Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 123

Chapter 123

Annie's fingers shook as she held onto her phone, her eyes skimming the message over and over. This was the third email in less than one week.

'I will be expecting my money in one week's time. If not, Alexander will know about your dirty, kinky side!

She clufched harder, her knuckles turning white as she wrestled her rage. The audacity!

Each passing second felt like a ticking clock, with her running out of time. If she did not do sotnething soon, all that she had fought for would crumble.

Annie clenched her jaw as her mind ran with the many possibilities. She had no idea where this coward was hiding. The email was so far untraceable, routed through multiple servers in different countries. Whoever was behind such routing was smart, too smart. But Annie just couldn't afford to lose this battle, not after everything..

Taking a deep breath, she started typing on her phone, her fingers moving with a deliberate steadiness she wasn't feeling inside. 'Where should I put the money?' she sent, swallowing hard as she hit 'send.' Her throat was dry, and her heart pounded against her ribs like a war drum. The reply came almost instantly: 'I will send you the location once the time is due.'

Annie let out a sharp, resigned breath. She had expected this. Of course, the blackmailer wouldn't give her any concrete information just yet. But she had tried, if only to confirm it.

The anger that had been simmering just below the surface of her calm exterior began to boil over. Her hands shook from both fear and anger. Angry at herself for not seeing this coming. She thought about Alexander. She couldn't let him find out.

She let out a sharp intake of breath as she dialed the number of her private investigator. It rang a couple of times before the now-familiar voice answered.

"Hello?" the man on the other end said cautiously.

Annie didn't waste a second. "I need results. Have you found out where the email originated from?"

"I'm still working on it," the investigator replied, his tone strained.

Annie's nails bit into her palm as she tightened her grip on the phone. Her voice turned cold and venomous now. "You're running out of time. Three days, that's all you have to find the source of that email. If not." She allowed herself a stop, to let it sink in. "You wouldn't like what happens next. The line went dead, and Annie seized the moment to twist the knife. "Your daughter just turned three, didn't she?" she added, her voice low and dangerous.

"Wait-" the investigator began, and a note of panic seeped into his tone, but Annie didn't give him the chance to finish. She hung abruptly, her finger hovering over the screen for a moment before she tossed the phone onto the couch.

Annie ran a hand through her hair, pacing the room with clenched fists. She had always prided herself on staying ten steps ahead, but now she was playing catch-up in a game she hadn't even realized she'd been drawn into. AAAAA

Jaden stepped into his dimly lit apartment, letting out a tired sigh as he dropped his keys on the counter. He reached for the light switch, and the room was suddenly bathed in light. His heart almost stopped as his gaze fell upon Jake, who sat confidently on his couch. Jake's arms sprawled arrogantly across the armrests, his legs crossed, and his piercing glare carried the weight of a thousand accusations. It felt like a gun had been pointed at Jaden, the tension in the air suffocating

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18:06 Tue, Dec 31 Chapter 123

This made Jaden instinetively take a step backward, shock momentarily gripping him before he forced himself to recover. He straightened his back, trying to mask his unease, and returned Jake's cold stare with a glare of his own.

"What the hell are you doing in my apartment?" Jaden demanded, his voice even despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface. He walked toward the fridge, yanked it open, and grabbed a bottle of water. Twisting off the cap, he took a long sip, using the action to gather his thoughts.

Jake didn't flinch. "I'm here to give you one last warning," he said his tone oozing superiority.

Jaden gave a jaded laugh and leaned into the counter. "A warning Why waste your time tailing me when you could use your precious time into securing your would-be empire?" He had another sip, refusing to let Jake see any hint of weakness.

"For family sake," Jake said slow and deliberate. "I try to give you a chance. Don't make me regret it."

"Save your sermons for someone who actually cares," Jaden fired back, his voice cold. "Perhaps your brothers will appreciate all that effort."

Jake's face turned darker, the gaze capable of piercing through steel. "You will regret going against me, Jaden."

Jaden slammed the bottle down on the counter, the sound echoing through the apartment. He had heard enough. "Then do it," he said, stepping closer to Jake, his own anger finally breaking through. "Tell the world what I did if you're so confident your precious company can survive the fallout. Go ahead and tell them who I really am."

Jake was now standing, his tall stature exuding anger, his voice was even and cold, almost menacing. "Leave Emma Black alone," he ordered.

Jaden clenched his fists, his jaw tightly shut while he struggled to keep composure. "That's not something you can order me to do," he replied in a low tone but firmly.

Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph, flinging it onto the coffee table. Jaden's eyes flicked to the image, and his breath hitched in his throat. It was a reminder of his past one he had tried desperately to bury. His throat hardened, and he swallowed, feeling the weight of Jake's unrelenting gaze.

"You don't deserve to be happy when I'm not," Jake hissed, his voice laced with venom. He leaned in closer, their faces just inches apart. "You don't, Jaden."

Jaden's composure almost cracked. "I didn't do it intentionally," he whispered.

He broke eye contact, unable to bear the intensity of Jake's gaze, and turned toward his bedroom.

Jaden slammed the door behind him, leaning against it as his breathing grew uneven. He stared at the floor as the memories washed over him like a tidal wave. He wasn't proud of what transpired, but it really wasn't his fault. He hadn't meant for things to turn out the way they had, but it didn't change the fact that they had.

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