It had been two days since the engagement party, and I couldn’t erase the image of that folder from my mind. Project Scarlett. The words were like a scar I couldn’t heal. I wanted to confront Logan, but every time I saw him, his charming smile and soft voice made me hesitate. Was I just overthinking things?

I shook my head, trying to focus on the present. I was at a quaint café downtown, my laptop open as I scrolled through emails. I needed to distract myself.

But even in the hum of quiet conversations and clinking cups, my thoughts kept returning to that photo.

“Scarlett?”

I turned sharply. A man I didn’t recognize stood before me. He had sharp features, dark hair, and a serious expression that made me uneasy.

“Yes?” I asked cautiously.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, glancing around nervously. “It’s about your family.”

My heart skipped a beat. “I don’t know you.”

“I’m Caleb Hayes. And trust me, you need to listen.”

I hesitated. He looked out of place in the cozy café, like he belonged in a movie where danger lurked around every corner. Against my better judgment, I nodded toward the chair across from me.

He sat, leaning in as if we were sharing secrets. “Do you know who you really are, Scarlett?”

I blinked, confused. “What kind of question is that?”

“You’re being watched,” he said, lowering his voice. “By Logan. By your father. They’ve been hiding things from you your entire life.”

My stomach churned. “What are you talking about?”

Caleb pulled out his phone and slid it across the table. On the screen was a blurry photo of Logan speaking to my father outside the Monroe estate.

“This was taken last night,” he said. “Logan and your father have been working together for years. Their business isn’t as clean as they make it seem.”

“You’re lying,” I whispered, shaking my head.

“Am I?” Caleb leaned back, studying me. “Do you even know what Project Scarlett means?”

The air felt heavy. How did he know about that? My pulse quickened, but I tried to remain calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then let me spell it out for you.” Caleb’s gaze bore into mine. “You’re part of something bigger. Something dangerous. And now that you’ve seen Logan’s files, you’ve put yourself in the crosshairs.”

I didn’t know whether to believe him or laugh at the absurdity. “This is insane,” I muttered, grabbing my bag.

As I stood to leave, Caleb grabbed my wrist. “Scarlett, they’re watching you. You need to be careful.”

I yanked my arm away, fear prickling down my spine. Without another word, I rushed out of the café and into the busy street.

Back at the Monroe estate, I paced my room, my mind racing. Caleb’s words played on repeat: You’re being watched. You’re not safe.

I grabbed my phone and opened the notes app. I typed everything I could remember from Logan’s files: the financial transactions, the strange codes, the photo. There had to be a connection.

A knock on my door startled me. “Scarlett?”

It was Logan.

I quickly shut my phone and forced a smile as I opened the door. “Hey.”

His blue eyes studied me, but I couldn’t tell if it was concern or suspicion. “You’ve been quiet. Is everything okay?”

I nodded, though my chest felt tight. “Just tired. Wedding planning, you know?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Of course.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.

Later that night, I sat in my father’s study. He and Logan were both out, and I knew this was my chance.

I rummaged through his desk, pulling out drawers and sifting through papers. Everything looked normal—contracts, receipts, business cards.

Then I found it.

A small key taped beneath the desk.

I looked around the room until my eyes landed on a cabinet in the corner. My hands trembled as I unlocked it.

Inside were files. Hundreds of them.

As I flipped through, my blood ran cold. These weren’t just business documents—they were records of offshore accounts, lists of names I didn’t recognize, and photos of people I’d never met.

And then I saw it again: Project Scarlett.

The file contained more photos of me as a child, along with medical records, timelines, and… adoption papers?

The room spun.

My phone buzzed, breaking my trance. It was an unknown number.

“Scarlett Monroe,” a deep voice said when I answered.

“Who is this?”

“You’ve seen too much. If you want to stay alive, leave it alone.”

The line went dead.

My hands shook as I clutched the phone. I turned back to the file, desperate for answers.

That’s when I saw it—a photo of Caleb Hayes, dated three months ago, with the words: Do not approach. Dangerous.

Before I could process it, the study door creaked open, and Logan stood there, his face shadowed in the dim light. “Scarlett,” he said coldly, “what are you doing?”

