Chapter 557 Dangerous Deals and Deepening Doubts
What <i>the </i><i>hell</i><i>? </i>
Lewis had spoken too fast–by the time the words left his mouth, he realized he’d messed up. “Ah, no, wait -I didn’t mean it like that.”
<i>Ugh</i><i>, </i><i>seriously</i><i>? </i>
Tessa was speechless.
What did he mean, just act cute? Was she supposed to act sweet around Victor?
<i>Yeah</i><i>… </i>no. <i>That’s </i><i>not </i><i>happening</i><i>. </i>
She couldn’t be bothered to argue with Lewis. Since Victor had asked to see her, she couldn’t really refuse.
On the way to the study, she nced over at Lewis. “So who’s the one investigating whether I’m a spy?”
“Me.”
“You?<b>” </b>
Tessa gave him a sideways look, lips twitching in disbelief.
She’d met most of Victor’s close associates–and in her eyes, Lewis was probably the least reliable of them all.
Lewis nodded seriously. “Yep. It’s me.”
<i>Great</i><i>. </i><i>Of </i><i>course </i>it’s <i>him</i><i>. </i>
“And? How’s the investigation going?”
ま
She already had a headache over the whole thing. Now that she knew Lewis was in charge of clearing her name, she honestly wasn’t sure she had a future at all.
<i>This </i><i>guy </i><i>could </i><i>easily </i><i>ruin my </i>life.
Lewis gave her a straight–faced reply. “Everything points to you being a spy.
Tessa nearly lost it.
But she had to hold it in. She’d seen that fierce look in Lewis’s eyes before, and frankly, it scared her. So all she could do was shoot him a re.
There wasn’t much else she could do.
They reached the study.
Tessa stepped in, still fuming.
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Chapter 557 Dangerous Deals and Deepening Doubts
Victor was smoking. At the sound of the door, he lifted his gaze, cold and sharp. “You called Ste<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Finished
There it was–that edge to Victor’s voice. The kind you’d expect from someone who lived with a knife constantly at his throat.
Even just from the way he referred to Abraham’s people, it was obvious: Ste held serious weight in Falvaria.
Tessa gave a small nod. “Yeah.”
Wait a second-“How did you know I called Ste?”
Wasn’t that a totally normal thing to do? She called her several times a day sometimes.
But Victor had never asked about it before. So why bring it up now?
“You’re not… you’re not thinking Ste’s the reason I’m a spy, are you?”
Tessa eyed him carefully.
<i>If </i><i>Victor </i><i>even </i><i>suspects </i><i>Ste</i><i>, </i><i>then </i><i>I’m </i><i>really </i><i>screwed</i>.
<b><i>If </i></b><i>someone </i><i>like </i><i>her </i><i>can </i><i>be </i><i>doubted</i><i>, </i><i>then </i>who <i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>could </i><i>possibly </i><i>protect </i><i>me </i><i>here</i>?
Victor let out a coldugh. “You? You think you’re capable of pulling someone like her into this?”
Tessa swallowed hard.
<i>Okay</i><i>, </i><i>fair </i><i>enough</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>have </i><i>that kind </i><i>of </i><i>pull</i>. <i>But </i><i>did </i><i>he </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>say </i><i>it </i><i>like </i><i>that</i><i>? </i>
“Fine. As long as you’re not suspecting Ste, I don’t care. So–what do you want? Just so you know, I’m not doing anything.”
She wasn’t stressing about the whole spy usation anymore.
Especially after finding out Lewis was in charge of investigating–there was no rushing the oue now.
<i>Because </i><i>if </i><i>he’s </i><i>handling </i><i>it</i><i>, </i><i>there’s </i><i>zero </i><i>chance </i><i>this </i><i>clears </i><i>up </i><i>quickly</i>.
Victor took a drag from his cigarette. “Have you epted the fact that your mother used to lead Ashen Pact?”
“What choice do I have?”
Tessa’s fire instantly fizzled out.
If even Ste said it was true, then it probably was<b>. </b>
But to this day, she still didn’t get it. How could her mother be the former head of Ashen Pact?
From the moment she could remember, her mom had been a straightced businesswoman.
Chapter 557 Dangerous Deals and Deepening Doubts
Nothing shady. Nothing big.
She’d always done business honestly and with integrity.
How <i>could </i><i>that </i>woman <i>possibly </i><i>be </i><i>the </i><i>infamous </i><i>former </i><i>leader </i>of <i>Ashen </i><i>Pact</i><i>? </i>
Victor flicked away some ash. “Want to see her?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
<i>Wait</i><i>–</i>how the <i>hell </i><i>does </i>he know I <i>want </i><i>to </i><i>see </i><i>her</i><i>? </i>
Did <i>Ste </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>go </i><i>through </i><i>him </i><i>for </i><i>help</i><i>? </i>
<i>Seriously</i><i>? </i>So no <i>matter </i>what <i>I </i><i>try</i>, <i>everything </i><i>circles </i><i>back </i><i>to </i><i>Victor</i><i>? </i>
And <i>he’s </i><i>the </i><i>one </i><i>helping </i>me? <i>Ugh</i><i>… </i>
Victor let out a quietugh. “People from Ashen Pact… they’re not exactly easy to meet.”
“So, can I or can’t I?<b>” </b>
Tessa red at him.
<i>What’s </i><i>that </i>supposed to <i>mean</i>–not <i>everyone </i><i>gets </i>to <i>meet </i><i>them</i><i>? </i><i>Just </i><i>say </i><i>yes </i>or <i>no</i>!
Victor stubbed out his cigarette, inteced his fingers, and looked straight at her. “You can.”
<i>Okay</i><i>… </i><i>and</i><i>? </i>
“I’ll make the arrangements.”
<i>Wait</i>, what<i>? </i>
<i>So </i><i>after </i><i>all </i><i>that </i><i>effort </i><i>trying </i>to <i>get </i><i>help </i><i>through </i><i>Ste</i>, <i>it </i><i>still </i><ies </i><i>back </i><i>to </i><i>Victor</i><i>? </i><i>Seriously</i>?
She looked into his deep, unreadable eyes and couldn’t help but sniff a little. “You… you’ll really help me?”
Victor nodded. “Yeah. But my helpes at a high price.”
He said “price” with weight–and if you listened closely, there was a clear edge in his tone.