Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

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.

didn't waste a second. "I need results. Have you found out where the

it," the

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

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

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

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

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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

the fridge, yanked it open,

give you one last warning," he said his

"A warning Why waste your time tailing me when you could use your precious time

deliberate. "I try to give you a

fired back, his voice cold. "Perhaps your brothers will appreciate all that

piercing through steel. "You will regret going against

closer to Jake, his own anger finally breaking through. "Tell

voice was even and cold, almost

struggled to keep composure. "That's not something you can order me to do,"