Chapter 19

Three days later, Olivia sat in Alex's study with a stack of freshly printed documents spread out before her. Alex stood by the window with his back to her, talking on the phone. "You're sure it was Photoshopped?"

Whatever the person on the other end said made his shoulders ease slightly. "Send me the original image and the layer analysis report." When he hung up, he turned around. "We figured out the photo."

Olivia tightened her grip on the papers in her hand. Alex walked over and handed her his phone.

On the screen was a forensic side-by-side comparison: on the left, the so-called intimate hotel photo Charles had shown Nathan; on the right, a front-facing solo photo of Alex.

His finger swiped across the screen and pulled up the Photoshop layer analysis report. "These two photos were taken on the same day, at the same event.

"Three years ago, at the Walker Family Annual Gala, I went onstage as the heir and gave a speech in this exact dark blue suit.

"Charles had someone cut out my face and paste it onto a stranger's body, the body of a man holding a woman. Then they swapped the gala background for a hotel room.

"Technical conclusion, composite image. No question about it."

As Olivia stared at the report, the giant weight crushing her chest for the past three days finally cracked open. "But Nathan said the date on the photo..."

Alex crouched in front of her and rested both hands over her knees. "The date is the easiest thing in the world to fake.

"Think about it, Olivia. If that photo had been real, why would Charles wait until three years later to have Nathan bring it up to me?

"He should've thrown it in your face five years ago, when you were leaving me. Wouldn't that have worked even better?"

Olivia fell silent. He was right. If Alex had really cheated, Charles wouldn't have needed to go through all that trouble setting traps. One photo would've been enough to make her give up for good. "Then why fake that photo and show it to Nathan?"

Alex's gaze darkened. "To make him hate me. Nathan is the person you care about most. If he believed I'd betrayed you, Charles would've planted a time bomb right beside you. Three years later, once Nathan got out, that bomb would go off."

A chill ran down Olivia's back. Charles had spent five years building this trap, calculating every last step. Even the conversation she and Nathan were bound to have after his release had been part of the plan.

"As for those three months when Nathan was following you..."

Alex took her hand and held it tight. "I really was investigating Horizon, because they were secretly buying up loose Walker shares and I had to strike back. It had nothing to do with your internship.

"Olivia, I'll admit it, the reason I first got close to you wasn't pure. But falling in love with you was the cleanest thing I've ever done."

Olivia looked into his eyes. There was no dodging there, no guilt. Only honesty, and the deep love he'd been holding back for five years. She believed him.

"Nathan still doesn't know any of this. I'll go tell him," she rose to her feet as her phone rang. It was Nathan's number. Olivia answered at once. "Nathan?"

But the voice that came through wasn't Nathan's. It was a rough, distorted male voice run through a voice changer. "Ms. Hill, your brother's with me. If you want him back alive, bring Alex to the Eastside Abandoned Shipyard within an hour.

"And remember, only the two of you come. Call the cops, and you'll get your brother back one finger at a time."

The call disconnected. Olivia's face went white, but Alex had already grabbed his car keys. "Let's go." The car shot into the night while Olivia sat in the passenger seat calling Nathan again and again. His phone was off.