Chapter 5 Shattered Trust

# Chapter 5: Shattered Trust

Paris welcomed us with gray skies and gentle rain, a stark contrast to the picture-perfect honeymoon weather Gideon had promised. Our hotel suite at the Ritz overlooked the Place Vendôme, opulent and excessive in a way that would have thrilled me just days ago. Now, the gilded mirrors and plush furnishings felt like the elaborate set of a play where I was performing the role of devoted wife.

"What do you think?" Gideon asked, coming up behind me as I stood at the window. His hands settled on my shoulders, his reflection joining mine in the glass.

"It's beautiful," I said truthfully. "Everything is perfect."

His fingers traced a path down my arms. "You seem tense. Jet lag?"

I turned to face him, summoning a smile. "A little. And everything's happened so fast—Emmett, the wedding..."

At the mention of my brother, Gideon's expression flickered briefly before settling back into concern. "I understand. Why don't you rest while I make some calls? I've arranged dinner at L'Ambroisie tonight."

The moment he left for the adjoining room, I exhaled shakily. Playing this part was exhausting—pretending I didn't suspect my husband of murdering my brother, of marrying me for access to my company's government contracts, of potentially being involved in espionage.

I pulled out my phone, careful to keep my voice low as I texted Talia: "Arrived safely. Any news?"

Her reply came quickly: "Working on it. Cameron made mysterious calls after your departure. Stay vigilant."

I tucked the phone away as Gideon returned, his own device pressed to his ear. He was speaking rapidly in what sounded like Mandarin—a language I knew he had studied extensively for business.

"—necessary adjustments," he was saying as he caught sight of me. He smoothly switched to English. "We'll discuss the projections later. My wife needs my attention now."

He ended the call, slipping the phone into his pocket. "Business never sleeps," he said with a rueful smile. "But I've cleared my schedule for the rest of the day. Paris awaits us, Mrs. Blackwood."

The day passed in a surreal haze as we played tourist—the Louvre, a stroll along the Seine, espresso at sidewalk cafés. To any observer, we were the perfect newlywed couple. Gideon was attentive, charming, knowledgeable about French history and architecture. Several times I almost forgot the truth—almost believed we were simply a man and woman in love, starting our life together.

But then his phone would buzz, and that mask of calculation would briefly replace his smile. Or he would grip my hand a little too tightly when another man's gaze lingered on me. Small moments that reminded me who he really was.

At L'Ambroisie, over the most expensive meal I'd ever eaten, Gideon raised his wine glass. "To my brilliant wife," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "The final piece of my puzzle."

I clinked my glass against his. "And what puzzle is that?"

His smile didn't waver. "Building a legacy. Together, Reed Cybersecurity and Blackwood Tech will revolutionize the industry."

"Is that why you married me?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. "For my company?"

Gideon set down his glass, studying me. "I married you because you're exceptional, Maren. Your company is simply a reflection of that exceptionalism." He reached across the table, taking my hand. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

I forced a laugh. "Wedding jitters, lingering I suppose. Emmett always said I was too focused on business, that I'd never find someone who loved me for me."

The mention of my brother caused Gideon's jaw to tighten almost imperceptibly. "Emmett was protective of you. Understandably so." He squeezed my hand. "But he didn't understand what we have."

"And what is that, exactly?" I asked softly.

Gideon's eyes darkened. "A partnership of equals. Power recognizing power." He lifted my hand, kissing it. "And yes, Maren, desire. Never doubt that."

The intensity in his gaze made me shiver—not with pleasure but with fear. There was something predatory in the way he looked at me, like I was a prize he had finally claimed.

Back at the hotel, Gideon stepped into the bathroom to shower. The moment the water started running, I retrieved Talia's thumb drive from its hiding place and quickly plugged it into my laptop. The files were encrypted, requiring a password.

I tried several combinations—Emmett's birthday, our childhood address, the name of our first pet. Nothing worked. Time was running out; the shower would stop soon. In desperation, I tried "MBEmergency"—my initials and the label Emmett had used for urgent situations.

The drive unlocked.

Dozens of files appeared—financial records, emails, photographs. I clicked on one labeled "GBProof" and found myself looking at bank transfers from Blackwood Tech to offshore accounts linked to known arms dealers. Another file contained communications between Gideon and foreign operatives discussing "the Reed acquisition" months before he had even proposed to me.

My stomach lurched as the truth crystallized—our entire relationship had been strategic. Every dinner, every gift, every intimate moment—all calculated to gain access to my company and its government contracts.

The shower shut off. I quickly ejected the drive, hiding it in my toiletry bag just as Gideon emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Your turn," he said, droplets of water still clinging to his chest. "Then perhaps we can properly begin our honeymoon."

I forced a smile, slipping past him into the bathroom. Once alone, I leaned against the door, my heart hammering. The man I had married was a stranger—worse, an enemy.

---

The next morning, I woke to find Gideon already dressed, typing rapidly on his laptop.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, noticing I was awake. "Sleep well?"

"Like the dead," I lied, having spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, calculating my next move.

He closed his laptop. "I need to handle a situation back home. Will you forgive me if I step out for a few hours? Conference call that can't be avoided."

This was the opportunity I needed. "Of course. I might visit some shops, maybe that little bookstore we passed yesterday."

Once he left, I immediately called Talia, using the bathroom fan to muffle my voice in case the room was bugged.

"I found the files," I said the moment she answered. "Gideon has been planning this for over a year—the marriage, the merger, everything."

"I know," Talia replied grimly. "I've been digging deeper on my end. It's worse than we thought. The government contracts your company secured last year? They give access to defense systems that would be invaluable to certain foreign entities."

"So I'm essentially a key to the kingdom," I said bitterly.

