she left.
---
Outside, Eleanor sat in her car.
Her hands were shaking.
She immediately called Raven.
Raven answered on the first ring.
"Eleanor?"
"Can I see you?"
"Of course."
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"I need you."
Raven's voice softened.
"I'm coming."
Eleanor ended the call.
She didn't notice the figure standing behind the curtains of the Vance estate.
Mark watched her car disappear.
Adrian stepped beside him.
"You shouldn't have pushed her."
Mark's expression remained cold.
"She is becoming too attached to Raven."
"And?"
Mark turned toward him.
"If Raven discovers what really happened five years ago, everything we've built will collapse."
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"Then we make sure she never finds out."
Sofia stood in the doorway.
"You've already taken enough from that family."
Both men turned.
Sofia's voice trembled.
"Don't take Eleanor from me too."
Mark stared at his wife.
"She has chosen her side."
Sofia shook her head.
"No."
She looked toward the road.
"She has chosen love."
And for the first time, Mark realized that controlling Eleanor might be much harder than he thought.
Because Raven Hale had given his daughter something neither he nor Adrian could control.
A reason to fight back.
To be continued…