Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 89: Side by Side

The night air was sharp against Eclipse’s skin as she slipped through the back garden of the mansion, the mission already sealed behind her. The moon hung low, hidden behind thin clouds, casting the streets in soft silver as she quietly peeled off her gloves, tucking them into the inside pocket of her jacket.

She moved quickly, her boots silent on the pavement as she ducked into a side street a few blocks away. There, hidden behind an abandoned bakery, her motorcycle waited, tucked under a dusty tarp and wedged between two crumbling walls.

Eclipse threw the tarp off with a practiced sweep of her hand. The bike was black, lean, and silent, specially modified for nights like this. She swung one leg over and sat astride it, breathing in the familiar scent of oil and leather.

Her fingers moved deftly, turning the ignition with a small twist. The engine purred to life, low and steady, a comforting vibration beneath her. She pulled her helmet over her head, tightening the strap with a small click.

In one smooth motion, she pushed off, easing the motorcycle into a quiet roar as she headed toward the old drainage alley that led into the city’s hidden veins. Few people knew about the old maintenance tunnels that ran under the streets; even fewer knew they could lead straight into private residences.

Meanwhile, Obscura stood in the shadows of the east side of the mansion, adjusting the small pouch at his hip. The mission was done, and the information was secured. Without wasting a second, he turned and melted into the darkness, his footsteps steady and soundless.

He took a different route, slipping through the side alleys that wove behind the sprawling estate. Every movement was calculated, smooth, efficient. No wasted steps, no glances back.

In a narrow alley, Eclipse turned a sharp corner, the tires skimming over the damp concrete. The heavy beat of her heart echoed in her ears as she leaned into the turn, the night rushing past her like a wave.

At the exact same moment, Obscura emerged from a side door across the alley, his dark figure almost colliding with hers. Eclipse’s breath caught but she didn’t falter; she pressed harder on the throttle, the motorcycle leaping forward before he could register anything more than a black blur slicing through the night.

Obscura paused, his sharp eyes narrowing under the hood he wore. He caught the faint glint of a taillight before it disappeared around the bend. Dismissing it, he moved faster toward the hidden parking lot two blocks down, where the sleek black car Cassius had provided waited.

Eclipse smirked under her helmet, feeling the rush of adrenaline course through her veins. Too close. Way too close. She weaved through the alley, aiming for the small service entrance that led to the abandoned subway system now turned into secret passages for operatives like her.

Behind her, Obscura reached the car. His gloved hand slid over the smooth metal as he opened the door and slipped inside, the engine responding to his touch with a low growl. He pulled onto the empty road without headlights, a shadow moving through the night.

For a moment, their paths crossed again. Eclipse shot out of a side street onto the main road, just as Obscura’s car surged forward from a parking spot nearby. They were side by side for a brief heartbeat—two shadows racing under the dim streetlights.

Eclipse shifted her weight, glancing briefly at the car beside her. Her heart jumped. That car. She recognized it. Cassius’s car. The one she often saw parked in front of the apartment building.

Her thoughts raced, as fast as her speeding motorcycle.

Kendrick? He is just coming home now? Already so late?

She sighed, easing the throttle slightly to fall back behind the car.

He works so hard. Hope his clients aren’t pressuring him to finish the paintings soon.

Wait. Didn’t he say job interview earlier?

She chewed her bottom lip, frowning inside her helmet.

So he went to job interview first before going to his art studio. What type of work is he looking for?

Seems earnings from painting is not enough.

Now he needed a side job.

I can give him money, but he wouldn’t accept it for sure.

Wonder how I can help him.

Ahead of her, Obscura—no, Kendrick in his real life—shifted gears and pushed the car faster. The black car slipped ahead, headlights still off, disappearing around a curve toward the residential side of the city.

Eclipse watched him vanish, a pang of worry tightening her chest. She hated seeing him work himself to the bone, even if she could never say it aloud. Not without risking everything.

At the next corner, she turned off, leaving the main road behind. She veered onto a smaller street and slipped into a side alley where a hidden entrance waited behind a broken fence. The entrance was old, its steel rusted at the hinges, but it was reliable. Only a handful of people knew that this passage led directly to several hidden exits across the city, including the one leading to her own room.

Kendrick pulled into the apartment complex’s garage a few minutes later. He parked the black car in the farthest slot, killing the engine and sitting there for a moment. His hand gripped the steering wheel tightly before he finally let out a tired breath.

He dragged a hand through his dark hair, loosening the tension in his shoulders. Outside, the night was still, broken only by the distant hum of the city.

He grabbed his duffel bag from the back seat and stepped out of the car. His worn sneakers squeaked slightly against the concrete as he made his way toward the apartment door.

On the other side, Eclipse parked the motorcycle in the hidden passage. She tugged off her helmet, shook her hair free, and walked straight into her room inside the apartment unit. It was risky, sure, but nobody suspected a clumsy journalist like her of needing a secret entrance.

Inside her room, she pushed the trapdoor closed quietly, locking it with a soft click. She tossed her jacket onto the bed and collapsed backward onto the mattress with a sigh.

Across the hall, Kendrick unlocked the main door to the apartment, stepping inside with soft steps. He placed his keys gently on the hook, careful not to make noise.

Zephany’s door was closed. As always. freewebnσvel.cѳm

He passed by quietly, heading to the kitchen where he poured himself a glass of water, gulping it down in one go. He rubbed his face, feeling the exhaustion settle deep into his bones.

Meanwhile, Zephany lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind still racing.

She thought of the car. Thought of Kendrick. Of his late nights and tired smiles.

"I’ll find a way to help you," she whispered into the dark, her voice barely more than a breath. "Even if you never know it."

Neither of them knew how close they had been tonight. How narrowly they had missed the truth.

And how inevitable it would be for the truth to finally catch up.

For now, they remained strangers in the dark, moving in and out of each other’s worlds, oblivious to the fate winding tighter around them with every step.

And secrets, no matter how carefully hidden, always had a way of finding their way to the light.