Chapter 3: THE GUNSHOT!

Allison's POV:

I exited the house, lost in thoughts about Jacob Hayes, and hailed a cab. Kenton town was unfamiliar territory for me since I had moved to Dallas. It was quite a distance from my previous residence and workplace, but I was determined to go wherever necessary to uncover information about the enigmatic young billionaire. It struck me as odd that despite being in the headlines for days, he refused to give interviews. This behavior strongly suggested that he was involved in some illicit dealings and didn't want to be questioned about his wealth. But if he was engaged in shady business, why draw attention to himself? Why make headlines? He could have conducted his affairs covertly. These questions troubled me, and I couldn't wait to find answers.

Upon reaching Kenton town, the driver turned and asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Um, I... I don't know," I murmured, scanning my surroundings in confusion. "Uh, you can stop here," I said restlessly, and he immediately halted the car. After paying the driver, I hastily stepped out, glancing around in search of an under-construction building. However, I couldn't spot any. Suddenly, my phone rang, and I saw it was Josiah calling.

"I can't answer right now," I said, sliding the phone back into my pocket. I didn't want Josiah to know that I was investigating Jacob Hayes like that, as I knew he wouldn't approve.

"Um, excuse me?" I halted a passerby on the street and began, "Um, do you know of any place in this town where there is an under-construction building?"

"Well, there might be several under-construction buildings... Which one are you looking for?" the person inquired.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure," I replied, struggling to recall the details from the news channel. "Oh, wait," I said, retrieving my phone to access the website of that news channel. I searched through the recorded headlines and found the one about Jacob Hayes.

"Look, here... This area," I said, showing the news to the person, who examined it closely. "Are you familiar with this area?" I asked anxiously.

"Um, yeah... It's two blocks away. You need to go straight from here and take a left after two blocks. The area is quite deserted. There are no houses or buildings... Only one building under construction there," the person informed me.

"Oh, I see," I said, nodding.

"Be careful when you go there, considering how quiet that area is," the person warned, and I nodded slowly, swallowing nervously.

"Thanks," I said, smiling nervously as the person walked away. "There's definitely something suspicious... Why would he enter a building under construction in such a secluded area?" I questioned myself, taking a deep breath before embarking on my journey towards the building.

I briskly walked for two blocks, wondering if he would still be there, and hoped to find some information about him. As I crossed the two blocks and turned left, I finally arrived at a barren area with no signs of human life except for the under-construction building. I gulped as I stood there, contemplating whether to proceed with my plan. However, my eagerness to uncover the truth got the better of me. I wanted to prove my abilities to Josiah and advance my career.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly approached the building while unlocking my phone and opening the camera app. After locking it again, I stowed it in my pocket. I continued walking until I reached closer to the building when suddenly I spotted two burly men exiting. They appeared muscular and intimidating. I immediately darted toward the backside of the building to remain inconspicuous.

"Oh God, please help," I whispered, my heart racing. I didn't want them to catch me, as I knew the consequences could be dire for spying on them. They were clearly dangerous individuals.

As I waited for the bulky men to move away, I heard a noise behind me. Turning around in confusion, I listened intently and realized that some people were talking. Breathing heavily, I moved further towards the backside of the building, following the direction of the voices. Steadily, I reached a large pile of sand with a lot of bricks piled up in front, close to the building, and the voices became clearer. I looked up and discovered that the voices were coming from the first floor of the building. I wondered how I could reach there. After contemplating for a moment, I placed my hand on the bricks, and an idea struck me. With a smile, I began climbing the bricks carefully to ascend towards the first floor of the building. As soon as I reached the top, I could see some people conversing while surrounded by cartons. I discreetly observed them, trying to make sense of their activities. Suddenly, the young billionaire, Jacob Hayes, walked into the midst of those people, and I found myself staring at him, awestruck. He was even more stunning in person.

"We need to take action now," Jacob Hayes said in his deep, masculine, and captivating voice. "We can't let those people discover anything," he added. Determined to record this evidence, I aimed to take out my phone from my pocket, but to my frustration, my office ID card came out along with it. I sighed, attempting to secure it properly. Just as I was about to start recording, my phone unexpectedly rang, causing me to skip a beat.

"Oh no," I muttered, trying to silence it.

"What the hell...?" I heard Jacob Hayes' voice, and fear coursed through me as I looked up at him, his gaze fixed on me. "Catch that girl," he commanded his men. Trembling, I instinctively stepped back, unaware that I was standing on the bricks, which caused me to lose balance and fall. I screamed and landed in the heap of sand.

"Stop her!" some of his men shouted, but I shook my head and quickly got up, running away from the scene. As I sprinted, my legs trembling, I heard a gunshot behind me and screamed...