PHOENIX

12| HE WAS REAL

Jackson eventually found a secluded parking space that gave him a clear view of the boutique's entrance without making his own car stand out. Once he was satisfied with the position, he settled back into his seat and turned all of his attention towards the scarred man standing outside the store. The man hadn't moved from his post. Instead, he stood there with the alertness of someone who expected trouble at any moment, occasionally tilting his head ever so slightly as though listening to someone speaking through an earpiece. It didn't take Jackson long to realise what that meant. The scarred man wasn't working alone. There had to be other people scattered throughout the mall, all watching Melissa, monitoring the crowds and communicating with one another without drawing attention to themselves. The thought made Jackson far more uneasy than he cared to admit. He had expected Melissa to have protection, but he hadn't expected what looked like a coordinated security operation.

Before doing anything else, Jackson carefully scanned the surrounding parking lot, making sure nobody was paying particular attention to him or his vehicle. Satisfied that he hadn't attracted any unwanted interest, he slowly relaxed against the seat, although the feeling didn't last very long. This entire operation was proving to be considerably more dangerous than he had anticipated. For the first time since deciding to follow Melissa, he genuinely questioned whether he had chosen the right person to keep under surveillance. Looking back, there were several other members of the Roy family who probably would have been much safer to follow. Roy himself had never really been an option. Following the head of the family would have been asking to get caught. Richard, better known as Ric, the teenage son from Roy's second marriage, was a possibility, as was Matthew, Melissa's older cousin.

Matthew "Matt" Martins, the son of Mia Roy-Martins, stood to inherit Reed Martins's empire one day, making him an influential figure in his own right. From everything Jackson had managed to uncover over the past few years, Matthew spent far more time at his uncle Roy's estate than he did at his own father's home, something many people found unusual considering the Martins family possessed wealth and influence equal to the Roys. Rumours surrounding Mia Roy-Martins painted her as someone every bit as ruthless as both her father and her brother, with some even claiming she surpassed them in cruelty. Matthew, according to those same rumours, had inherited that ruthlessness from his mother's side of the family while also inheriting his father's complete lack of humanity. Whether those stories were entirely true or not, Jackson had learned long ago that rumours surrounding families like the Roys rarely appeared without at least some foundation.

Reed Martins himself had built a reputation that inspired fear throughout the city. Stories about his cruelty seemed to follow him wherever his name was mentioned, and if Matthew truly possessed the worst qualities of both his parents, then Jackson had no doubt he was an exceptionally dangerous man despite his relatively young age. They were roughly the same age, but Jackson had never been foolish enough to underestimate him simply because of that. Even so, if he had to choose between following Matthew and following Roy himself, the decision wasn't particularly difficult. Matthew, intimidating as he undoubtedly was, still seemed like the less frightening option.

As for the youngest member of Roy's household, Jackson knew remarkably little. Richard, whom almost everyone simply called Ric, was still only a teenager, and very little information about him had surfaced compared to the rest of the family. Jackson couldn't help wondering what kind of man the boy would eventually become. If Ric had inherited even a small portion of his father's personality, it wouldn't be long before people throughout the city started hearing his name for reasons that had nothing to do with being Roy's son. And if he had already begun making that reputation for himself, then Jackson simply hadn't uncovered it yet.

Jackson remained exactly where he was, keeping a generous distance between himself and the boutique while continuing to watch the scarred man with unwavering attention. The giant barely moved from his position, but every now and then he tilted his head slightly, responding to whatever was being said through the earpiece hidden beneath his hair. Although Jackson couldn't hear a single word of the conversation, he didn't need to. The way the man occasionally nodded, glanced around the mall entrance and answered in short bursts told him everything he needed to know. Whoever was on the other end wasn't simply checking in. They were coordinating every movement. The realisation sent an unpleasant chill down Jackson's spine. This wasn't an ordinary shopping trip with a single bodyguard standing watch. Every movement appeared planned in advance, every position carefully assigned. These people operated like professionals, and the longer he watched them, the more convinced he became that underestimating them would be a fatal mistake.

Several more minutes passed before the scarred man finally turned and disappeared inside the boutique. Jackson immediately straightened in his seat. He had been waiting for that exact moment because, in his experience, bodyguards usually remained outside until the person they were protecting had finished shopping. His suspicion proved correct almost immediately. A short while later, the man emerged from the store carrying several shopping bags, with Melissa following only a step behind him. This time, however, she didn't pause beside the vehicle or wait for him to open the door for her. She walked straight to the front passenger side, opened the door herself and slipped into the seat with the effortless familiarity of someone who had repeated the routine countless times before. Without saying anything, the scarred man placed the shopping bags neatly in the back seat before walking around the vehicle and climbing into the driver's seat.

