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The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 37: ANSWERS
I sat down in Marvin's office and watched him make several calls. Some of them to his business partners, while some to Uncle Jonah’s family to confirm that everything was okay. I wanted to tell him the truth about Shantel earlier but decided to stick to the untruth.“I don’t think Shantel was kidnapped. I think she left the country as we told her to and maybe she did that without informing Uncle Jonah,” I said.Marving shook his head in disagreement. “How did she leave with her father, because from the calls I made Shantel’s father is nowhere to be found,” Marvin replied.“I wonder what could have happened,” I said, though I knew exactly what happened. Marvin was in a situation and so was I. “Please can you get your lawyer? I really do not like that Officer Page,” I said.“Get Tessy now,” Marvin instructed the receptionist as we waited for Officer Page.Officer Page's arrival at Marvin's office added a new layer of complexity to the already puzzling situation. The stern, no-nonsense l
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 38: WORRY OF SECRETS
It was the weekend and I was lying in the arms of Marvin without worrying if Ken was going to disrupt our togetherness. I was sure he knew about our feelings for each other. Although Marvin said he had kept the attacks and every other information from Ken, I knew Ken would be looking for anything he would take to Uncle Jonah if Ken was working for him.“Marvin, you have not said anything about the financial records I asked you to check. Did you do it? What was the outcome?” I asked Marvin.“Yeah, that, I have been really thinking hard because a lot of things weren’t adding up in the financials, and if you had not prior informed me about it. I would have been in a lot of trouble. I do not understand why the books look cooked up. Though the auditors are working on it, I would love to know what happened. Cax let them finish their investigation,” Marvin said while rubbing my pack with the back of his palms.Marvin's concern about the tampering with financial books only deepened my anxiety
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 39: CHOICES
I met Larry at my place during the weekend. It was a hot and sunny Sunday. Larry had called and said that he had made contact with Sancho and would love to talk to me about it. I knew it was going to be a physical meeting, so I excused myself from Marvin, telling him I needed to get something at my apartment. Marvin wanted the bodyguards to go with me but I told him I could take care of myself since it was quite obvious that I had been doing that for both of us.From the look on Larry’s face, I could sense the anxiety at which he would have been waiting for me. “What is the matter, did anyone threaten you?” I asked.He was quick to talk and there was tension written all over him. Larry was trying to cover up something and it was not in his character to do so with me. “Cassie, you know I have been with you for a very long time, and I would do anything to stay by your side,” Larry said, and then there were a few minutes of silence as he paused and was now looking at me.“Larry spit this
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 40: SET IN MOTION
I sat with Larry as we finished one beer after the other. We joked about the past and some stupid jobs we had done. Larry reminded me that the Contractor was supposed to have called me to make me the Number One. It also made me doubt the Contractor’s motives because he could have made me number one when he called to inform me about the complaints of the Matinez Gang.I love Larry in a very special and different way. I love how he thinks and gives you so much information playing out from every possible scenario. I wondered why I did not inform him earlier about Marvin and how I felt about Marvin. I guessed I thought he would be jealous.Larry concluded that if the contractor had not called me then he would have been taking sides with the gang. I told him that it is not how things work for assassins and that there is a code of conduct that allows the Contractor to have all the time he needs to look at the circumstances surrounding the promotion of any Assassin.“Wow! For a lady assassin
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 41: MY MAN SANCHO
It was Monday, and the day seemed to go by slowly. I had not seen Marvin and it was unlike me, but I knew how to get my head straight so I could have a perfect meeting with Sancho. I would rather not see Marvin.Rose came by but I was not having any of her gist. She was not happy that I was not concentrating and giving her the attention she needed. I simply told her that there was a lot on my mind and she left feeling rather hurt.The truth is, I do not know how Sancho would receive me. I saved him at one time and killed his twin brother the other time. I hoped he would consider the life I saved more.I thought about going to the meeting without guns. If Snacho knew that I was not carrying a weapon, maybe he would consider that I came in peace. On the other hand, it would place me in a more disadvantageous position. I am going with my guns, I said to myself.“You don’t have to be rude even if you are going through a lot,” Rose said. She had come back again and would not take my answer
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 42: ALLIES
I was angry at what Sancho had just told me. Why should I marry him? He was not even my type of man. That he was a prospective leader of the gang does not make him a suitable husband. All he wanted from me was security for his position and I was not willing to tow that line.I have given him the best possible way we can help ourselves as allies. Not this. I had known Sancho to be mysterious. Yes, he was the prospective leader of the notorious Martinez Gang, but I was not going to give in to that.Sancho was a man of few words. His eyes were bright as the sunlight, we both held different secrets of our lives and I was not going to remind him of how I saved him and saved his unborn baby. I felt he was ungrateful. His eyes locked onto mine expecting a response.“I don’t know what you want me to say, this is ridiculous,” I said."Cassie, You have a tough decision to make," he said.“I am sorry my decision still stands in what I told you,” I said.."Cassie," he began, his eyes softening,
