Research Closed

Back at Rowan’s house, the air felt heavier than usual—tension still lingering from the hospital, from Asher’s breakdown, from the gunshots that echoed in my ears. Rowan was seated at his wide oak desk, scanning through security footage. His posture was rigid, eyes sharp and alert.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark hair. "It was Lucious. The footage is clear enough. Asher didn’t kill the guard—Lucious's men did."

My heart twisted in my chest. I hadn't realized how deeply the fear had embedded itself until now, until the relief washed over me. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Rowan said grimly, leaning back in his chair. "Which means Lucious is making big moves—directly against me, and now against you."

I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the pressure building behind my eyes. "But why me? I don’t even know Lucious. I’ve never even spoken to him."

Rowan’s expression darkened further. "He doesn’t need a personal reason, Remi. Hurting you hurts me."

"But does he even know how close we are?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly. "We've kept everything quiet—the marriage, the twins. Nobody knows they’re yours."

Rowan shook his head slowly. "He doesn't have to know everything. He's meticulous, cunning. If he’s made a move like this, it's deliberate. He’s sending a message."

A knock at the door interrupted us. Jo stepped inside, hesitant, clearly uncomfortable. Her eyes flickered nervously between Rowan and me. "Hey," she said softly. "Sorry for interrupting, but... I have some bad news."

My stomach dropped. "What happened?"

She took a breath, visibly struggling with her next words. "Your research project—the neurological study on trauma patients—it’s been shut down."

"What?" I stared at her, disbelief clawing up my throat. "Why?"

Jo shook her head helplessly. "They didn’t say. The government just pulled all funding, effective immediately. They confiscated all our data, equipment, everything. I tried asking why, but they stonewalled me completely."

I sank into the nearest chair, my hands trembling slightly. "Years of work. All those patients… gone? Just like that?"

Jo looked miserable. "Just like that."

Rowan's jaw tightened, a clear sign that he was connecting dots I hadn't yet considered. "Tell me everything you know, Jo," he demanded quietly.

Jo glanced at me uncertainly, and I nodded, indicating she should answer. "It was an official notice from the Department of Health. No explanation, just a generic message saying the research had been flagged and deemed a 'national security risk.' They didn’t elaborate."

Rowan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "A national security risk?"

"That's what the notice said," Jo replied quietly. "It doesn't make sense. We're dealing with trauma patients, not biochemical weapons."

Rowan leaned forward, immediately reaching for his laptop. His fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard as he began pulling information. I watched him, tension coiling tighter and tighter in my chest.

Minutes passed, heavy silence filling the room, broken only by Rowan’s quiet muttering as he sorted through files.

Eventually, he stopped abruptly, eyes fixed on the screen. "It all leads back to Lucious Davenport."

"What?" I asked sharply. "How?"

He exhaled, leaning back and staring at the screen grimly. "Lucious has influence in the Department of Defense and Homeland Security. He worked with them closely years ago, securing military contracts. His family’s old company had deep ties—before it was dismantled. Lucious managed to salvage powerful connections, and he's obviously calling in favors now."

My mind raced, trying to piece everything together. "But why sabotage my research specifically? My project was purely medical. It had nothing to do with the military."

Rowan met my gaze carefully, thoughtful. "Maybe it’s not about your research directly. Maybe it’s about you—about getting to me through you."

"But again—how does he even know we're that close?" I insisted, anxiety coiling in my stomach. "We’ve gone out of our way to keep everything quiet."

Jo cleared her throat softly, glancing nervously between us. "Maybe it's not Lucious directly who connected the dots."

"What do you mean?" Rowan asked sharply, turning his attention fully to Jo.

Jo hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "Well… maybe Gigi?"

The room went still.

Rowan’s jaw clenched tightly. "Explain."

Jo shifted, nervous under Rowan’s intense stare. "Gigi wants Remi gone—that’s obvious. What if she realized your connection to Remi, and went looking for someone who also hates you? ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’ kind of thing. Lucious and Gigi joining forces wouldn’t be impossible. He’d benefit from her inside information, and she’d have someone powerful backing her."

I felt cold all over, the idea of Gigi and Lucious together making my skin crawl. "Does Gigi even know Lucious personally?"

Rowan’s voice was low, strained. "It's possible. Lucious moves in wealthy circles, same as Gigi. They could have crossed paths. Shared interests."

I swallowed, forcing myself to breathe through the rising dread. "But shutting down my research—what does that achieve for Gigi?"

Rowan stared at me intently, his voice tense. "It isolates you. Weakens you. Destroys something important to you, forcing you into a vulnerable position. This could just be step one."

I leaned back, suddenly exhausted. All the pieces felt scattered, like someone had taken my life and tossed it carelessly into the air, letting the fragments land wherever they chose.

Rowan reached across the desk, taking my hand firmly in his. "We won’t let them win, Remi. I'll handle Lucious and Gigi—both of them. I promise."

Jo watched us, her eyes wide with worry. "But how do we even prove this? It’s all speculation."

"Evidence always exists," Rowan said confidently. "We just need to find it."

I squeezed Rowan’s hand gently, the warmth steadying me slightly. "But how far are they willing to go? If Lucious can pull strings like this—what’s his endgame?"

Rowan’s gaze darkened as he considered that. "Lucious doesn’t just want revenge. He wants absolute control. Destroying your research might only be a distraction. He could have bigger plans, and we have no idea how deep it runs."

I glanced toward Jo, the unspoken worry passing between us. We were already so deeply entangled—how much worse could this get?

Finally, I let go of Rowan’s hand, my voice soft but steady. "We need to figure out exactly what Lucious and Gigi are planning, before they take something we can’t replace."

Rowan nodded once, determination fierce in his eyes. "We will."

But even as he said it, the uneasy weight in my chest wouldn't lift. The shadow of Lucious Davenport—and perhaps Gigi as well—hung heavily over us.

I took a deep breath, fighting to steady myself, knowing there was no turning back from this now. We had to face them head-on. Protect our children,
our future.

And the only way to do that was to expose their motives—before it was too late.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Popular

History

Research Closed