Chapter 17 Naima
NAIMA
The winding road back to The Three Bears seemed longer than ever.
The closer we got, the tighter the coil in my stomach wound, each rotation fueled by the energy rolling off the man beside me.
Lennox had grown quiet, his jaw set, his fingers gripping the steering wheel tight enough to pale his knuckles.
I wanted to ask what was wrong, but fear tightened my throat. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
When we pulled into the retreat, the sleek, black car was parked near the lodge entrance.
The driver, dressed in a sharp, dark suit, moved with precision, opening the back door to the vehicle.
My breath caught as a man stepped out—one who looked so much like Lennox, it felt as if reality had split in two.
Deep golden brown skin, amber eyes that held no warmth, and silver hair cut low.
His suit was immaculate, the tailoring so fine it seemed like the threads themselves obeyed him.
He exuded a confidence that bordered on arrogance, every movement deliberate and calculated.
On the porch, Selena and Tasha stood like sentinels, their faces a mix of curiosity and unease.
I stepped out of the truck, my knees weak as the man’s cold, assessing gaze landed on me.
Unlike Lennox’s amber eyes, which always seemed to hold secrets just for me, this man’s stare was sharp, slicing through any comfort I clung to.
“Naima.” Lennox’s voice was low, almost a plea, but it didn’t calm the storm building inside me. If anything, it made it worse. He hadn’t been this quiet, this controlled, since he arrived. The truth sat at the edge of my consciousness, but I wasn’t ready to look it in the eye.
Selena stepped forward, her usual poise wrapped tightly around her. “Can we help you?”
The man’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m Alan Gold from Gold Ventures.”
My world narrowed, my pulse a staccato rhythm in my ears. Alan Gold. The man whose company held our retreat’s future in its hands. And he looked just like Lennox.
My gaze darted to Lennox, searching for answers, for a single thread to pull me back to solid ground. But he couldn’t look at me. His lips remained a tight line, his eyes fixed on some point beyond my reach. I felt the truth in my bones, an ache that settled deep and cold.
Alan Gold had no such hesitation. “I’m the potential investor you’ve been waiting for.”
Selena’s expression brightened, her professionalism a practiced mask. “We’d be more than happy to show you around, Mr. Gold. Is there anything specific you’d like to see?”
He didn’t even look at her. His gaze was locked on Lennox. “No need. My son has already seen everything. Haven’t you, Lennox?”
My mind stumbled over the word. Son.
The air thickened, and the ground beneath me became unsteady. I turned to Lennox, my face a canvas of questions, but his expression remained a mask. The truth, raw and unfiltered, settled over us all.
“Lennox?”
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The silence swallowed us whole, and the weight of betrayal sat heavy on my chest.
Tasha’s eyes narrowed, a spark of heat in the cool air. “What the hell is going on?”
Lennox’s amber eyes finally found mine. “Naima, I was going to tell you—”
“When?” My voice cracked, splintering the fragile hope I’d held onto. “After you’d sold us out? After you’d taken everything we built and handed it to him?”
Selena’s expression hardened, the mask slipping to reveal the steel beneath. “Let’s continue this inside. Mr. Gold, if you would join me in my office, we can discuss this privately.”
Alan raised an eyebrow but followed Selena without protest. His presence sucked the warmth from the room, a shadow creeping into every corner. Tasha hesitated, her eyes bouncing between me and Lennox, the questions spilling over her lips before she could stop them.
“What kind of bullshit is this?” she demanded, her voice a low hiss. “You come in here, cozy up to Naima, and now this? You better start talking, Lennox, or so help me—”
“Tasha.” Selena’s voice cut through, firm but not unkind. “Let’s go.”
The door closed behind them, leaving Lennox and me alone in the silence that followed. But it wasn’t just silence—it was the echo of every lie, every unspoken truth, every promise turned to ash. And I had no idea what to do with it.