The Agent in the Dark

The Agent in the Dark

Lan Zhen

5.0
Comment(s)
224
View
11
Chapters

My sister, Lily, was dying. Leukemia, rare and aggressive. Only an experimental bone marrow transplant could save her, costing seventy-five thousand dollars. Insurance called it "experimental," so they wouldn't cover it. I worked double shifts at the grimy diner, counting every dollar of my meager tips. It was never enough for Lily. Then Jess, my flashy old high school friend, showed up. She had an "unconventional" job, she said, with "huge pay." A vigil for a dying man, Adam Blackwood, a wealthy recluse in rural Louisiana. They needed a "pure-hearted young woman," a virgin, to perform "comforting rites" for his soul's passage. And a "discreet examination" afterwards, to confirm my "commitment." One hundred thousand dollars. More than enough for Lily. Despite a creeping unease, Lily's pale face flashed in my mind. I took the thirty thousand upfront, let Jess drive me to the massive, gothic plantation. Mr. Blackwood was cold, Mrs. Blackwood tearfully obsessed with my "purity." They immediately took my phone, locking me alone in a dimly lit room with "Adam." He lay still, impossibly sedated, his breathing shallow, his pupils constricted pinpoints. He wasn't dying naturally. He was being drugged. The chilling truth slammed into me: this wasn't a ritual. The "pure-hearted" vigil? A calculated farce. "Adam" wasn't dying of illness; he was being systematically poisoned. And he wasn't Adam Blackwood at all. He was Ben Carter, an FBI agent, deep undercover in an antiquities smuggling ring. I was the perfect scapegoat, framed to take the fall for his impending "death." Jess, my friend, had sold me out, a willing accomplice in their deadly deception. Trapped, utterly betrayed, and staring down a dangerous criminal conspiracy, Lily's money no longer mattered. Now, it was about survival. I had to save Ben, expose the Blackwoods, and fight my way out of a nightmare.

Introduction

My sister, Lily, was dying.

Leukemia, rare and aggressive.

Only an experimental bone marrow transplant could save her, costing seventy-five thousand dollars.

Insurance called it "experimental," so they wouldn't cover it.

I worked double shifts at the grimy diner, counting every dollar of my meager tips.

It was never enough for Lily.

Then Jess, my flashy old high school friend, showed up.

She had an "unconventional" job, she said, with "huge pay."

A vigil for a dying man, Adam Blackwood, a wealthy recluse in rural Louisiana.

They needed a "pure-hearted young woman," a virgin, to perform "comforting rites" for his soul's passage.

And a "discreet examination" afterwards, to confirm my "commitment."

One hundred thousand dollars. More than enough for Lily.

Despite a creeping unease, Lily's pale face flashed in my mind.

I took the thirty thousand upfront, let Jess drive me to the massive, gothic plantation.

Mr. Blackwood was cold, Mrs. Blackwood tearfully obsessed with my "purity."

They immediately took my phone, locking me alone in a dimly lit room with "Adam."

He lay still, impossibly sedated, his breathing shallow, his pupils constricted pinpoints.

He wasn't dying naturally. He was being drugged.

The chilling truth slammed into me: this wasn't a ritual.

The "pure-hearted" vigil? A calculated farce.

"Adam" wasn't dying of illness; he was being systematically poisoned.

And he wasn't Adam Blackwood at all.

He was Ben Carter, an FBI agent, deep undercover in an antiquities smuggling ring.

I was the perfect scapegoat, framed to take the fall for his impending "death."

Jess, my friend, had sold me out, a willing accomplice in their deadly deception.

Trapped, utterly betrayed, and staring down a dangerous criminal conspiracy, Lily's money no longer mattered.

Now, it was about survival.

I had to save Ben, expose the Blackwoods, and fight my way out of a nightmare.

Continue Reading

Other books by Lan Zhen

More
His Humiliation, Her Freedom

His Humiliation, Her Freedom

Young Adult

5.0

For seven years, I lived in Liam Sterling' s shadow, meticulously crafting his academic success. Tonight, at our graduation party, he stood on stage, arm around his new girlfriend, Skye Miller, and publicly humiliated me. He announced they were going to Northwood Community College, then suggested I come along, sneering, "You know you can' t manage without me telling you what to do. It' s for the best." Murmurs and snickers filled the room. "His lapdog." "He owns her." Humiliation burned my cheeks, but this time, something snapped. The suffocating feeling that had always compelled my obedience vanished. All the years of silent suffering exploded into rage. When Liam, unaccustomed to resistance, tried to order me around again, I looked him straight in the eye. "No," I said, my voice clear and loud for the first time. His face reddened, but I wasn' t done. "I' m not going to community college with you, Liam. I' m not going anywhere with you." His control shattered, Liam escalated. He and Skye led a mob to my house, turning my sanctuary into a frat party. They poured wine on my graduation dress, laughed at my humiliation, and when I saw my grandmother' s locket-a precious heirloom-around Skye' s neck, a piece of my soul was torn. Liam had stolen it from my room and given it to her. "It' s just a piece of cheap metal, Ava," he scoffed. "It was my grandmother' s! It' s all I have left of her!" I cried, but he just said, "Get over it." Then, Skye whispered to Liam about my college applications, suggesting he destroy my future. My heart pounded as he headed for my room, a cruel smile on his face. No! My future. My laptop. He publicly deleted my Ivy League applications, replacing them with Northwood Vocational School, and submitted it. Then, he smashed my laptop. They dragged me to the basement, locking me in, knowing my deepest fear. My world ended there, swallowed by darkness and their laughter. But somewhere, a father was about to get a call, and Liam Sterling was about to learn a very painful lesson.

When Silence Roared: A Mother's Escape

When Silence Roared: A Mother's Escape

Romance

5.0

My life was a constant struggle, cleaning up after Ethan, a musician with "the devil's blood" and a cruel wife, all while trying to save for my son Caleb's therapy. But when Ethan bought his mistress a diamond bracelet with Caleb's therapy savings, then locked my terrified boy in a closet just for her amusement, I knew I was living in hell. The real nightmare began when he dragged Caleb to the edge of a bottomless quarry, threatening to push him, making me believe he was about to murder our child. Saved at the last moment by the Sheriff, Nathaniel, a man rumored to be the sworn enemy of Ethan's family, I thought I'd found sanctuary. But my ex-husband's control, rooted in a terrifying blood pact, threatened to destroy us all, pulling every loved one into his spiral of sadism. Even Nathaniel, my supposed savior, had his own dark secrets, revealed by a chilling recording on what was meant to be my wedding day. His calm dismissal of my pain and his true motives shattered my last ounce of hope. How could the man who rescued my son from the brink of death be using me as a pawn in his own twisted family game, willing to sacrifice my comfort and trust for his ambition? Why did he send my child away right before our ceremony, claiming it was for "safety"? I ripped off the wedding dress. I wasn't just leaving that wedding; I was leaving behind every lie, every manipulation, and redefining what it meant to fight for my son and myself, no matter the cost, no matter the man.

You'll also like

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book