Jackson was still watching them when something else immediately caught his attention. Two additional vehicles, which had been parked far enough away not to attract notice, started their engines almost simultaneously before pulling out behind the SUV. His eyes narrowed as he watched the three vehicles fall neatly into formation. Only then did he fully understand the purpose of the conversations taking place through the earpiece. Melissa hadn't arrived at the mall with a single escort. She had arrived with an entire security detail positioned strategically around her. If he had done what his instincts originally told him to do and followed immediately after Melissa's SUV, he would almost certainly have driven straight into the middle of their surveillance. Jackson slowly exhaled, silently thanking himself for exercising patience instead of acting impulsively. Sometimes doing nothing was the smartest move a person could make.

Rather than starting his engine straight away, Jackson remained where he was for another few minutes, allowing the convoy to put some distance between them. Only after he was satisfied that nobody appeared to be watching the parking lot anymore did he finally start his own car and ease out of his parking space. He drove naturally, resisting the temptation to rush after them, carefully maintaining enough distance that his vehicle blended in with the rest of the traffic instead of standing out.

The convoy eventually made its way towards the town centre, and Jackson quietly followed from far behind, never allowing himself to become the closest vehicle to Melissa's SUV. His patience was rewarded when the three vehicles eventually slowed before coming to a stop outside one of the city's high-end restaurants. The building's polished exterior reflected the late morning sunlight, making it stand out from the neighbouring businesses as though it belonged in an entirely different part of the city.

Not wanting to take any unnecessary risks, Jackson drove several blocks farther before parking his car. From there, he made his way closer on foot, choosing a position where he could observe without drawing attention to himself. His eyes never left Melissa. She stepped out of the SUV almost immediately, once again refusing to wait for the scarred man to open the door for her. The small action caught everyone's attention. Even the men who had arrived in the two trailing vehicles exchanged brief, puzzled glances with one another, their expressions suggesting that this wasn't part of the routine they were accustomed to. Jackson found himself just as confused. There was something different about Melissa that morning. The way she carried herself, the urgency in her movements and the fact that she ignored the usual protocol all suggested one thing. Melissa looked like a woman on a mission.

Jackson's curiosity intensified when the rear door of the second vehicle, the one positioned neatly between the two escort cars, opened and a man who appeared to be in his mid-fifties stepped out. The moment Melissa saw him, her entire demeanour changed. A broad smile spread across her face as she walked towards him without the slightest hesitation before wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek affectionately, and the older man immediately returned the affection by placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before absentmindedly ruffling her hair. The exchange was so natural and filled with such obvious fondness that there could be no mistaking the bond they shared. Whatever else could be said about them, the affection between the two was unmistakably genuine. Melissa's smile as she looked up at him wasn't the guarded smile Jackson had become accustomed to seeing over the past few days, nor was it the carefully controlled expression she wore whenever she seemed to be hiding something. This smile was different. It was open, relaxed and entirely real.

Jackson continued watching from where he stood, his heartbeat growing noticeably heavier inside his chest. For a brief moment, the older man's attention shifted away from Melissa and swept across the area before settling directly on Jackson. Their eyes met only for a second, perhaps even less, yet the effect was immediate. A cold shiver travelled the length of Jackson's spine as an inexplicable feeling settled over him. It wasn't simply that the man had looked in his direction. It was the unsettling sensation that came with it, as though those sharp eyes had seen straight through him. Jackson suddenly found himself wondering whether the man somehow knew exactly who he was, why he was standing there and what he was trying to accomplish. The brief exchange of glances seemed to stretch far longer than it actually lasted, carrying with it an unspoken warning that left him instinctively fighting the urge to look away.

It was only after getting a proper look at the older man's face that the full weight of the situation struck him. Recognition came almost instantly. Jackson had seen that face countless times over the years. It had appeared in newspaper articles, business magazines, investigative reports and every dossier he had received while gathering information on the Roy family. Even if he had somehow failed to recognise him from those photographs, the resemblance between the man and Melissa would have made the truth impossible to ignore. They shared the same striking eyes, the same sharp facial features and many of the same expressions. Jackson even had several photographs of the man stored among the files that had been sent to him during his investigation. There was no possibility of mistake.

The man standing only a short distance away was Roy himself.

Jackson swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain perfectly still despite every instinct urging him to leave immediately. Staying where he was was unquestionably dangerous, perhaps even reckless, but he knew opportunities like this didn't present themselves often. This was the closest he had ever been to Roy, close enough to observe him interacting naturally with his family instead of relying on second-hand reports and carefully taken photographs. Walking away now would mean throwing away information that could prove invaluable later, and Jackson wasn't prepared to waste an opportunity he had spent years working towards.

His breathing became noticeably shallower when Roy's gaze drifted towards him once again. Jackson had always known that pursuing the Roy family would eventually force him into dangerous situations, but standing this close to the man who had haunted his life for years was something else entirely. It was both an extraordinary stroke of luck and an enormous risk. At the same time, the scene unfolding before him only complicated matters further. The warmth Roy displayed towards Melissa didn't fit the image Jackson had built in his mind over the past five years. Watching the feared patriarch affectionately kiss his daughter's forehead and smile at her with unmistakable tenderness introduced questions Jackson hadn't expected to ask, adding yet another layer of complexity to an already tangled situation.

