SECRETS AND LIES

The city outside her window felt distant as Sienna sat in her apartment, the glow of her desk lamp casting a soft light on her scattered notes. Ethan's message from earlier still lingered in her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just opened a door she might not be able to close.

The game was on. But what were the stakes? What did Ethan Blackwood want from her? The thought gnawed at her, but she couldn't afford to get distracted. She needed answers. She needed to know what made Blackwood tick—and most importantly, she needed to expose the truth about his company.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a message from Ethan. It was a notification from her contact within Blackwood Industries.

*"You need to be careful. Blackwood isn't what he seems. Don't trust him."*

Her fingers hovered over the screen, uncertainty gnawing at her. She had been getting these cryptic warnings for weeks now, but this one felt different—urgent, even. Whoever this source was, they were trying to tell her something important. Something that could change everything.

She put the phone down and stared out at the city. The chill in the air seemed to creep in from the window, and she wrapped her arms around herself. She had known going into this investigation that it wouldn't be easy, but she hadn't anticipated it would get this personal. It was one thing to chase down corruption in the corporate world. It was another to be drawn into a high-stakes game where the lines between professional and personal blurred dangerously.

Sienna had always prided herself on being detached, on maintaining control. But Ethan Blackwood was a wild card. He had a way of getting under her skin that she hadn't expected. And the more she tried to push him out of her thoughts, the more he seemed to invade them.

The next day, Sienna met with her contact again in a quiet café near the waterfront. Her contact was a former employee of Blackwood Industries who had left under mysterious circumstances, and Sienna trusted him more than anyone else.

"Do you have it?" Sienna asked, leaning across the table, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man looked around nervously before sliding a small envelope across the table. "You need to be careful, Sienna. I'm not the only one watching you. He knows you're coming for him."

Sienna took the envelope, her fingers trembling slightly. "I have to finish this. I'm so close, I can feel it."

He sighed, looking torn. "Just… just be careful. Blackwood is playing a different game. You're not just after information anymore. He's got you in his sights. And he's not going to let go without a fight."

Sienna nodded, but inside, a sense of unease settled over her. What had she gotten herself into?

---

Later that afternoon, she returned to her apartment to sift through the contents of the envelope. Inside, she found a series of documents—reports, emails, and financial records—all tied to Blackwood Industries. At first glance, they didn't seem like much. But Sienna knew how to read between the lines.

As she scanned the papers, a particular file caught her attention: a list of employees who had suddenly disappeared from Blackwood Industries. Some had been fired without explanation, while others had just vanished. The names were all marked with one common denominator—Ethan Blackwood's personal signature.

Her stomach churned. This wasn't just a case of corporate corruption. Something far darker was happening behind the scenes. The questions were piling up, and every answer she uncovered only seemed to lead to more.

Later that night, Sienna stood outside the grandiose Blackwood Industries building, her mind racing. She had come this far, and there was no turning back now. She had to confront him. She had to know if he was truly the villain behind it all, or if something far more sinister was at play.

She took a deep breath, adjusting her coat as she stepped into the building's lobby. The receptionist barely glanced at her as she entered, and she made her way toward the elevators. As the doors slid open, her heart skipped a beat when she saw Ethan standing in the corner of the elevator.

"I was hoping you'd come by," he said, his voice smooth as silk, his eyes flashing with that same challenging gleam.

Sienna hesitated for a moment but then stepped in, the doors closing behind her. "I'm done playing games, Blackwood," she said, her tone firm. "I'm going to find out what you're hiding."

Ethan chuckled, a low, dark sound. "You've already begun to, haven't you?"

The elevator doors opened to the top floor, and he stepped out, leading the way down the long, sleek hallway of his private offices. He didn't need to say anything—his mere presence was enough to make her feel both drawn to him and repelled at the same time.

Sienna followed him into his office, a luxurious space with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. He stood by the window, looking out at the skyline.

"I know you've been digging into my company," Ethan said, his back still to her. "But there's one thing you haven't figured out yet."

"What's that?" Sienna's voice was steady, but her pulse was racing.

Ethan turned to face her, his gaze intense. "It's not just business, Sienna. This is personal. And once you're in, there's no way out."

His words hung in the air like a threat, but Sienna stood her ground. "You don't scare me, Blackwood. I'm not afraid of you."

His lips curled into a smile, but there was no warmth in it. "You should be."

---

*To be continued...*

There we go! Chapter 3 continues to unravel the mystery, with Sienna inching closer to the truth, but also getting deeper into Ethan's world. This dynamic is building up to something intense! What do you think?