BEYOND YOUR REACH

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE LOST SPITE

Leon drove aimlessly, his mind replaying the events of the day over and over. He couldn’t shake the image of Lena's hurt expression, nor the unsettling feeling that Clara and David were plotting something against him. He had to find a way to protect himself and the people he cared about.

As he pulled into his driveway, he agreed to take action. He couldn’t let Clara and David mess with everything he had worked so hard to achieve. Whatever they were planning, he would be ready.

With a heavy heart, Leon headed inside, knowing that the coming days would be a test of his strength and determination. He just hoped that Lena would find it in her heart to forgive him and stand by his side. The thought of losing her was too much to bear.

Leon walked up the steps to his apartment, his mind still spinning from the dreadful events of the day. He fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, stepping inside. The familiar surroundings did little to calm his nerves. He let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. As he tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter, his phone buzzed with an incoming message.

He pulled it out and glanced at the screen, expecting a message from Lena or a work notification. Instead, he was greeted with a chilling text: "I know what you did to your wife, and I am here for you."

Leon felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He read the message again, hoping he had misunderstood. But the words remained the same, dark and threatening. His fingers trembled slightly as he tried to call the number. The phone rang twice before going to voicemail. He hung up and tried again, with the same result. Whoever had sent the message wasn’t interested in talking.

Heart pounding, Leon sank onto the couch, staring at his phone. Who could be sending this? And what exactly did they think he had done?.

He tried calling the number one more time, but it went straight to voicemail. Feeling a mix of fear and frustration, Leon set his phone down and rubbed his hands. The thought of someone watching him, knowing his every move, made his skin crawl. He felt helpless, and that feeling didn’t sit well with him.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Leon decided that the best way to deal with the fear was to drown himself in work. He headed to his home office and powered up his computer, opening the files on his latest project. The soothing hum of the machine and the familiar spreadsheets and diagrams helped him regain a semblance of control. He immersed himself in the work, trying to push the threatening message to the back of his mind.

Meanwhile, across town, Clara was nestled in a lavish hotel bed, the sheets tangled around her legs. David lay beside her, his arm draped casually over her waist. They were both spent from their night together, but Clara’s mind was far from resting. She turned to face David, her expression serious.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked, her voice was low.

David grinned, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of malice and excitement. "We need to hit Leon where it hurts the most. His business is thriving, but it's still vulnerable. We can start by discrediting him, making people question his integrity and business acumen."

Clara nodded thoughtfully. "And how do we do that?"

David shifted, propping himself up on one elbow. "We start small, planting doubts and rumors. Leaking false information to the press about safety issues with his products, financial troubles, anything that can cause a stir. Once the media gets hold of it, it’ll snowball from there."

Clara bit her lip, considering his words. "And what about Lena? She seems pretty close to Leon. She might be a problem."

David's grin widened. "Leave Lena to me. I'll handle her."

Clara looked at David, her curiosity piqued. "Why do you hate Leon so much? What happened between you two?"

David’s expression darkened. "Leon always thought he was better than the rest of us. When our father’s business started to fail, Leon refused to help. He blamed our father for everything, and said he was a terrible businessman. I sided with Dad, and Leon saw that as a betrayal. Our parents' separation was the last straw. Leon never forgave me for siding with our father."

Clara listened, absorbing every word. "So, this is all about family loyalty?"

David shook his head. "It’s more than that. Leon has always been the golden child, the one who could do no wrong. Even when he left, he managed to make a name for himself. I want to take that away from him, show him what it is to be left alone without being admired by the closest people you thought would.