Chapter 91: Web of Deception

The silence in the cabin was suffocating, broken only by the faint rustle of the wind through the trees and the occasional creak of the rotting floorboards. Adrian stood in the dim light, his gaze flicking between Jake and Peter as if trying to gauge their next move.

"Allies?!?. . . " Jake finally broke the silence, his voice taut with suspicion. "Who are they, Adrian? And why should we believe anything you say?"

Adrian took a deliberate step forward, his hands still raised in a show of submission. “I get it. You have every reason to hate me, to doubt me. But Vanessa’s game is bigger than all of us now. She’s pulled in people who make her look like a petty con artist.”

Peter remained by the window, his gun still loosely pointed in Adrian’s direction. “Names. We need names, Adrian.”

Adrian hesitated, his jaw tightening. “The Malikov Syndicate. . . . . ”

Jake’s stomach dropped. Even he, with his limited exposure to the darker underbelly of Peter’s world, had heard of the Malikovs—a brutal, multinational crime family known for their ruthlessness and ability to make people disappear without a trace.

Peter let out a low curse. “Vanessa’s working with the Malikovs? That doesn’t make sense. She’s always been a lone wolf. She hates sharing power.”

Adrian nodded. “That’s what makes this so dangerous. She’s desperate, Peter. Whatever you two did to expose her, it’s backed her into a corner. And now she’s brought in the one group she knows can help her end this on her terms.”

Jake paced the room, running a hand through his hair. “So what? We’re just supposed to trust you because you say you’ve had a change of heart? Forgive me if I’m not exactly feeling charitable.”

Adrian’s expression hardened. “You think this is easy for me? Coming here, putting myself on the line? Vanessa will kill me if she finds out I’m here, Jake. And trust me, she’ll make it slow.”

Peter moved closer, his eyes narrowing. “Then why are you here? What’s your angle, Adrian? Because you’ve never done anything that didn’t serve your own interests.”

Adrian sighed, dropping his hands. “Because I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep watching her destroy people, manipulate them, chew them up and spit them out. And because—” His voice faltered, and for the first time, a crack appeared in his carefully controlled facade.

“Because what?” Jake pressed, his voice sharp.

Adrian met Jake’s gaze, the vulnerability in his eyes stark and unexpected. “Because I still care about you, Jake. And I can’t stand the thought of her hurting you any more than she already has.”

The room fell into a heavy silence. Jake’s breath caught, a confusing swirl of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Anger, distrust, and an unwelcome pang of something he couldn’t name all warred within him.

Peter broke the tension with a bitter laugh. “Touching. Really. But let’s not pretend this is all about your moral awakening or your feelings for Jake. What’s in it for you, Adrian?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. “Fine. You want the truth? I want out. Vanessa’s burned every bridge I had left, and the Malikovs don’t tolerate loose ends. If I can help you take her down, maybe—just maybe—I can walk away from this with my life.”

Jake crossed his arms, his skepticism clear. “So we’re just supposed to believe you’re on our side now? That you’re suddenly willing to risk everything for us?”

“You don’t have to believe me,” Adrian replied evenly. “But you need me. I know Vanessa’s moves. I know her allies, her resources. And I know what she’s planning next.”

Peter exchanged a wary glance with Jake. As much as he hated to admit it, Adrian’s information could be the key to staying one step ahead of Vanessa—and her newfound allies.

“Talk,” Peter said finally. “What’s her next move? . . . . ”

Adrian hesitated, glancing toward the door as if expecting Vanessa herself to burst through at any moment. “She’s setting a trap. A public one. She’s staging a gala in two nights—a charity event under the Malikovs’ banner. It’s a front, of course, but it’s also bait. She knows you’ll come, Peter. And she’s counting on it.”

Jake frowned. “Why? What’s the point of drawing you out in public?”

“Because she’s planning to make her move there,” Adrian said grimly. “It’s not just about killing Peter. She wants to make an example of him. To send a message to anyone who might think of crossing her.”

“And you?” Peter asked, his voice cold. “What’s your role in this little scheme?”

Adrian looked away, his silence speaking volumes.

“You were going to help her,” Jake said quietly, the realization sinking in. “Weren’t you?. . . . ”

Adrian’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t have a choice, Jake. You don’t say no to Vanessa. Not when she has the Malikovs backing her up.”

Peter stepped closer, his tone dangerously low. “And now you want us to clean up your mess?”

Adrian met his gaze, unflinching. “I want to make it right. For once.”

The tension in the room was palpable, the weight of their choices pressing down on them like a physical force.

Jake finally broke the silence. “If we do this, we do it on our terms. No more lies, no more manipulation. You’re either with us, or you’re out.”

Adrian nodded. “I’m in. Whatever it takes.”

Peter’s expression was unreadable as he turned back to the window, his mind already racing through the implications of Adrian’s revelations.

“We’ll need a plan,” he said, his voice steady. “And backup. Vanessa’s not just playing chess anymore—she’s playing war. . . . .”

Jake swallowed hard, the gravity of their situation sinking in. The battle ahead would test them in ways they couldn’t yet imagine. But one thing was clear: the only way out was through.

And in two nights, at a glittering gala teeming with danger, their fates would be decided.
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