Roy and Melissa disappeared inside the restaurant together, the rest of the entourage following so closely behind that it was impossible to tell who was protecting whom. Jackson remained seated inside his car for several moments after they had gone in, his thoughts racing as he weighed his options. This was already far more than he had expected to uncover that morning. He had come here intending to follow Melissa, only to find himself standing within arm's reach of Roy himself. Before doing anything else, he reached for his phone and quickly took several photographs of the restaurant's exterior along with the licence plates of every vehicle that had arrived with the convoy. Once he was satisfied he had captured everything worth recording, he opened the voice recorder on his phone and quietly dictated everything he had observed from the moment Melissa left the hotel. Experience had taught him that memories faded and even the smallest detail, something that seemed insignificant today, could later become the missing piece that made everything else fall into place.

After sitting there for another minute, Jackson finally made up his mind. Waiting outside any longer wasn't going to accomplish anything. If Roy and Melissa remained inside for hours, he would learn nothing by staring at the front entrance. The only chance of gathering useful information was to go inside himself. It was undoubtedly a risky decision, perhaps even a reckless one considering who was already inside the building, but opportunities like this rarely presented themselves. If he allowed fear to dictate his actions now, he might never get another chance to observe Roy this closely again.

The moment Jackson stepped through the restaurant's entrance, he understood why the establishment enjoyed such a prestigious reputation. The interior was every bit as luxurious as the building's elegant exterior had suggested. Magnificent crystal chandeliers hung gracefully from the ceiling, filling the room with a warm glow that reflected beautifully against polished surfaces. Expensive works of art decorated the walls, while the rich furnishings and carefully arranged décor created an atmosphere of effortless sophistication. Without drawing attention to himself, Jackson slowly surveyed the room until his eyes finally settled on Melissa and Roy. They were seated at a secluded table towards the back of the restaurant, positioned where they could enjoy both privacy and a clear view of much of the dining area. Several of the large men who had accompanied them remained nearby, their presence subtle enough not to disturb the other guests yet obvious enough to remind everyone exactly who they were protecting. From where Jackson stood, Roy and Melissa appeared deeply engaged in conversation, their expressions calm and relaxed despite the constant vigilance surrounding them.

Resisting the temptation to continue staring, Jackson calmly approached one of the staff members and requested a table close enough for him to observe the group without appearing suspicious. Luck was on his side. He was shown to a table that provided a reasonably clear view of Roy and Melissa while leaving enough distance between them that his presence wouldn't seem unusual. After thanking the waiter, he ordered a cup of coffee before settling comfortably into his seat. Pulling out his phone, he deliberately lowered his gaze towards the screen, pretending to scroll aimlessly while remaining acutely aware of everything happening around him. His ears strained to catch fragments of conversation drifting across the room, although the distance between the tables made it difficult to hear anything clearly.

As he sat there, Jackson found his thoughts returning once again to the enormity of what he was witnessing. For years, Roy had existed only as a name attached to newspaper headlines, confidential reports and whispered conversations. He had always imagined him as a shadow lurking somewhere beyond reach, a faceless mastermind directing countless criminal activities from behind closed doors. Seeing him now, seated comfortably in an elegant restaurant with his daughter, somehow made everything feel infinitely more dangerous. Roy was no longer an abstract enemy hidden behind photographs and rumours. He was real. He was only a short distance away, and Jackson suddenly realised just how thin the line had become between gathering information and getting himself killed.

His attention drifted back towards their table. Roy's posture remained relaxed throughout the conversation, yet there was something unmistakably authoritative about the way he carried himself. He never appeared to raise his voice or demand attention, but everyone around him seemed naturally drawn to his presence. It wasn't difficult to understand how a man like that inspired both loyalty and fear at the same time. Melissa listened attentively whenever he spoke, occasionally responding before quietly falling silent again. The respect she showed him revealed far more about their relationship than any file Jackson had ever read. Whatever role Melissa played within the Roy family, it was obvious she occupied it willingly and understood exactly where she stood within the family's hierarchy.

The bodyguards, however, never relaxed. Their conversation through hidden earpieces continued intermittently, and their eyes moved constantly across the restaurant, carefully studying every customer who entered or left. More than once, Jackson noticed one of them briefly looking in his direction before continuing the routine sweep of the room. Each time it happened, he calmly lifted his coffee, took an unhurried sip and returned his attention to his phone as though he were nothing more than another customer passing time over breakfast. Outwardly, he appeared perfectly composed. Internally, however, his mind was working relentlessly, analysing every movement, every interaction and every possible escape route should the morning suddenly take a turn for the worse.