Chapter 9: A Dangerous Game

Elena spent the rest of the morning pacing Damien's penthouse, her mind running in circles.

She had agreed to this arrangement, knowing it was all just an act. But the lines between reality and pretense were blurring too fast. Damien Blackwood wasn't just a billionaire CEO—he was a man with secrets, with enemies who were watching their every move.

And now, she was caught in the middle of it.

Her fingers tapped restlessly against the marble countertop as she checked her phone. Damien had left hours ago, heading into a meeting that, according to him, she had no business knowing about.

Stay out of sight, stay out of the way.

His words had been clear, but they didn't sit right with her.

She wasn't someone who liked being sidelined.

With a deep breath, she grabbed her laptop from the living room and settled onto the couch. If Damien wasn't going to tell her the full truth, she would find it herself.

Digging for Answers

Elena opened a blank document and started listing everything she knew about Richard Lawson.

Former business partner of Damien's father.

Tried to take over Blackwood Enterprises after his death.

Still holds influence in the corporate world.

Knows the relationship between her and Damien is fake.

What she didn't know was why Richard was still so invested in Damien's life. The takeover had failed years ago. So why was he still circling, waiting for an opportunity?

She opened a few news articles, scanning for anything suspicious. Most reports painted Richard as a respected businessman, but Elena wasn't fooled.

Powerful men always had shadows lurking beneath the surface.

Then, something caught her eye.

A news clipping from ten years ago—an article about a scandal involving a company called Lawson Industries.

According to the report, there had been an internal fraud case, millions of dollars unaccounted for, employees mysteriously resigning.

And one of the key figures in the investigation?

Damien Blackwood's father.

Elena's pulse quickened.

Before she could dig deeper, her phone buzzed with an incoming call.

Damien.

She answered immediately. "You're calling sooner than I expected."

"Where are you?"

His voice was sharp, controlled—but something about it made her sit up straighter.

"In your penthouse, like you told me to be," she said. "Why? What's going on?"

A pause. Then—

"Lock the doors."

Elena's breath caught. "Damien—"

"Now, Elena."

Something in his tone sent chills down her spine. She rushed to the front door, twisting the lock into place. "Done. Now tell me what's happening."

A low exhale on the other end. "Richard just left my office."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "And?"

"And he wasn't there to talk business," Damien said. "He was asking about you."

Her stomach dropped. "What?"

"He knows more than I thought," Damien muttered. "He knows where you used to work, your background in journalism—he even knows about your last investigation."

Elena's heart pounded. "How?"

"He has connections everywhere. And he's not just curious, Elena. He's looking for a weak spot."

The realization hit her like a wave.

Richard didn't just suspect that her relationship with Damien was fake.

He was looking for leverage.

"And you think I'm that weak spot?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

Another pause. Then—"I think he's going to try to use you against me."

A cold chill spread through her veins.

Elena had spent years chasing stories, uncovering truths people wanted buried. But this? This was different.

This time, she was the story.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "What do we do?"

Damien was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, softer.

"You trust me," he said. "And you let me handle this."

Trust.

The word felt heavier than it should have.

Before she could respond, a loud knock echoed through the penthouse.

Elena froze.

"Damien," she whispered, gripping the phone tighter. "Someone's at the door."

A tense silence followed.

"Do not open it," Damien ordered. "I'm on my way. Just stay inside and don't let anyone in."

Elena nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Okay."

She ended the call, her heart hammering in her chest.

The knock came again. Louder.

She took a step back, her breath shallow.

Then—

A voice.

"Elena Carter?"

She swallowed hard. "Who's asking?"

A pause. Then—

"My name is William Carter. I'm your brother."

Elena's world tilted.

Her fingers trembled against the phone as she tried to process the words.

Her brother?

She hadn't seen William in over a decade. Not since their parents died. Not since he walked away from her without looking back.

And now, he was standing on the other side of Damien Blackwood's door?

The timing was too perfect.

Too dangerous.

Elena took a step forward before she could stop herself. "How do I know it's really you?"

A low chuckle. "Still cautious, I see."

Her pulse quickened. It sounded like him. But that didn't mean anything.

Then—

"Mom used to call you Ellie-Bear," he said. "You hated it. But you let her, because you didn't want to hurt her feelings."

The breath whooshed out of her lungs.

No one else knew that.

It was him.

Her hand hovered over the lock.

Then—Damien's voice in her head. Do not open it.

Her body was caught in a war between instinct and caution.

"Elena?" William's voice was softer now. "I just want to talk."

Her fingers curled into a fist.

Why now? Why here?

She forced herself to think.

If William was here, then Richard had to be involved. It was too much of a coincidence.

And if Richard wanted leverage over Damien…

Then maybe this wasn't about Damien at all.

Maybe it was about her.

Her stomach twisted.

Before she could make a decision, the elevator doors behind her dinged open.

Footsteps.

Then—

"Step away from the door, Elena."

Damien.

His voice was low, dangerous.

She turned, heart still racing. His expression was unreadable, but his storm-gray eyes burned with something dark.

Elena swallowed hard. "Damien, it's my—"

"I know who it is," he said.

She hesitated. "Then—"

"Then you're going to step away from that door and let me handle this."

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, slowly, Elena stepped back.

Damien reached for the door, his entire body tense as he unlocked it.

The second it swung open, Elena's breath caught.

William stood there, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.

But it wasn't just him.

Standing just behind him—watching with quiet amusement—was Richard Lawson.

And just like that, Elena knew.

She wasn't just caught in Damien's world anymore.

She was the center of it.

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