Chapter 49: Darkness
Carmen’s POV
He hadn’t made it to the door when I bombarded him with questions. "You can’t be serious?" I gasped, genuinely concerned that he would mention Vale—Marken Vale, of all people. My hands gripped his arm pulling him back before he could head out the door.
"Tell me you’re not serious," I added, clutching his sleeve before he could put his hand on the door handle. He turned to look at me, and suddenly our bodies were much closer than before. The air between us seemed to thrum, taut with tension, my breath catching as I realized how uncomfortably near we were.
"If you would like us to continue, all you had to do was ask," he whispered, low and flirty, the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. I knew exactly what he meant—but now wasn’t the time. I kept my focus on the matter at hand.
"Why?" I asked, my expression severe. His eyes flicked toward the door briefly before returning to me, steady and confident. "...Because the trail of money leads to him," Nico replied, each word measured, his jaw tight with the weight of what he intended to do. I followed him out, anxiety gnawing at me.
"The evidence could have been planted. Like you said, they’re careful. What if it’s a trap to get you to kidnap him?" I whispered, disbelief lacing my tone. I couldn’t understand why he was willing to risk it all here.
"Yes, I know that. That’s why I spoke to him face to face—to see if he was lying," Nico said, his voice calm, almost unnervingly so. I walked beside him, whispering under my breath, "...and you’re a lie detector?" I arched an eyebrow, skeptical. If he was serious, this was dangerous—recklessly so.
The governor had already arrived, and nothing short of a full-scale terrorist attack could shake the security at the event. Even if Nico wanted to confront Vale, doing it elsewhere would have been far safer. Yet he moved with the confidence of someone who believed he could control everything.
"For men like Vale? Yes," he said, a faintly cruel glint in his eyes. I noticed the tight line of his mouth, the sharp glint of his gaze scanning the crowd. "...Moreover, I figured it’s as good a time as any to teach you another lesson," he added, entering the elevator. He pressed the button for the ground floor, his fingers firm against the panel, movements precise.
"What lesson is that?" I asked, nervous but curious. My grip on my purse tightened, my knuckles whitening. Nico’s confident smile didn’t falter as he stood beside me, his posture relaxed, yet every inch of him radiated control.
"The safest place is also the most dangerous," he said simply. My stomach fluttered nervously. I wanted to argue, to pull back—but the elevator doors slid open, and we stepped out.
"So, what’s the plan?" I asked again.
Nico chuckled softly, that same twinkle in his eyes as he looked at me.
"The plan," he said, "is that you return to the hall and mingle with everyone—but avoid Aran. Forget that we had this discussion."
He leaned closer, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek before heading toward what could only be the parking lot. My heart thumped as I watched him leave, a mix of worry and reluctant admiration curling inside me. I had no choice but to return to the event.
Back in the hall, I tried to blend in. I moved through the crowd, smiling, laughing lightly, but every sound—the clinking of glasses, the murmurs, the soft footsteps—made my nerves spike. My eyes darted constantly, seeking Aran, avoiding his gaze. The tension coiled in my chest like a spring ready to snap.
The speeches began. The governor rose at the podium, Vale standing beside him, tall chubby and as composed as he could be. I chuckled softly under my breath, muttering, "How the hell is Nico going to pull this off?"
Seeing as how Vale had no intention to move an inch away from the governor’s side.
The thought lingered, gnawing at me, when suddenly the lights went out. Darkness swallowed the room. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and screams erupted—people began to shout mosy security,
"Cover the governor! Cover the governor!"
Panic erupted around me, security officers shouting orders, bumping into one another as touch lights from phones were switched on but it wasn’t enough.
I froze for a moment, heart racing, then ducked behind a pillar, trying to make sense of the chaos.
My lips curled into a smirk. I knew exactly how Nico would make his move. His plan was audacious, perfectly timed. The thought thrilled me, and I couldn’t help muttering to myself, "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
People stumbled in the darkness, collisions and whispered curses filling the room. Security shouted orders, trying to regain control, while everyone’s attention was on protecting the governor.
I stayed low, observing. Every shout, every step, every panicked movement of the crowd made it clear: Nico had orchestrated this. The governor was protected. The crowd distracted. And Vale... well, he was exactly where Nico needed him on the podium. It was just a matter of grabbing him using the back doors and the deal was sealed.
A thrill ran through me as I clutched my purse, anticipation coiling tighter with each passing second. I knew Nico was already in motion, and nothing—not the lights, not the panic, not the chaos—could stop him.
I whispered to myself, grinning, "This... this is going to be impressive." The darkness stretched on, screams echoing off the walls, the scent of perfume and candle smoke mixing with the rising tension in the room. And I knew, with absolute certainty, that Nico had the situation under control.
The governor was who everyone rushed towards as I stood and waited right until the lights came flashing back on.
Only be be stunned to see that not only was the governor fine but Vale who should have been missing was still standing there completely surprised but fine.
I was to stunned to speak, realizing that I had no idea what kind of game Nico was playing or what he was thinking letting go of the perfect opportunity .
