Chapter 6

Iris

I couldn't believe what had just happened. One minute, Kieran and I were walking along the beach, the tension between us palpable. The next, he was kissing my forehead and walking away.

I stood there, feeling stunned and confused. What was going on? Did he not feel the same spark that I did?

What in the Pete sake is wrong with me also? I can't believe I almost let him kiss me.

As I walked back to my apartment, I couldn't shake the feeling that Kieran was playing games with me. He seemed so confident, so self-assured. But was it all just an act?

Over the next few days, Kieran and I went on several more dates. We went to dinner, saw a movie, and even took a walk through the park. With each passing day, I found myself feeling more and more drawn to him.

But despite the growing attraction between us, I couldn't shake the feeling that Kieran was hiding something. He seemed so guarded, so careful about what he said and did.

I decided to do some digging, to see if I could uncover any secrets that Kieran might be hiding. I started by asking him questions, trying to get him to open up about his past.

At first, he was hesitant, but as the days went by, he began to let his guard down. He told me about his family, about the pressure he felt to live up to his father's expectations.

As I listened, I found myself feeling a pang of sympathy for him. He seemed so trapped, so caught up in the expectations of others.

"I'm sorry," I said, reaching out to touch his arm. "That sounds really tough."

He looked at me, his eyes searching. "It is," he said. "But I'm trying to make a change. I'm trying to forge my own path."

I smiled, feeling a sense of admiration for him. "I think that's great," I said.

As I looked at him, I began to see Kieran in a different light. He wasn't just a wealthy playboy; he was a complex person with his own set of struggles and desires.

And as I saw him in this new light, I couldn't help but wonder: could I trust him? Was he genuinely interested in getting to know me, or was he just playing another game.

~

Iris.

I walked into the company, excited to see Kieran again but also excited because I'm halfway done with my investigation here. I think I'm starting to have feelings for Kieran but trust me that's still not stopping me from getting my revenge. You call call that being a "Psycho" I really don't care.

As I settled at my desk, sorting through files and responding to emails, my desk telephone rang, making a huge noise in the silent as graveyard office. I quickly picked it up and a voice instructed me to report to Kieran's office immediately.

I made my way to his office, my heart beating slightly faster. When I arrived, Kieran looked up from his papers, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Grace, you look stunning today" He complimented.

I blushed, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Thank you, Mr. Kieran."

Okay Iris, Get a hold of yourself!

He leaned back in his chair, making sounds with his fingernails "So, tell me, how's the project coming along?"

I gave him a detailed explanation, but just as I was giving him the feedback from these companies, His PA appeared, whispering something in his ear. Kieran's face darkened, and he stood up abruptly. "Grace, I'll need to cut our meeting short. My father needs to see me."

As he went out of the office with his PA, I felt a pang of disappointment. I collapsed on the chair close to me and dropped my file on his table, then, my eyes landed on his laptop, still open on his desk. An idea bumped into my head.

I slid into his chair, my heart racing. I quickly scanned the files on his computer, searching for anything incriminating. And then, I saw it! A file labeled "Confidential."

My curiosity got the better of me. I copied all the files on his laptop onto my flash drive, but when I tried to open it, It kept requesting for a password . I cursed under my breath.

Just as I was about to give up, I heard Kieran's voice outside the door. I quickly closed the laptop and composed myself.

"Oh Grace, Sorry to keep you waiting, you should have left" He said.

"Thank you sir" I said leaving immediately.

Phew, that was really close.

 I made my way back to my desk, my mind racing. I pulled out my phone and dialed Delilah's number.

"Hey, girl," Delilah answered on the first ring. "What's up?"

"I need your help," I said, keeping my voice low. "I got my hands on some confidential files from Kieran's computer, but they're password-protected. Can you hack into them for me?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Iris, are you sure you want to do this? We're talking about serious corporate espionage here."

I took a deep breath. "I'm positive, Delilah. I need to know what's going on. Can I count on you?"

Delilah sighed. "Okay, fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming you. Send me the files, and I'll see what I can do."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Delilah. I owe you one."

As I sent the files to Delilah, my mind wandered back to Kieran. Am I really going to find something useful and concrete in that file? In as much as I want to take down this family, I also don't want to hurt Kieran low-key.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I went through the motions of my job, but my mind was preoccupied with the files and what they might reveal.

Finally, it was 5pm already, I packed up my things. As I walked out of the office, I felt a sense of anticipation. What would Delilah uncover?

I pulled out my phone and dialed Delilah's number. "Hey, girl. Any luck with the files?"

Delilah's voice was hesitant. "Iris, I think you should come over. We need to talk."

My heart skipped a beat. What had Delilah found?

"Okay, I'm on my way," I said, already walking towards the parking garage.

As I drove to Delilah's place, my mind was racing with possibilities. What secrets would the files reveal? And how would they change everything?

I arrived at Delilah's apartment, my heart racing with anticipation. She opened the door, a serious expression on her face.

"Hey," she said, stepping aside to let me in.

I followed her to the living room, where her laptop was open on the coffee table.

"So, what did you find?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.

Delilah hesitated, her eyes scanning the room as if she feared being overheard.

"I managed to crack the password," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And what I found...it's big, Iris."

My heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"

Delilah leaned in, her eyes locked on mine. "It's a document detailing the Asher family's business dealings."

I felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it ,the proof I needed to bring down the Asher family.

I felt so happy about this news. I squealed and let out a laugh.

"This is great news, Delilah" I screamed as I made my way to the laptop ,But as I reached for the laptop, Delilah's expression turned serious.

"Iris, we need to be careful. This information...it could put us in danger."

I nodded, my mind racing with the implications. But I was determined to see this through.

"Don't worry, Delilah," I said, my voice firm. "I'll take care of it. And besides don't you want to get your revenge anymore?" I said.

"I want to bu...." She said before I interrupted her with one of my finger in between her lips.

"Don't but but me Delilah, we have been planning and training for this all our lives. We need to do this, okay?" I said, squeezing her hands.

She sighed heavily " Okay fine, let's do this!" 

"That's my babyyyyy" I hugged her tightly.

"I will leave you to it now, I need to make dinner" She said, separating from the hug .

As Delilah left me to examine the files, I settled into her couch, laptop open in front of me. The documents were extensive, detailing various business dealings and transactions. But as I scrolled through the pages, one file in particular caught my eye.

"Kieran Asher - Incident Report."

My heart skipped a beat. What could this be about? I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I really wanted to know. But my curiosity got the better of me. I opened the file.

The words on the screen blurred together, but one phrase stood out: "rape and murder of high school girlfriend."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All I could do was stare at the screen, my mind reeling with horror.

I checked the pictures attached to the file and saw how a very beautiful lady was being tied up and looking so dirty. The second picture showing how the lady had blood stains on her lap and laying lifeless on the floor.

"No...no...no..." I muttered to myself, shaking my head. "I trusted him...I thought he was different...How could he...?"

Tears streamed down my face as the reality of Kieran's past hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt like I'd been living in a dream world, and now I was crashing back down to earth.

I thought about all the times we'd spent together, all the conversations we'd had. Had it all been a lie? Had he been manipulating me from the very beginning?How could he be this evil?

"I don't have to cry, I will definitely crush all of you" I said with great determination.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, my eyes blazing with determination.

"I will get to the bottom of this."

Before leaving Delilah's house, I asked her to help me get the girl's name and track any of her family members.