Chapter seven: A friendly warning?

Emily’s POV

Startled, I turned to find Victor Sterling standing before me, his expression inscrutable as he regarded me with a piercing gaze.

"Mr. Sterling," I replied, my voice betraying me. I didn’t want him to notice the unease I felt at his unexpected visit. "What brings you here?"

He stepped forward, his presence filled the whole area with an almost palpable intensity.

"I couldn't help but notice your… association with Alexander Blackwood," he said, his tone laced with contempt.

I squared my shoulders, refusing to let his disdain affect me. He was supposed to help me to unravel his secrets, and yet, here he was, telling me that I should not be talking to Alexander.

"And what of it?" I asked, meeting his gaze head-on.

Victor's lips twisted into a sardonic smile.

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Miss Carter. You've been poking around in places you shouldn't be, asking questions that could get you killed."

I gulped and felt a chill run down my spine at his words, a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the shadows. But I refused to back down, not when I was so close. I had achieved what other people haven’t, and also, there was something else...

"I'm just doing my job," I replied, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

Victor's eyes narrowed, his gaze boring into mine with an intensity that made my blood run cold.

"Your job?" he scoffed. "Or is there something else driving you, Miss Carter? Something personal, perhaps?" He seemed bothered by my closeness with Alexander.

I swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how his words had hit on the spot. I had to put up the best poker face that I had. He was also a billionaire himself, so I had to be two steps ahead of his game.

"I assure you, Mr. Sterling, my motives are purely professional," I insisted, my voice ringing with conviction.

He studied me for a long moment, as if searching for any sign of weakness. But then, to my surprise, he nodded, a faint glimmer of respect in his eyes.

"Very well," he said, his tone softer now. "But be careful, Miss Carter. You're playing a dangerous game, and not everyone is as forgiving as I am."

With that obvious warning, Victor turned and left, leaving me alone once more with my thoughts. As I watched him go, I couldn't shake the feeling that our encounter was far from over, and that the dangers I faced were only just beginning. But I refused to let fear dictate my actions. I had come too far to turn back now, and no matter what obstacles lay in my path, I was determined to see this through to the end.

I entered the building, trying to get some comfort. It’s walls were my refugee, even if they were old and badly painted.

I entered my small apartment, while I dragged my feet. It had been a long day, but as I stood in my apartment, the weight of Victor Sterling's warning still heavy on my mind, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, I saw Alexander Blackwood's name displayed prominently, sending a shiver down my spine. It was already late, so I couldn’t understand why he was calling me. With a deep breath, I answered the call, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead.

"Miss Carter," his voice greeted me, cool and composed as ever. "I trust you're well."

"Mr. Blackwood," I replied, my tone as neutral as I could manage. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and I could almost feel the weight of his gaze through the phone.

"I would like to see you," he said finally, his voice completely neutral, none of the emotion I knew lurked beneath the surface. It was clear he had been taught how to be the perfect businessman.

My heart skipped a beat at his words, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity swirling within me.

"Of course," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "When would you like to meet?"

"There's no time like the present," he replied, his tone brisk. "Come to my office immediately."

“You do realize that it is two in the morning, right?” I should not have said that.

“I do, but some things have to be discussed ipso facto.”

With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I agreed to his request, knowing that whatever awaited me in his office would not be pleasant. But I couldn't afford to show weakness, not now.

Gathering my courage, I made my way to Blackwood Tower, the imposing skyscraper that housed Alexander's vast empire. The only personnel that worked at that hour were the guards, but that was enough. They gave me the indications to go to his office, and that was all I needed. As I rode the elevator to the top floor, my mind raced with possibilities, trying to anticipate what awaited me behind those sleek glass doors.

When I arrived at his office, I found Alexander waiting for me, his expression unreadable as he gestured for me to take a seat. I obeyed, perching on the edge of the plush leather chair as I waited for him to speak.

"Miss Carter," he began, his voice low and controlled. "I couldn't help but notice your… association with Victor Sterling."

I felt a knot form in my stomach at the mention of Victor's name, knowing that I had crossed a line by meeting with him. But I refused to show weakness, meeting Alexander's gaze head-on. I also couldn’t help but wonder, how did he know that I had met him?

"I assure you, Mr. Blackwood, my motives are purely professional," I replied, my voice steady despite the unease I felt. "I was simply following a lead in my investigation."

Alexander regarded me with a cool detachment, his gaze piercing as he studied me intently.

"And yet, you failed to inform me of your intentions," he remarked, his tone tinged with barely concealed anger.

"I didn't think it was necessary," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I was simply doing my job."

His lips quirked in a smile, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.

"Is that so? Isn’t your story about me?" he mused, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Well, it seems your job may have put you in a rather precarious position, Miss Carter."

“It is another story, I can’t focus only on you, if I did I would be left without a job.” I was going to play fire with fire if I had to, but he was not going to notice how much he intimidate me.

“Oh? Then you are looking for trouble Miss Carter. Is your life worth your investigation?” He smiled at me, but I felt a chill run down my spine at his words, knowing that I had underestimated the extent of his power. But I refused to back down, meeting his gaze with a steely resolve.

"I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Blackwood," I replied, my voice ringing with conviction. "I'll do whatever it takes to uncover the truth, no matter what obstacles stand in my way."

“But you should be Miss Carter. You can’t play with me and Victor. You are going to get caught in something you don’t want to.” I squinted my eyes at him, he didn’t revealed any emotions. If I didn’t know he was a cold businessman then I would have thought that he was jealous, but that was ridiculous.

“I’m just looking for answers, and if you are not going to give them to me then I’m going to look for them where I can.” He stood up from his seat, towering me while he approached me.

I started walked backwards to avoid this menacing figure, but at some point my back touched the wall, I knew I had nowhere else to go.

He caged me with his huge body, but I looked at him straight in the eye. I will show him that I was strong even if I felt like a mouse against a lion.

“Is that so?” He put his finger under my chin, and lifted my head higher. I saw his blue eyes, they were cold as ice, they were the eyes of a predator.

“It is so, in a journalist Mr. Blackwood, and I can’t wait until the story is given to me, if I need to I’m going to go find it in hell itself.” I got closer to him, to show him that he didn’t affect me, but the reality was that I wanted to turn around and run like my pants were on fire.

For a moment, there was silence between us, the tension in the air palpable as we stared each other down. And then, to my surprise, Alexander's expression softened, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Very well, Miss Carter," he said finally, his tone more subdued than before. "But remember, not everything is as it seems. Trust no one.”

“Not even you?” We were so close now that our lips almost met.

“I am the last person you should trust.” With that he backed away and I was left against the wall, trying to calm my breaths.

After that, he dismissed me from his office, leaving me alone once more with my thoughts. As I made my way back to my apartment, I couldn't shake the feeling that our encounter was far from over, and that the dangers I faced were only just beginning. But I refused to let fear hold me back. I had come too far to turn back now, and no matter what lay ahead, I was determined to see this through to the end.