Chapter five: Unraveling secrets

Emily’s POV

The next morning dawned with a sense of urgency in the air. As I woke to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the blinds, I knew that I had a deadline looming over me like a dark cloud. Kevin's phone call last night served as a stark reminder that time was of the essence, and I couldn't afford to waste a single moment.

Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the faint aroma of city streets wafting in through the open window. I poured myself a cup of coffee and settled down at my cluttered desk, my laptop open and waiting.

As I reviewed the notes from my encounter with Alexander Blackwood, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to him than met the eye. His charm and charisma were undeniable, but there was an undercurrent of darkness lurking beneath the surface, a mystery waiting to be unraveled. And I also couldn’t stop thinking why he had a rivalry with Victor. From what I gathered he was into the technology business, while Alexander invested mostly in engineering. They could mix, but they weren’t the same like of business.

Lost in thought, I barely noticed the passage of time until my phone buzzed with a new message from Kevin. It was time to deliver the goods, to show him what I had managed to uncover in my quest to uncover the truth about Alexander Blackwood. And he was red it now, meaning that I had to send him an email in this moment.

I began to type, my fingers flying across the keyboard as I chronicled every detail of my encounter with the enigmatic billionaire. I focused on his mannerisms, his tone, the way he spoke, searching for clues that might shed light on the man behind the facade. When we spoke he sometimes showed his true self, but then he went back to the mask that he built.

As the words flowed onto the screen, I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. Despite the danger and uncertainty that surrounded my investigation, I was making progress, one keystroke at a time.

But even as I worked, a nagging voice in the back of my mind reminded me of the risks I was taking. Alexander Blackwood was not a man to be trifled with, and I knew that I was treading on dangerous ground. I also knew that if things didn’t go my way I may lose my job. Not only that, there was a risk that I’d to leave the city.

After I finished typing I saved the document and attached it to an email addressed to Kevin. As I hit send, a wave of anxiety washed over me. Would he be satisfied with what I had managed to uncover? Or would he see it as a futile effort, a wasted endeavor that only served to put me in harm's way?

As I waited for his response, the minutes stretched into hours, each second feeling like an eternity. But finally, a notification flashed across my screen, signaling the arrival of a new email from Kevin.

With trembling hands, I opened the message and began to read, my heart pounding in my chest. And as I reached the end, a sense of relief washed over me. Kevin was impressed with my work, impressed enough to give me more time to delve deeper into the story. He wanted all the juicy details that I could get, and even sent me some contacts that may come in handy.

As I breathed a sigh of relief, a sense of determination settled over me. I had come too far to turn back now, too invested in unraveling the secrets of Alexander Blackwood's world. And with Kevin's support behind me, I knew that I had a fighting chance of uncovering the truth, no matter the cost. But what if the cost was my own heart? The attraction that we felt was undeniable, but he was not going to like it when I tell him that he is my subject of investigation.

He knew that I was writing an article about him, but he never knew exactly what I am trying to uncover. It could be business, it could be what he likes to do for pleasure, but what I was seeking was greater than that. I wanted to take the mask that he has built for himself, but he may not like it, and even less if I publish it.

I couldn’t think like that, I had to concentrate on me and my career. Now I was armed with Kevin's support, so I dove headfirst into my investigation of Alexander Blackwood. With each passing day, I delved deeper into the enigmatic billionaire's world, uncovering secrets and half-truths that only served to deepen the mystery surrounding him.

My days were consumed by endless research and interviews, as I scoured the city for any scrap of information that might shed light on Blackwood's past and present. I combed through newspaper archives, sifted through social media profiles, and tracked down anyone who had ever crossed paths with the elusive billionaire.

But despite my best efforts, Alexander remained an enigma, a puzzle with too many missing pieces. It seemed that for every question I answered, two more took its place, leaving me feeling like I was chasing shadows in the dark.

His business was successful indeed, but something wasn’t adding up. Several trips that he had done didn’t have a proper explanation. Some medical records that I found didn’t make sense either. But, when I got that I finally got a good piece of information, I was met with a dead end.

Still, I refused to be defeated. With each setback, I pushed myself harder, driven by the knowledge that I was getting closer to uncovering the truth. And then, just when I thought I had hit a dead end, a breakthrough came in the form of an unexpected lead.

It was a chance encounter with an old acquaintance of Blackwood's, a man who had once been a trusted confidant before falling out of favor. With a mixture of weariness and excitement, I arranged to meet him at a quiet café downtown, hoping that he might hold the key to unlocking the secrets of Alexander Blackwood's past.

I arrived to the café, and I saw him sitting next to the window. I order myself a coffee, then I took a deep breath and approached the table.

As I sat across from him, sipping my coffee and listening intently to his every word, I felt a sense of anticipation building within me. This was it, the moment I had been waiting for, the opportunity to finally uncover the truth that had eluded me for so long.

But as the conversation progressed, it became clear that my acquaintance was hesitant to reveal too much. He spoke in vague terms, hinting at dark deeds and hidden agendas, but stopping short of providing any concrete information. The name he revealed seemed fake as well, so I couldn’t understand why he had agreed to this meeting if he was not going to reveal anything to me?

Frustration got the best of me as I pressed him for answers, my patience wearing thin with each evasive response. But just as I was about to give up hope, he leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You want to know about Alexander Blackwood?" he asked, his eyes darting around the café as if afraid of being overheard. "Then you need to follow the money. That's where you'll find the answers you seek."

With those cryptic words ringing in my ears, I thanked him for his time and made my exit, my mind racing with possibilities. Follow the money, he had said. It was a vague clue, but it was all I had to go on.

As I stepped out into the bustling streets of the city, I couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration coursing through me. I had a lead, finally and I was going to see where it lead me. It could be the biggest discovery of my life, or the biggest mistake. I had to see what unfolded.

I set out to follow the trail of breadcrumbs left behind by the elusive billionaire, determined to unravel the mystery once and for all. Little did I know, the path ahead would lead me straight into the lion's den, where danger lurked around every corner and the stakes were higher than ever before. But I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, armed with nothing but my wits and a burning desire for the truth.