Whispers of Love
Isla stared at the name on her screen, her pulse thundering in her ears.
Alexander Cole.
She did not know why it was there, but she knew what it meant.
Her father had worked with him. Damien's father had worked with him. And then, suddenly, Alexander Cole had vanished.
She pulled up old news articles, searching for anything that explained his disappearance. Nothing concrete. Just whispers of fraud, missing funds, a scandal that had been buried before it could explode.
And now, his name was resurfacing.
Her phone buzzed. Mia.
Mia Isla you need to be careful If this is what I think it is you should stop now
Isla exhaled sharply. She could not stop. Not now.
Her fingers trembled as she typed a response.
Isla I need to know the truth
Mia Just be careful
Isla closed the messages and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Damien had warned her. But he had not told her everything.
She would make him.
A Dangerous Game
The next morning, Isla walked into Blackwood Enterprises with her head high, even though her stomach was tight with nerves.
She was going to get answers.
Damien was standing by the window when she entered his office. He turned slowly, as if he had been expecting her.
You came back, he said.
She placed her hands on his desk, meeting his gaze without hesitation. Who is Alexander Cole?
His expression did not change, but she saw it—the flicker in his eyes, the slight tension in his jaw.
Leave it alone, Isla.
No. I found his name connected to both of our families. I found reports that he disappeared right before everything fell apart. You know something. Tell me.
Damien exhaled, then walked around his desk, stopping just inches from her.
You do not understand what you are asking, he said.
Then explain it to me.
He studied her for a long moment, then finally spoke.
Alexander Cole was the reason this all started.
Her heart pounded. What do you mean?
Damien hesitated. Then, his voice lowered.
He was the one who betrayed both of our fathers.
Isla felt the ground shift beneath her.
That cannot be right, she whispered.
Damien's eyes darkened. It is. And if his name is coming back now, it means someone wants to finish what he started.
A chill ran through her.
What are you saying?
I am saying that if you keep looking for answers, you might not like what you find, Damien said, his voice like steel.
Isla's breath caught.
But she was already in too deep.
And she was not stopping now.