If Grayson wanted a game, I was more than ready to play. But this wasn't going to be some straightforward battle of wits. It was a maze — a carnival funhouse of mirrors and dead ends — and I needed to find the exit before he trapped me inside forever.
I started with his past. If I wanted to predict his moves, I needed to know the man behind the mask.
Late into the night, the screen glowed in the dark. Old news articles, business filings, whispers from forums no one else cared to read. I found something — a mention of a brother. Or at least, someone who'd been called that.
His name: Elias.
I dug deeper. Elias Grayson was a name buried beneath layers of corporate secrets and family politics. There were no photos, no interviews. Just a few dry legal documents hinting at a complicated family history.
And then, the kicker: Elias was actually a stepbrother.
I felt a thrill. If I could find Elias, maybe I could find a way in. Maybe he knew things Grayson didn't want shared.
I found a phone number in a private database — one that looked real. My fingers hesitated over the call button. Was I walking into another trap? Was Elias friend or foe?
I pressed CALL.
The line clicked. A man answered, his voice rough like gravel but not unkind.
"Elias?"
"Yes?"
"This is Scarlett. I— I need to talk to you about Grayson."
There was silence on the other end. Then, carefully, "I don't know much. We haven't been close since he took over the family business. But if you want to know the truth, meet me. Tomorrow. The old pier, 7 PM."
I hung up, heart hammering.
This was it — the next move in a game I didn't fully understand. But one thing was clear: Grayson's world was darker and more tangled than I ever imagined. And I was already deep inside.