The Thorne Heiress Unveiling Shadow novel Chapter 57

The Thorne private jet landed smoothly at a small, discreet airfield an hour outside of Havenwood, Vermont. From there, they switched to an unassuming, locally rented SUV. As Kaelen drove them through the rolling green hills and quaint, picturesque landscape, a tense silence filled the car. Chase sat in the back, a silent, watchful guardian, while Grey, the head of Kaelen's security team, sat in the passenger seat, briefing them.

"The town is small, Mr. Blackwood, Miss Thorne," Grey said, his voice a low, professional monotone. "Population nine hundred and twelve. Everyone knows everyone. Any outsiders, especially those asking questions, will be noticed within the hour." He turned from the front seat to look at them. "A single investigator would be spotted immediately. A lone couple, however, is easily explained. This time of year, we get a lot of tourists looking for a quiet getaway, or wealthy city folk scouting for vacation properties."

He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "Logically, the most effective cover for the two of you would be to pose as a wealthy, engaged couple looking to buy a second home in the area."

The logical suggestion dropped into the car's interior like a stone, creating a ripple of profound awkwardness. Kaelen kept his eyes fixed on the road, but Evelyn could see a muscle tighten in his jaw. She herself felt a strange, unfamiliar heat creep up her neck. A couple? The idea was so absurd, so far removed from their strategic, arm's-length alliance, that it was almost comical.

"It's the most logical approach," Kaelen finally said, his voice carefully neutral, all business. "It gives us a legitimate reason to be seen around town, to visit the local shops, to talk to people without raising suspicion."

"Fine," Evelyn agreed, her own voice just as cool. "But if we're going to do this, we need to be convincing."

And so began the most surreal business negotiation of Evelyn's life. As they drove, they were forced to construct a fictional relationship, to back-fill a life they had never lived, with the same meticulous attention to detail they would use to plan a corporate takeover.

"How did we meet?" Kaelen asked, his tone as serious as if he were discussing a multi-billion dollar merger.

"A charity gala for the Philharmonic," Evelyn replied instantly, choosing an event she knew he had attended two years prior. "We were introduced by a mutual acquaintance. The conversation was... stimulating."

"Our first date?" he countered, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

"...The Egyptian Wing at the Met," she said, after a half-second of hesitation. "You were impressed by my knowledge of Ptolemaic dynasty trade routes."

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