or some reason. It had worked out well the previ

ur most recent chat that stuck in my memory,

ic attire so I could mix in with

ion or make me face the prospect that I had miscal

d many months before. Marcus Whitfield was a well-known individual who

crucial in helping me put together the spec

mly lit office. Marcus was seated behind his disorganized

e you come here today? I figured you'd be

ted a grin. Marcus, I need you to delve fu

"I believed that he already had everythin

o he is." "I want to know if there's something th

out what I was asking. "Aren't you becoming

sounded empty because of the uncertainty that w

ette and lit it with a deliberate flick of his wrist. "All ri

I'm used to getting burned."

ffice, feeling like a second skin. I was certain

inquiries that had started to bother me

nni's office building, a soaring steel and gla

ing him for lunch or dropping off paperwork. I wasn't there

r. My nerves tensed as the journey to the top level seemed never-ending, with every second seeming to stretc

nni's perceptive assistant, welcomed me. "Miss Rossi, you

reply. "I just intended to catc

tly in a meeting, but if you'd l

perfect," I said in a ch

I started to become anxious. I had to exercise caution sinc

ould feel his presence the inst

g windows providing an amazing vi

nd the air was heavy with the s

ngertips while I studied the room's intricacies. On the desk were

ady smiling, their features beaming with happiness. Something t

e questions raced through my head, adding to t

on finding anything that might help me understand the guy I was going to kill. A

ut of place. But then I discovered something that made my breath

ttered, and the tab had

n this place? What makes Giovanni think he has a file on my dad? I op

work related to the factory explosion that claimed my fat

ed that intentional sabotage had caused the explosion rather than carelessnes

es of honesty and morality, been a part of something so sinister and deceitful? It couldn't be

floor as the realization struck me like a punch. My whole world wa

e. When he saw me standing there with the papers all over the p

orry and perplexity as he continued,

he guy I had vowed to ruin and held responsible for everything, only to

age in front of him, the jigsaw pieces fitti

hroat. Is this something, Giovan

anted to keep you safe. I didn't want the knowledge of your father's transgress

aware? You had known the truth all along, so why di

voice, he said, "I d

mpting to identify and expose the company's wr

e that no one else would have to endure the kind of suffering your family

back. Furthermore, I was una

f the things I had taken for granted and the foundation of my existence had b

ed from the intensity of my emotions as I spok

d quietly, his eyes brimming with sorrow. "And because I wa

e, the man who, in some mistaken effort to shield me, had withheld the truth fro

s no longer as obvious as it previously had been. It had become impos

my arm as I stood there trying to make

notice the sincerity in his voice. "I never meant t