The Edge of the Truth
Isla stood in Damien office heart pounding She could still see the message on his phone the same one she had received the night before The warning was clear but it only made her more determined
Damien eyes locked onto hers his expression unreadable
We find out who is behind this he had said But how How much did he already know
You knew about Cole before I even said his name Isla said voice steady despite the storm raging inside her
Damien sighed running a hand through his hair That name was buried for a reason Isla The past is dangerous
Then tell me what happened
His jaw tightened This is not something you can just piece together from old reports and whispers Isla There are things you do not understand
Then make me understand
Silence thick and suffocating He stared at her like he was weighing his options like he was deciding just how much he was willing to let her in
Finally he exhaled and walked to his desk pulling open a drawer After a moment he tossed something onto the surface
A photograph
Isla reached for it fingers brushing the worn edges It was old the colors faded but the image was still clear Three men standing together dressed in expensive suits One of them was Damien father Another was hers The third was Alexander Cole
She looked up meeting Damien gaze What is this
The last time they were seen together before everything fell apart
Isla stomach tightened What happened that night
Damien leaned against the desk arms crossed expression unreadable Deals were made money was moved And then Cole disappeared With everything
Everything
Damien nodded Millions Gone overnight Your father and mine took the fall but Cole was the one who orchestrated the whole thing He set them up He walked away clean and left everyone else to burn
Isla felt the ground shift beneath her But why Why destroy them and vanish
That is the real question And I have spent years trying to find the answer Damien said His voice was calm but there was something dangerous underneath
Isla stared at the photograph trying to piece it all together The scandal the ruined reputations the way her family had never recovered Her father had always said they were betrayed but he had never told her who
And now Cole name was back
Which means someone is trying to finish what he started
She looked up at Damien Do you think he is still alive
I think someone wants us to believe he is Damien said
The words sent a chill through her If that was true then she was already deeper than she had ever imagined
And now someone knew she was looking
The Threat That Lurks
Later that night Isla sat in her apartment staring at her laptop The offshore account she had found was still active but there were no new transactions No sign of who was behind it
She tapped her fingers against the desk frustration curling inside her Whoever was moving the money was careful But she had learned one thing
There was a pattern
Every few months a small transfer just enough to keep the account from going dormant again The last one had been weeks ago Which meant another one was coming soon
If she could track it maybe she could trace it back to whoever was keeping Cole legacy alive
Her phone buzzed and she grabbed it expecting Mia
But the message made her stomach drop
You do not listen Stop now
Her breath caught in her throat She read the words again fingers tightening around the phone
Then another message came
You are being watched
Her heart pounded She turned sharply scanning the room Nothing out of place But the feeling crept over her like ice sliding down her spine
Slowly she walked to the window pulling back the curtain
A black car sat at the corner of the street
Her hands clenched Whoever they were they wanted her scared But she was not backing down
She grabbed her phone and typed quickly
Isla I need to see you
The response was immediate
Damien Come to my place now
She did not hesitate
A Dangerous Alliance
Damien apartment was sleek and cold like the man himself Floor to ceiling windows overlooked the city but the lights inside were dimmed as if he wanted to keep the outside world at bay
She stood in the center of the room gripping her phone as Damien poured a drink and watched her carefully
You got another message he said not a question
Yes Isla said quietly And I was followed
Damien set his glass down jaw tightening You are not safe Isla
I know she said And neither are you
He exhaled and ran a hand down his face as if trying to decide something Then finally he spoke
We need to set a trap
A trap
Whoever is behind this is watching you If they think you are close to finding the truth they will make a move
Her pulse spiked You mean we push them
Yes
That is dangerous
So is doing nothing Damien said If we sit back they will keep controlling the game We need to make them come to us
Isla met his gaze searching for any hesitation
There was none
Then tell me what to do she said
Something in his expression shifted He stepped closer just enough that she could feel the heat of his presence
Are you sure you are ready for this Isla This will not be like searching through records This is real danger
I do not care she said I am not stopping
A slow dangerous smile tugged at the corner of his lips Good Then let us begin
The First Move
The next morning Isla sat at a coffee shop laptop open fingers typing quickly She knew she was being watched That was the point
She accessed the offshore account again moving carefully trying to leave a trail that looked intentional She wanted them to see her
She wanted them to take the bait
A shadow fell across her table and she tensed looking up expecting Damien
But it was not him
A man stood there tall well dressed unfamiliar
You should be more careful where you dig he said voice smooth polite
Isla pulse spiked but she kept her expression calm I am sorry Do I know you
No But I know you Isla Monroe And I know you are asking questions you should not be
Her throat tightened Who are you
Just a concerned party The man smiled but it did not reach his eyes Walk away now and this all goes away Keep pushing and well
He let the words hang in the air before turning and walking out of the coffee shop
Isla sat frozen for a long moment Then she grabbed her phone and typed one word
Isla Now
The response was immediate
Damien Meet me