Beneath the Surface

Venessa stood frozen in the warehouse, Isaac's words echoing in her mind.

The truth. And you're the only one who can uncover it.

A thousand questions clawed at her insides, but the coldness in Isaac's eyes kept her from asking any of them. His presence, once comforting, now felt like a shadow hovering over her, filled with secrets she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"I don't understand," Venessa finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Isaac didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned his back on her, pacing slowly through the dimly lit room. The silence between them grew heavier, more oppressive. The faint glow from the streetlights outside did little to cut through the shadows, leaving the space feeling like a void.

"I never wanted to drag you into this," Isaac said, his voice low. "But you were always going to find out eventually. You've been surrounded by it your whole life."

"Surrounded by what?" Venessa pressed, her frustration rising. "What is it I'm supposed to know?"

Isaac turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "It's not that simple, Venessa. There are things—things that go deeper than you think. Layers you haven't even begun to peel back."

Venessa took a step toward him, her heart pounding. "Stop talking in riddles, Isaac. What are you hiding?"

For a moment, Isaac's eyes softened, but just as quickly, the hardness returned. "It's not about what I'm hiding. It's about what they are hiding."

Venessa's blood ran cold. They. He meant her family. The Valmonts. She had always known there were dark dealings beneath the surface, things her parents never spoke of, but hearing it from Isaac made it feel more real. More dangerous.

"Who are you really working for?" she asked, her voice tense.

Isaac's jaw clenched, but he didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to one of the old, rusted machines and leaned against it, staring at the floor as if lost in thought. His silence was louder than any words he could have spoken.

Venessa's patience snapped. "You asked me to meet you here, in the middle of the night, after I had a nightmare so real I could feel it. You told me things that don't make sense, things about the family. And now, you're not going to tell me what's actually going on?"

Isaac's eyes flicked up to meet hers, dark and intense. "I'm trying to protect you."

"From what?"

Isaac didn't move, but the silence that followed was thick with unspoken truths. Finally, he pushed off the machine and crossed the room, stopping just in front of her. He was so close now that Venessa could feel the weight of his presence, but instead of comfort, it felt like a warning.

"Venessa," Isaac said softly, "if I told you everything right now, you'd be in more danger than you can imagine."

Her chest tightened. She didn't know if she could trust him. Isaac had always been distant, but now, there was a wall between them that she couldn't see over.

"What's changed?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Why now?"

Isaac's gaze darkened. "Because they're getting desperate. And desperate people do dangerous things."

Venessa swallowed, her mind racing. The dream, the secret corridor, the hidden room—it was all too much to process. And yet, she knew Isaac wasn't telling her the full story. There were gaps in his words, things left unsaid.

"I need more than that," she said, her voice firm. "I can't just walk away without knowing."

Isaac let out a long breath, as if weighing his next words carefully. "Then all I can tell you is this—don't trust anyone. Not even the people closest to you. Especially not them."

Venessa's heart skipped a beat. "My parents?"

Isaac didn't answer, but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He wasn't just warning her about strangers or enemies lurking in the shadows. He was warning her about her own blood. Her own family.

The ground beneath her felt like it was crumbling. The Valmont name, the empire they had built, the life she had always known—it was all tainted, and she had been blind to it for so long.

"Come with me," Isaac said suddenly, his voice urgent.

Venessa blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Come with me," he repeated. "We need to leave. Now. Before they figure out what we're doing."

Panic surged through her. "Isaac, I can't just—"

But Isaac was already moving, heading toward the exit. "Trust me, Venessa. If we stay, it's only going to get worse."

Venessa's legs felt like lead as she watched him, torn between following him into the unknown and staying in the safety of her ignorance. But was it really safety anymore? Could she ever look at her family the same way after this?

Before she could make a decision, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the warehouse. Heavy, deliberate steps, drawing closer.

Isaac froze, his eyes widening. "They're here."

Venessa's heart pounded in her chest. "Who?"

But before Isaac could answer, the door burst open. A group of men in dark suits entered, their faces shadowed, but their presence unmistakable. They were here for Isaac. For both of them.

Venessa's breath hitched. Isaac grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the back exit, but her mind was spinning. Who were these people? Were they after her too? What did they want?

As they ran through the alleyways, the questions only multiplied, but the answers seemed further away than ever. Isaac's warning echoed in her mind, louder than before.

Don't trust anyone.