Logan’s voice echoed through the study, cold and sharp. My chest tightened as I froze, my fingers clutching the adoption papers. His eyes locked on me, narrowing as he stepped inside, his footsteps deliberate and heavy.

“Scarlett,” he said again, this time softer but no less threatening. “What are you doing in here?”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. “I-I was just looking for something.”

He tilted his head, a humorless smile playing on his lips. “In a locked cabinet? Really?”

My mind raced. I had to think of something, anything, to get out of this. “I saw a key, and I got curious. Why is this locked anyway? What are you hiding?” I shot back, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Logan’s expression hardened. He crossed the room in seconds, his towering presence looming over me. “You shouldn’t be snooping, Scarlett.”

I took a step back, clutching the file behind me. “Why not? What’s in these files? Why do they have my name? My photo?”

His jaw tightened. "Give that to me.”

“No.” My voice trembled, but I held my ground. “Not until you tell me the truth. What is Project Scarlett? Why are there adoption papers with my name on them? What have you been lying about, Logan?”

For a moment, he looked genuinely torn. A flicker of something—regret? Pain?—crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice low. “I did everything to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I repeated, my voice rising. “By lying to me? By working with my father behind my back? What even is this?!”

Logan ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “It’s complicated. Just trust me, Scarlett.”

I laughed bitterly. “Trust you? After everything I’ve found? How can I trust you?”

Before he could respond, my phone buzzed on the desk. Both our eyes darted to it. The unknown number again.

“Don’t answer that,” Logan said quickly.

I grabbed it before he could stop me. “Hello?”

“Scarlett,” the deep voice said again. “Get out of there. Now. He’s not who you think he is.”

I glanced at Logan, whose face had gone pale. “Who are you? What do you mean?”

“I’m the only one who can help you,” the voice continued. “But you need to leave before it’s too late.”

Logan lunged for the phone, but I yanked it away. “Scarlett, hang up!” he snapped.

“Why? Who is this?!” I demanded, holding the phone tighter.

The line went dead.

Logan’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. “Give me the phone, Scarlett.”

“No!” I yelled, pulling away. “Not until you tell me the truth!”

He hesitated, his grip loosening slightly. “It’s not safe for you to know. Just trust me. Please.”

Something in his voice made me falter. Was he… afraid? But of what? Or who?

Before I could decide what to do, the study door burst open, and my father strode in, his face dark with anger. “What’s going on here?”

Logan immediately stepped back, his usual composed mask slipping back into place. “Scarlett found the files,” he said, his voice calm but firm.

My father’s eyes flicked to the open cabinet and the papers in my hand. His expression turned icy. “Scarlett, put those down.”

I shook my head. “No. Not until you both tell me the truth. What is this about? What have you been hiding from me?”

“Scarlett,” my father said, his tone dangerously low, “you don’t understand what you’re getting yourself into. This isn’t a game.”

“Then explain it to me!” I shouted. “Because right now, it feels like my entire life has been a lie!”

Neither of them answered. The tension in the room was suffocating.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed again. This time, a text popped up on the screen: “RUN.”

I barely had time to react before the sound of shattering glass filled the room. A smoke grenade rolled across the floor, hissing as thick, white smoke filled the air.

“Scarlett!” Logan yelled, grabbing my arm.

I coughed, my eyes stinging as I tried to see through the haze. “What’s happening?”

“We need to get out of here,” Logan said, dragging me toward the door.

But before we could reach it, a shadowy figure stepped through the smoke, blocking our path.

“Not so fast,” a deep voice said.

It was Caleb.

Logan froze, his grip on me tightening. “You,” he hissed.

Caleb’s eyes flicked to me. “Scarlett, come with me. Now.”

I hesitated, torn between the two men. Logan had lied to me, betrayed me. But Caleb—how could I trust him?

“Scarlett,” Caleb said urgently. “You don’t have time to doubt me. If you stay here, you’ll regret it.”

Logan pulled me closer. “Don’t listen to him. He’s dangerous.”

“And you’re not?” Caleb shot back, his voice cold.

The room spun as panic set in. I didn’t know who to trust, who to believe.

“Scarlett,” Caleb said again, his hand outstretched. “Choose.”

The smoke cleared just enough for me to see the gun in Caleb’s hand—aimed directly at Logan.