Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 99: Dangerous Truths

[155 Days Left to Live]

Sophia stood near the large glass window of Cassius’s office, arms crossed over her chest. Her reflection was crisp against the dark skyline, her lips pressed in a thoughtful line. She turned slightly, her eyes narrowing at the man seated behind the sleek black desk.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Her voice was quiet, controlled, but there was tension behind it.

Cassius looked up from the screen he had been staring at, his expression unreadable. He gave a single nod. "Yes."

Sophia didn’t move. She stayed still, but her voice came firmer this time. "But it might put them into danger. Especially Reynold. He is determined to catch him. If he finds out—"

"I have no other choice," Cassius cut in, his voice calm but resolute. "The Diamond siblings agreed to the cooperation anyway."

She slowly walked toward his desk, stopping right in front of it. Her eyes, usually cool and poised, searched his face. "Why don’t you just tell them the truth? This path you’re walking into is too complicated and dangerous."

Cassius met her gaze. He didn’t speak immediately. When he finally did, his voice was low, almost a whisper. "If only things were as easy as that. After all, I’m long dead to them. I can only stay in the shadows."

Sophia’s breath caught. She saw it then—the flicker in his eyes, the slight tightening of his jaw. It was a momentary crack in his composed facade. A flash of pain. It wasn’t just sadness. It was grief, a deep and quiet kind that never found the right place to rest. His world, his people, his name—all stripped away.

And yet, even knowing that, she didn’t regret what she did. She never would. If she were given the chance to go back in time, she’d still make the same decision. Because it saved his life.

"Okay," she said softly. "We’ll do things according to your arrangements."

She turned and walked out, the soft click of her heels the only sound left in the room. Cassius remained still, staring at the door for a long while.

---

In a different part of the city, inside the clean and modern interior of Reynold Draven’s office, the air was filled with tension.

Detective Jeric Ian stepped in, his expression grim. Reynold was already standing by his desk, arms folded.

"How’s the investigation?" he asked without waiting for a greeting.

Jeric got straight to the point. "There’s no record of him being released from prison. No transfer logs. No parole requests. Nothing. So we can only assume he escaped. Or someone helped him out."

He said the last part with a deliberate tone, eyes sharp.

Reynold exhaled through his nose, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wooden desk as he processed the words.

"Given his criminal records, he can’t be bailed out. He’s supposed to be locked up for life." He stopped, his eyes narrowing. "Who? Who helped him escape from the prison?"

Jeric shook his head. "We tried to trace everything. Staff records. Footage. Access logs. Everything’s clear. Too clear. It’s almost as if someone wiped it all clean. Didn’t you say you received a tip about him being at the hotel ribbon-cutting ceremony? That’s our only lead, but even that message is untraceable."

Reynold went quiet. He remembered it clearly. The message came out of nowhere. No contact name, just an unknown number. A few words, typed and sent, then gone. The message disappeared seconds after he read it. It felt like it was programmed to self-delete. And the timing—it was too perfect. Too precise. It was as if someone had been watching him, waiting for the right moment to drop that clue.

And now, the suspect—the one man who was supposed to be buried in darkness and silence—was out. Present. Alive.

His thoughts drifted. Cassius Varen. Sophia Sparkle. And the Diamond family.

Could they be involved?

But helping that man wouldn’t benefit the Diamonds. In fact, it put them at risk too. That left Cassius. If not him, then who?

He looked up at Jeric. "Keep digging. Don’t leave anything untouched. Check the transport system, guard shifts, even the prison food delivery. Someone helped him. Someone inside. And I need to know who."

Jeric nodded once and turned to leave.

Reynold sat down slowly. He had more questions than answers now.

---

Back at the Diamond Estate, a warm golden glow filled the luxurious sitting room. Larman Diamond and his younger brother Brent sat across from each other, coffee mugs in hand.

Brent spoke first. "Do you think it’s a good idea? Letting him out of prison?"

Larman leaned back into the couch, his expression calm but thoughtful. "Yes. This is the only way we can investigate who’s behind him. We’ve monitored him for years. We dug into every piece of his history. Interrogated everyone connected. But we still have no name. No face. Nothing."

He paused, looking out the window before continuing.

"Despite being locked in isolation, away from sunlight, alone in a dark room—he’s healthy. Too healthy. Someone has been helping him. From the inside."

Brent frowned. "We interrogated the guards. Admin staff. Kitchen crew. Everyone who even stepped foot near that wing. Yet each one chose suicide over revealing anything. That’s not loyalty. That’s fear. We let him out to follow his trail, but he’s already slipped from our control."

Larman didn’t speak immediately. Then he said quietly, "This is our only chance. As long as Cassius is on our side, we can track him."

His voice carried weight, not just confidence but conviction. Then he added, softer now, "Just make sure my son stays safe. Lian has already suffered more than any child should."

He picked up the tablet from the table beside him. On the screen, Lian was seated in his private room, eyes focused on the virtual lesson from his tutor. He was scribbling on his notebook, brows furrowed in concentration.

Larman watched him with pride and longing.

"Seems I can’t let him attend school. He can’t even ride a school bus, play with classmates, or eat lunch in a noisy cafeteria. All I wanted was for him to live a normal life. But with all these threats..." He trailed off, voice growing quiet.

Brent leaned forward, his tone serious but affectionate. "Don’t worry, Brother. I’ll make sure he stays safe. And once we’ve captured Uncle Barmon and the real mastermind, Lian can finally attend school like every other kid. For now, I’ve dispatched men to stay close. No one gets near him without my knowledge."

Larman nodded slowly, still staring at his son on the screen. He didn’t reply, but his shoulders seemed to relax slightly.

For now, that was enough.

The game was already in motion. The pieces were set. And the enemy was no longer caged.

All they could do now was watch. And wait.

Because the shadows were moving again.