Chapter Three: The Silent Witness

The room was suffocatingly quiet after Emilia left, her perfume lingering in the air like a ghost. Alex sat alone at the edge of his bed, the cryptic text still glowing on his phone screen: 

*She's lying.* 

His gut churned. Was it true? Or was this some elaborate game meant to twist the knife even deeper? 

The text was anonymous—no number, no name. Whoever sent it wanted him to stay in the dark. And yet, it felt calculated, as if they knew exactly what buttons to push. 

Victor's voice crackled through the speakerphone, breaking Alex's train of thought. "You sure you want to play this out, boss? If Emilia's in deeper than we thought, this could get messy." 

"Messy is an understatement," Alex muttered. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "But she knows something, Victor. She has to." 

"Fine," Victor said. "But if this blows up, don't say I didn't warn you. I'll keep digging on my end." 

"Do that," Alex said, ending the call. 

As the call disconnected, Alex stared at the city skyline, his mind racing. He needed answers—and fast. 

--- 

The next morning, Alex was standing in front of a sleek glass building, its towering presence reflecting the sharp winter sun. Knight Media Headquarters. His empire. Or at least, what was left of it. 

Inside, the air buzzed with tension. Employees moved briskly, their conversations hushed, their gazes darting away when they saw him. The fallout from Declan's attack on his company had spread like wildfire, leaving everyone on edge. 

Alex stepped into the elevator, his reflection glaring back at him from the polished steel walls. He wasn't here to work; he was here to investigate. 

When the elevator doors opened, he strode toward his office, ignoring the nervous glances of his staff. The moment he entered, his assistant, Riley, appeared at his side. 

"Mr. Knight, you have back-to-back meetings today. The board is—" 

"Cancel them," Alex said curtly, cutting her off. 

"But—" 

"Cancel them," he repeated, his tone brooking no argument. "And get me IT. I want a full audit of all internal communications over the past month." 

Riley hesitated, then nodded. "Right away, sir." 

As she left, Alex closed the door and turned to his desk. He unlocked a hidden compartment beneath the surface, pulling out a small black USB drive. 

This wasn't just any drive. It contained encrypted recordings of private meetings, security footage, and personal files—a backup he'd kept in case things ever went south. 

Alex plugged it into his computer and began sifting through the data. Hours passed as he combed through emails, call logs, and surveillance videos, his frustration mounting with every dead end. 

And then he found it. 

A file buried deep within the system, marked with a single word: *Revenant.* 

Alex's pulse quickened as he opened it. The file contained dozens of scanned documents, all bearing Declan's name. Financial records, offshore accounts, contracts signed under false pretenses. But one document stood out—a transcript of a phone call between Declan and an unknown third party. 

The audio was grainy, but the voices were clear enough. 

"You're sure he doesn't suspect anything?" Declan's smooth drawl. 

"He's too distracted by Emilia to notice," a woman replied. 

Alex's stomach dropped. 

"Good," Declan said. "Keep it that way. Once the shares are transferred, we'll cut him out completely. Emilia's done her part, but she's expendable. Make sure she knows that." 

Alex slammed his fist against the desk, the sound echoing in the room. They were using her. Declan and this mystery woman had played him like a pawn, and Emilia was caught in the middle. 

But there was something else—something about the woman's voice. It was familiar, yet he couldn't place it. 

The phone on his desk buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. He answered without looking at the caller ID. 

"Knight," he barked. 

"Mr. Knight," a calm, female voice said. "I believe we have something to discuss." 

His breath hitched. It was her—the woman from the recording. 

"Who is this?" he demanded. 

"Names aren't important," she said smoothly. "What matters is that you're in way over your head. Declan isn't your only enemy, Alex. You've made more enemies than you realize." 

Alex's grip on the phone tightened. "If you think you can intimidate me, you're wasting your time." 

"Oh, I'm not trying to intimidate you," she said with a low chuckle. "I'm offering you a way out. Meet me at the old waterfront warehouse tonight. Midnight. Come alone." 

Before he could respond, the line went dead. 

--- 

Midnight came quickly. The waterfront was dark and desolate, the sound of waves crashing against the pier the only noise in the stillness. Alex parked his car a block away and approached the warehouse on foot, his senses on high alert. 

The building was abandoned, its broken windows and rusted doors a stark contrast to the sleek offices he was used to. He pushed the door open, the creak echoing in the empty space. 

"Glad you could make it," the woman's voice called out. 

Alex turned, his eyes narrowing as he spotted her in the shadows. She stepped forward, her face illuminated by a faint beam of moonlight. 

It was Helena Blackwell, Declan's former business partner. 

"You," Alex said, his voice dripping with venom. "I should've known." 

Helena smiled, her red lips curling into a predatory grin. "You always were sharp, Alex. But you're playing a game you can't win." 

"Is that so?" he said, his tone cold. "You think Declan will spare you once you've outlived your usefulness? You're nothing but a pawn to him." 

Helena's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, but she quickly recovered. "I know exactly what I'm doing. The question is, do you?" 

Before Alex could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind him. He spun around, his heart pounding as two men stepped out of the shadows, their faces obscured by ski masks. 

"You didn't think I'd let you leave here unscathed, did you?" Helena said, her voice laced with mockery. 

Alex's mind raced as the men closed in, their intentions clear. But he wasn't going down without a fight. 

The first man lunged, and Alex sidestepped, grabbing a rusted pipe from the ground and swinging it with precision. The man crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain. 

The second man was quicker, landing a punch that sent Alex stumbling back. But Alex recovered quickly, his adrenaline surging as he fought back with brutal efficiency. 

When the dust settled, the two men lay unconscious, and Alex turned to Helena, who was already backing toward the exit. 

"This isn't over," she hissed before disappearing into the night. 

Alex stood alone in the empty warehouse, his chest heaving. The game was changing, and the stakes were higher than ever. 

As he looked down at the two men on the floor, one of their phones buzzed. He picked it up, his blood running cold when he read the message on the screen: 

"You should've stayed out of this, Alex."