"Exactly. But there's more—Cameron is definitely running his own game. I followed him yesterday to a meeting with representatives from Blackwood's biggest competitor. He's selling Gideon out."

I processed this information. "Can we use that?"

"Maybe. But be careful, Maren. I think Gideon suspects you know something. Your wedding photos are being used in financial circles as proof of the 'merger.' Your reputation is taking a hit—people are saying you sold out, that you were naive."

The thought stung more than it should have. I'd built Reed Cybersecurity from nothing, established myself in a male-dominated industry through sheer brilliance and determination. Now I was being portrayed as a lovesick fool who had handed over her company to a charming con man.

"I need to end this," I said firmly. "Find concrete proof and expose him."

"We're working on it. Alex is safe—he's gone underground but is gathering evidence. Just hang in there a few more days."

After we hung up, I sat on the edge of the massive hotel bed, staring at my wedding ring. The three-carat diamond caught the morning light, throwing rainbows across the wall. A beautiful prison.

My phone chimed with a text from Gideon: "Meeting running long. Join me for lunch at Café Marly at 1? Love you."

I typed back: "Looking forward to it," and added a heart emoji for good measure.

With a few hours to kill, I decided to actually visit the bookstore I'd mentioned—maintaining my cover story in case Gideon was having me followed. The small shop near the Seine was quiet, filled with the comforting smell of old paper and leather bindings.

As I browsed, my phone rang—an unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered cautiously.

"Mrs. Blackwood." The voice was male, unfamiliar. "Or do you prefer Reed?"

I moved to a quiet corner of the store. "Who is this?"

"A friend of your brother's. We don't have much time. Gideon isn't in a meeting—he's meeting with my former employers. They're concerned about loose ends."

My blood ran cold. "What loose ends?"

"You. Me. Anyone who knows too much." A pause. "Your friend Talia is in danger. They know she's been helping you."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I demanded, though fear was already clawing at my throat.

"Check your email. I've sent you something that proves everything."

The call ended abruptly. With shaking hands, I opened my email to find a message from another anonymous address. The attachment was a video file labeled "Wedding Night."

I pressed play and found myself looking at security footage from the Four Seasons—specifically, the service corridor where I had met Talia during the reception. The angle showed Gideon watching from the shadows as Talia and I spoke, his expression cold and calculating. When we parted, he made a call, speaking rapidly before following me back to the reception.

The video cut to a new scene—Gideon in a hotel suite, speaking with Cameron.

"She knows something," Gideon was saying, pacing the room. "That idiot brother of hers left her a message."

"Does it matter?" Cameron replied, looking bored. "The contracts are signed. The merger is complete. In a few weeks, we'll have everything we need."

"And if she goes public with her suspicions?"

Cameron shrugged. "Who would believe her? The grieving sister, traumatized by her brother's death, making wild accusations? We'll have her declared emotionally unstable, take control of Reed through the marriage contract, and proceed as planned."

Gideon stopped pacing, his expression thoughtful. "Paris might be the perfect place to stage another unfortunate accident."

My hand flew to my mouth, stifling a gasp. The evidence was right here—Gideon admitting his involvement in Emmett's death, planning my own.

I quickly forwarded the video to Talia with a warning to be careful, then deleted it from my phone in case Gideon checked it later. My mind raced as I left the bookstore, heading toward Café Marly for our lunch. I needed to appear normal, unsuspecting, while figuring out an escape plan.

Gideon was already seated at an outdoor table when I arrived, looking impeccable in a tailored suit. He stood as I approached, kissing me on both cheeks.

"Productive morning?" he asked as I took my seat.

"Very," I replied, forcing a smile. "Found some lovely old books. And you? How was your meeting?"

His eyes studied me, searching for any hint of deception. "Successful. Everything is proceeding according to plan."

The waiter arrived with champagne—ordered in advance by Gideon. As he poured, I noticed a headline on a nearby patron's newspaper: "Tech Power Couple Honeymoons in Paris as Merger Stocks Soar."

Gideon followed my gaze, his lips curving in satisfaction. "Good news travels fast," he remarked, raising his glass. "To us—and to the most valuable acquisition of my career."

The double meaning wasn't lost on me. I clinked my glass against his, maintaining my smile while bile rose in my throat.

"You know what I love about you, Maren?" he said, leaning forward. "Your intelligence. It's what attracted me from the beginning."

"Is that so?" I kept my tone light, curious where this was heading.

"Absolutely. Which is why I find it hard to believe you haven't figured it all out yet." His smile remained in place, but his eyes had gone cold. "Your brother did, eventually. Though it took him longer than I expected."

The champagne glass nearly slipped from my fingers. "What are you saying?"

Gideon reached across the table, taking my hand in a grip that appeared affectionate but felt like steel.

"I'm saying, my darling wife, that I know you've been in contact with Talia. I know about Alex. I know about the thumb drive." His thumb caressed my wedding ring. "And I know you've seen the video."

My blood froze in my veins. "Gideon—"

"Don't," he interrupted softly. "Don't insult both of us with denials. The question now is what happens next." He released my hand, sitting back in his chair. "You have two choices, Maren. Continue this investigation and meet an unfortunate end in a foreign country—tragic, but these things happen to tourists. Or accept your new reality as Mrs. Blackwood, enjoy the wealth and power that comes with it, and live."

The threat hung in the air between us, clear and unmistakable. Around us, Parisian life continued—tourists taking photos, waiters serving lunch, children laughing. No one aware of the quiet destruction of my world happening at this elegant café table.

"You killed my brother," I said, my voice barely audible.

Gideon's expression didn't change. "I removed an obstacle. Just as I'll remove anyone else who stands in my way." He checked his watch casually. "Including Talia, who should be meeting with an unfortunate accident right about now."