Page 41 of The Truth Between

I hadn’t ever been more thankful that he hadn’t tried to follow me than I was this time.

25

SOREN

The golden glow from the flames in my fireplace provided a peaceful backdrop as I sat leaning over my desk. It was doing its best to keep the chill in the air at bay, but given how late it was, there was still a small draft in the house due to the drop in temperature. None of that meant anything to me as my pen flew across the page, detailing the plan that I intended to carry out.

Once I finished what I needed to write, I leaned back and allowed myself to scan what I’d written down. It was a lot to pull off in less than twenty-four hours, but none of that mattered. This would go off without a hitch if it was the last thing I did.

I reached for my phone and called the last number I’d spoken to. I tapped my fingers on the desk, each beat echoing the urgency of what was going on. We needed to act, and we needed to act fast.

“Hello?” The voice on the other end was barely audible.

“I’m calling to make sure everything will be ready to go by sunrise,” I said.

“Of course, Mr. Grant,” he replied. “We have everything ready and will be at your house shortly.”

“Everything has to be perfect.” My voice was low and thinly veiled with a warning. If they fucked this up, I’d be sure to make their lives a living hell.

This was my attempt at turning a page, and it must be executed to perfection.

“Understood,” he said, his tone clipped and professional. “We won’t let you down.”

“See that you don’t,” I replied, ending the call abruptly.

The moment I hung up the phone, a satisfied smirk played on my lips. The wheels were in motion, and everything would go according to plan. I stood up and strode to the door and flung it open. There stood Franklin as if he knew I was about to go search for him. If it were anyone else, I’m sure they would have been scared to have Franklin standing there. But I was so used to him doing this it didn’t faze me.

“Ah,” I said, my voice low and deliberate. “Just the man I needed to see.”

“Mr. Grant,” he said as he stepped into the room, careful not to make a sound. I closed the door behind him before I spoke.

“Everything is in place,” I informed him. “They should be arriving here within the hour.”

“Very good, sir,” he murmured. “I’ll keep watch and will let them in when they arrive.”

“Thank you,” I said before Franklin gave me a sharp nod and exited the room as quietly as he entered it.

Alone again, I began to pace the length of the room, my footsteps echoing softly with each step I took. This was an excellent plan and I knew it.

This would be perfect for Iris, and I couldn’t wait to see her face when she saw it.

I was finally embracing what Eden wanted for me all along. Not isolating myself any longer and leaning into finding everlasting love.

26

IRIS

The next morning, I woke up feeling slightly groggy, and I struggled to open my eyes. It was as if something was weighing them down. When I could finally commit to doing so, my eyes landed on a cloudy sky outside of my window. I stared at the variations of gray that somewhat swirled together as I tried to clear the mental fog.

I stretched and turned over, but confusion still filled my brain. There was a light streaming into the room from under the door, and curiosity got the best of me. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I slowly got out of my bed, giving myself a chance to wake up more before I walked toward the door and turned the doorknob.

As the door opened, my mouth dropped open in awe. The once gloomy hallway outside of this room had been transformed into a winter wonderland, lit by strands of twinkling lights, small, decorated trees, and garland. Fake snow on the floor completed the look, and it almost looked as beautiful as the snow that I’d noticed when I’d eaten out on the terrace, which unfortunately didn’t last long.

The sight before me took my breath away. My first emotion was confusion as I took it in, but that quickly turned into joy, something I hadn’t been expecting while I’d been forced to stay here. This looked like something out of a movie or a fairy tale. What the heck was this all about?

Obviously, this was a project that Soren had ordered to happen. First of all, how did I sleep through the noise that this would have caused? Also, when did Soren have time to plan all of this?

I shook off my questions, deciding that I needed to enjoy this moment instead of wondering how this all came to be. As I wandered through the hallway, I couldn’t help but admire the decorations because not only did they evoke nostalgia and the holiday season, but they also brightened this place considerably. The soft music from a piano drifted to my ears, and I couldn’t help but smile.

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