Past shadows

Jessica’s POV

David led me into a tunnel under an old warehouse that was faintly lit. Every step reverberated against the chilly stone walls, and the air felt heavy and moist.

"Where are we heading?" With a tone of both curiosity and annoyance, I inquired.

"You'll see," David stated in a tight voice.

Despite my tense nerves, I didn't press any more. We arrived at a big iron door at last. It creaked open when David knocked twice.

A tall man with piercing eyes and greying hair was waiting inside. He had a strong presence, and I recognized him right away.

"Jessica," David remarked in a remarkably official tone. "This is William, my father."

I blinked, startled. David had never before spoken of his father.

William held out a hand while examining me. With a little chuckle, he remarked, "So, this is the girl who's causing all the chaos."

After a moment of hesitation, I shook his hand. "I was unaware of the harm I was causing."

"Oh," he said, looking at David, "you're causing plenty." However, we'll discuss that later. Take a seat.

We sat down around a little table. William reclined, his face unreadable.

"Victor has been quite busy," he started. "And I've heard that you've been caught in the crossfire."

"I'm protecting her," David remarked sternly.

William's eyebrow went up. "Son, you're playing a risky game. Being attached weakens you. Did I not teach you that?

David remained silent while clenching his hands. I felt the tension as I looked between them.

William started telling a narrative I wasn't sure I wanted to hear, and his tone changed.

With a chilly tone, he began, "Victor and I go way back." "At one point, we worked together to construct an empire. However, he later betrayed me—because of your mother.

I went cold. "David's mom?"

William gave a nod. She served as the binding agent for everything. Intelligent, kind, and just too wonderful for this world. Victor, however, desired more than her friendship. He betrayed us when she rejected him.

David's eyes remained focused on the table as his jaw tensed.

William went on to say, "Victor set her up for a crime she didn't commit." It ruined her. We had to pick up the pieces after she committed suicide.

His remarks weighed heavily on the room. I looked at David; his hands shook a little, but his countenance was unreadable.

I muttered, "I'm so sorry."

David remained silent. William's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward.

"Power isn't the only issue in this war," he stated. "It's intimate. We will eliminate Victor since he stole everything from us.

Unsure of how to digest what I had just learnt, I swallowed hard.

We went back to the safehouse later that night. David was absorbed in his thoughts and was quieter than normal. Though I didn't know how I wanted to console him.

I started to say, "David," but Leo rushed into the room with a tablet before I could say anything more.

"You must see this," he replied somberly.

David pressed play on the tablet. My stomach turned as a video filled the screen. David's apprehended colleague Marcus was strapped to a chair, bleeding and almost awake.

Victor's icy, frightening smirk came into view on the television. "David," he murmured, his tone brimming with derision. "I hope you're paying close attention. When you attempt to outplay me, this is what occurs.

Victor raised a revolver as the camera panned back to Marcus. The screen turned blank as one shot rang out.

I covered my mouth in a gulp. David's eyes were filled with a mixture of anguish and anger, and his face was pale.

His voice hardly audible, he whispered, "Marcus."

Leo began to move uneasily. "What orders do you have?"

David's fists clenched as he suddenly stood up. "We retaliated. Hard.

I put a gentle hand on David's arm and said, "David." "Avoid being dragged into this by him."

His face was icy as he shook me off. "Jessica, this is war. You wouldn't comprehend.

I recoiled at what he said, sensing our deepening separation.

I had trouble sleeping that night. All I had learned about the feud, the betrayal, and the loss was racing through my head. David held secrets that prevented me from trusting him, even if I wanted to.

My phone buzzed as I lay awake. Hesitantly, I reached for it and discovered an anonymous text.

45 Willow Lane is the place to go if you want the truth. Midnight. Come by yourself.

My heart was racing. Was it a ruse? Most likely. But I had to seize the opportunity to learn the truth if it presented itself.

Being cautious not to wake David, I crept out of bed. As I walked light-footed to the front door, the home was silent.

As I got closer to the address, there was an uncanny silence in the streets. The structure appeared deserted, with graffiti all over the walls and boarded-up windows.

I opened the door and entered the shadows. Every groan of the floors made me jump, and the flashlight on my phone hardly made it through the darkness.

"Hello?" With a shaky voice, I screamed out.

No answer. With my heart pounding, I stepped forward once more.

Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me. A voice whispered in my ear and a hand clamped over my mouth before I could turn.

"You seem to have fallen for the trick."

When I realized I wasn't alone, my blood froze. I had fallen straight into the trap set by whoever was observing me, who had been waiting for this time.