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 43: LUNCH ATTACK
Marvin was great fun to be with. I wondered if he noticed how uneasy I was because I knew the Martinez Gang was up to something. If they were not here at the restaurant, then I would be surprised. Marvin was having fun and I really did not want the fun to cease. The food was great and he was right. It’s been a long time since we had anything close to this.“Are you okay, my love?” he asked me.“I am, though I am concerned,” I said.“About the food or what? I think the food is great. Well, mine is. I told you to try this but you refused,” Marvin said.Why does he take things too casually? After so many attempts at his life, he still wants us exposed by having lunch. I felt it did not make sense. Marvin knew something I didn’t know or else I do not know why he was risking his life and mine. He needs to get married and keep the company and that does not bother him either.I kept looking around us and scanning the area. I had to be aware. The gang was predictable. It was difficult to conc
The Shadow of Deception CHAPTER 44: LET THE SEARCH BEGIN
Marvin woke up in my arms. We were both naked. He stood up from the bed to wash his face and I followed him.“You are awake too,” he said.“You woke me up, you are too lousy and noisy,” I said.“Says who?” he asked, laughing, walking toward the bathroom trying to tiptoe his way there.“Says the dream goddess who I met in my dream. The dream you cut short because you could not be quiet,” I said, tip-toeing too and both of us laughing.“Can I meet her, she must be as beautiful as you,” Marvin said.“I killed her because she was beginning to like you,” I said.Oh, I see just like you are going to kill Lisandro,” he said.There was a sudden quietness in the room at the mention of Lisandro. I do not know how much of my conversation with Sancho he heard last night, but obviously, he had not forgotten about Lisandro. I did not know what to reply and I could not tell him anything about the Martinez Gang.It is better he does not know. He looked at me expecting an answer and I looked at him as
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- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 132: THIS IS NOT THE END
I sat down in Marvin's office as we looked at all the options we had for ensuring that our future and that of the twins were secured. He was not sure whether I agreed with him or not as he presented his plans. I looked straight at him with no emotions, and I was wondering whether it was because I had become the most dreaded Mafia Lord in town or that I just couldn't marry him."You are still married to Ms. June," I said immediately after he finished his speech, "or do you want me to take care of that too?" I asked."How do you mean, Cassie?" He asked, not sure if he understood what I meant."She looks like someone in the middle of our dream,"I said."She works for you," he replied.I told Marvin that we might have to wait for Ms. June's contract to expire, or he could talk to June to cancel the contract and pay her off if he wants us to be together. He agreed to talk to June. We did not know why June didn't want to cancel the contract even when she knew she would be fully paid as agre
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 131: MY TABLE MY MOVES
I sat at the table as the head of the gang for the first time and this time was to sort out issues that were arising due to me being selected as their leader. I told them how I had led this gang to this particular height single-handedly and could, even in my pregnancy, still take on any of them.Larry came late due to the task I had given him and one of the table members wanted to raise an objection to that, but I was not having any of that. I told him to sit his ass down, and it brought the quietness I had wanted to drive home my message.Larry's revelation about Cally's involvement was unexpected and unsettling. I leaned forward, studying the information he brought. "Cally hired Jasper? What does he gain from orchestrating my kidnapping?" I wondered aloud.Larry sighed, "It seems like there's more to this than meets the eye. Maybe he sees you as a threat, or perhaps he's trying to disrupt our operations. I'll dig deeper to find the motives."I nodded, acknowledging Larry's commitmen
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 130: THE SUPREME LEADERTH
Entering the Martinez Gang Headquarters, the room fell silent as all eyes turned towards me. Sancho, who is the current head of the gang, stood up, relief evident on his face."Cassie, we were worried," Sancho admitted, his concern reflecting in the eyes of the other members.“What happened, and where have you been? We could not carry on without you when Larry told us you were indisposed,” Sancho said.“Sancho, do not worry about me. I am fine. It will take more than pregnancy to hold me down,” I said, knowing that everyone was expecting to declare that I was pregnant so that I would not be made the leader of the Martinez Gang.“It is the reason we want pregnant women to sit out of business till they are ready,” Sancho said.“And the men who got them pregnant?” I asked.“It is a man’s world, Cassie. Anyway, we were worried about you,” Sancho said."I appreciate the concern, but we have a bigger problem," I began, looking around the table, "I was abducted this morning and Jasper, Rose'
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 129: UNDETECTED BOSS
