Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

“I need coffee,” the third one said, already halfway out the door.

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They filed past me without making eye contact, their shoulders tense. I closed the door behind them and began methodically packing my remaining belongings. The silence of the empty room was a welcome change from the constant whispers and glances.

The next day, Ethan drove me to a luxury neighborhood about fifteen minutes from Princeton. The house–or rather, mansion–was a modern architectural masterpiece nestled among old–growth trees, with floor–to–ceiling windows and multiple terraces. A perfectly manicured lawn surrounded the property, and a stone pathway led to the imposing

front entrance.

“What do you think?” Ethan asked as we stood in the spacious living room, sunlight streaming through the windows and dancing across Italian marble floors.

I walked from room to room, noting exit points, sight lines, and security vulnerabilities. The neighborhood was upscale but busy, with regular traffic and pedestrians walking designer dogs or jogging in expensive athletic wear.

“It’s nice,” I said finally. “Just not very convenient.”

“For what?” Ethan asked, a slight frown crossing his face.

I almost said “for disposing of bodies” but caught myself. “For privacy. Too many people around.” Too many witnesses

if I need to handle certain… situations.

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“I have other properties if you’d prefer something more isolated.”

I shook my head. “This will do.” The location actually offered some strategic advantages–attacks would need to be more subtle in such a public setting.

‘I’m glad you like it. Would you join me for dinner tonight? We could discuss-”

“Thank you, but no.” I reached into my bag and pulled out a bank card, holding it out to him. “I’d like to buy this place outright.”

Alexander’s POV

I sat alone in my apartment, replaying the dinner in my mind. Something wasn’t adding up. How did Uncle Ethan know Jade Morgan? Why was he so interested in her? The way he looked at her… it wasn’t how he looked at business associates or even friends.

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12:26 Mon, Sep 22

Chapter 114

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I remembered a conference call a few weeks ago. Uncle had received a phone call from a woman and immediately suspended the entire meeting–something I’d never seen him do before. His expression had changed completely, a rare smile appearing as he’d asked if “Miss Morgan‘ had arrived at Princeton yet, offering to pick her up himself. The board members had been shocked into silence.

But how had they met? Uncle Ethan had gone to Cloud City once, supposedly to check on Jade, but he’d never left his car. He’d just confirmed she was okay from a distance and left. After that, he’d been in New York, then Venezuela for nearly two month. There was no opportunity for him to have met Jade.

And yet, watching them at dinner… there was clearly something between them. The way he looked at her, served her food, the subtle tension in his voice when he mentioned her meeting me. And his first action after returning to New York had been to refuse the arranged marriage with the Sullivan family.

I reached for my phone and dialed Connor’s number. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be him. Connor knew everything about Uncle’s business and personal life.

“Mr. Haxton, Connor answered on the second ring, his voice formal as always.

‘Connor, it’s Alex,” I said quickly. “I need to ask you something… about my uncle and Jade Morgan.”

A pause, longer than it should have been. “I don’t think it’s my place to discuss Mr. Haxton’s personal matters.”

“Please, I just want to understand. How do they know each other? When did they meet?”

Connor sighed, the sound of keyboard typing pausing in the background. “If you must know, they met during the summer. Miss Morgan was vacationing in Venezuela when your uncle was there on business.”

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