Page 34 of Tempting My Nemesis

He's dangerous company to keep.

What does he know about Caleb that I don’t? Is whatever it is the reason Caleb was so quick to get me away from him?

I think of the late nights he spends in his study, his vague answers about his work. The pieces don’t add up. Determination grows within me. I pick up one of Caleb's books, flipping throughit absently, but my mind races. The trust I’ve placed in him feels shaky, uncertain. I need to know.

My heart pounds as I consider the possibilities. What if Caleb's secrets are worse than I imagine? I've been hurt before, let down by those I trusted most. The thought of opening myself up to that pain again terrifies me. But isn't that what I've already done with Caleb?

I set the book down, my hands trembling slightly. Knowledge is power, I remind myself. If I know what he's hiding, I can protect myself. I can prepare for the worst. The alternative—being blindsided by whatever secrets he's keeping—is unthinkable.

Part of me wants to run, to shield myself from potential heartbreak. But I've come too far, invested too much of myself in this relationship to back down now. I need to know if what we have is real or if I'm just another pawn in whatever game Caleb is playing.

I look around the room one last time before setting down the book with resolve. Time to find out what Caleb Steele is hiding.

I wander into Caleb’s study, searching for something, any clue that might help me get to the bottom of this. The room is a stark contrast to the rest of the penthouse—bookshelves line the walls, filled with volumes I doubt Caleb has ever read. My fingers trail along the spines of the books, feeling their worn edges.

“What am I doing here?” I mutter, shaking my head.

My curiosity gets the better of me, though. Caleb has secrets, and this room might hold some answers.

I notice a section of books that seem slightly out of place, as if they’ve been moved recently. “That’s odd,” I whisper. I reach out and pull one of the books—a thick, leather-bound volume—off the shelf. A faint click echoes in the quiet room, and my heart skips a beat.

The bookshelf begins to shift, revealing a hidden door behind it. My pulse races as I stare at the entrance, a mix of fear and excitement coursing through me. Is this where he’s been disappearing to?

I hesitate, my hand hovering over the door handle. Part of me wants to turn back, but another part—the part that needs to know who I’m dealing with—urges me forward. If I don’t look, I’ll never know.

I open the door slowly, my pulse quickening with each step into the unknown. The dark staircase beyond seems to beckon me, pulling me in despite my fear. What could Caleb be hiding down there?

As I descend the staircase, the air grows cooler and more oppressive. My hands tremble slightly. At the bottom, a soft glow illuminates the space before me. I step into a room that is radically different from the spaces upstairs.

The room is clinical, filled with high-tech equipment—multiple computer monitors hum quietly, casting a cold light. My breath catches as I see a large table in the center of the room covered in documents and gadgets.

A file lying slightly askew grabs my attention. The emblem on it—a snake intertwined with a dagger—is unmistakable:SilenceBreakers.

My heart pounds as I pick up the file, my fingers shaking as I open it to find Caleb’s name handwritten in bold letters across the top page.

I flip through the pages, each one revealing more about Caleb’s secret life. There are detailed plans, encrypted messages, and lists of targets—high-profile corporations and government agencies—all linked to SilenceBreakers.

The reality of what I’ve discovered hits me like a tidal wave. Caleb is one of them.

My stomach churns as I find a document labeled "Operations," listing dates and locations of previous hacks—some I remember hearing about on the news. The document details an operation that matches one I remember hearing about—one that caused significant damage to a major corporation.

My hands tighten around the papers, anger and disillusionment surging through me. The man I thought I knew is not who he claimed to be.

“Oh my God... Caleb, what have you been doing?” I whisper, my voice trembling with shock and disbelief.

The reality begins to sink in: Caleb is involved in something dangerous, something illegal.

I piece together more fragments of Caleb’s secret life—encrypted emails, detailed plans of previous hacks, lists of targets. It’s no wonder he needed someone stabilize his reputation, so he could keep up his double life. Was anything between us real, or was I just a diversion for him? The love I felt for Caleb now feels tainted, corrupted by the secrets he's been keeping.

My hands shake as I examine the rest of the documents. The room feels colder, more oppressive. My heart races; my breath comes in shallow gasps as the walls seem to close in around me. This can’t be real... but it is. This is who he really is.

A tear slips down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away, trying to stay strong, trying to process the magnitude of what I've uncovered. How long has Caleb been involved with the SilenceBreakers? What else is he hiding? Does he even care about me?

I hear footsteps approaching from behind and whirl around to face him.

“Zoe?” His voice is laced with concern.

My pulse quickens as he steps into view. His piercing gray eyes lock onto mine.

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