The car moved steadily through the darkened city, the rhythmic hum of the engine accompanying the weighty silence that enveloped us. My eyes were fixed on the passing scenery, but my thoughts were tangled in the web of recent events. The events of the unexpected abduction, the revelation of Jasper's involvement, and the unsettling connection to the Contractor."Larry," I finally broke the silence, the question lingering at the forefront of my mind, "How did you not know I was kidnapped?"Larry's gaze remained focused on the road, his features shrouded in contemplation. "Cassie, I... I didn't have a clue. The whole thing took us by surprise. We were on high alert after everything with the Contractor and the Martinez Gang, but this... It was a blind spot."His words carried a weight of genuine concern, and I understood the complexities of the clandestine world we navigated. The shadows held secrets and the clandestine maneuvers of those we sought often unfolded in unpredictable ways."B
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 128: IT WAS JASPER
"We have been paid to do a job. Why don't we just get on with it Must we wait for him? It is getting late, and we have not heard from him now. Guys, what do we do? This is a very great asset, and keeping her alive more than now puts us at a great risk," said one of the members of the gang, who seemed irritated that they were keeping me more than normal.I stood still at the back of the truck as I listened to their conversation. They were waiting for instructions to get rid of me and that was how I got my first knowledge that it was not the Martinez Gang. I needed my gun, or would I say that I needed any gun I could get my hands on?I was waiting for the perfect time to strike. I knew I had to be strategic because it was a fight where the guns were fighting with the object I had used to free myself."If Jasper was not coming, then let's kill the woman and ensure that he knows where we buried her body so that he can mourn her," said one of them who was already laughing at his own joke.
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 127: BOXED UP
“You are going to be here for a long time,” a voice of a man said. I was blindfolded, but I knew we were still in New York and that I was kept in a box, or the back of a truck, or a container. I tried to visualize where I was and who was coming and leaving the place I was."If I could see you, I would tell if you would die first before the rest of your gang, you silly thing," I replied. I was not going to allow someone who does not have the decency to reveal his face to scare me. I felt that they were already scared of me and that was why they blindfolded me. I also knew that this was not a kidnap for ransom, it was a kill-the-target situation. What they were waiting for was what I did not know. Maybe they were waiting for instructions from their sponsors, only time can tell.The person looked like a guard assigned there and, from the look of things, I think they are three. They had taken my phone and smashed it when we got there, but that would not stop Larry from using the locator t
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 126: STEPPING DOWN
Sancho called for a physical meeting. The Martinez Gang members gathered in an atmosphere fraught with anticipation. The air hummed with a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity as the announcement of Sancho stepping down as the head of the gang hung over us like a shroud. Most of them looked tired as we had been engaged for so many reasons, including our internal struggled with the Contractor.My role within the gang, though currently inactive due to my condition, still tethered me to its intricate web of relationships and responsibilities. Sancho, a stalwart leader, had been a significant presence, guiding the gang through tumultuous times. The prospect of his resignation sent ripples through the Martinez Gang, leaving everyone eager to understand the reasons behind his decision. I was not there to tell him not to resign, and I asked Larry not to let them know he was with a video camera installed in his glasses..In the dimly lit room, Sancho's commanding presence demanded attention a
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 125: NOT RIGHT NOW
“Why haven’t you considered my proposition? We need to train the kids in the best possible way we can. You also need to have a man in your life and above all I love you,” Marvin said.“What do you want me to say, Marvin?" I asked. It was the truth as I did not know how to respond to his request, yes, he was going to be the father of my kids but I did not know whether I needed him as a man. It was quite confusing because I had not taken the time to consider that this could happen.The question lingered in the air, creating a moment pregnant with implications. Marvin's inquiry about marriage carried the weight of sincerity, and I in response, couldn't help but revisit the complexities of their intertwined lives.With the echo of Marvin's question resonating, my mind retraced the complexities of my emotions. The memory of Marvin's secret marriage to June cast a shadow over the prospect of our union. Torn between love and the intricacies of their shared history, I faced the crossroads of
- The Shadow of Deception
CHAPTER 124: GETTING ALL
I sat in Marvin’s room as we plotted how to go about with the Callyb predicament. It was Marvin’s room where strategic decisions unfolded, Marvin and I plotted our next move, we intended to buy out Cally Industrials even when we knew Cally would never sell his company to us. The revelation about Cally's financial struggles became a catalyst, and we decided that a buyout might be the most strategic play in this intricate game of corporate chess.With my unwavering determination, I articulated the plan to Marvin, my partner in both business and life. "Marvin, acquiring Cally's company is our next logical step. It will not only eliminate a formidable rival but also position us as dominant players in the industry. We have the means, the strategy, and now, the insight into their financial vulnerabilities. It's time to make our move."I did not know if Marvin would buy into what I was saying because I knew that Cally would never want to sell his company. I hope he does if not the other opti
