The air in Xavier’s penthouse felt heavier than usual, the tension wrapping around me like a vise. I sat across from him at the marble dining table, swirling wine in my glass, knowing something monumental was coming. The way Xavier’s eyes tracked my every move, calculating, predatory, told me enough.
Then he leaned forward, his voice low and deliberate.
“Marry me, Alyssa.”
I froze. What?
I blinked, hoping I misheard him. “You can’t be serious.”
His lips curved into a smile, but there was no warmth in it. “This isn’t about romance, darling. It’s about power. Together, we’ll control everything-your family’s empire, my connections. No one will dare stand against us.”
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on me. Marriage, for power. Not love. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Xavier didn’t love people-he controlled them.
“And what if I refuse?” I asked, keeping my voice steady, though my heart raced in my chest.
His smile sharpened. “That would be… unwise. Ethan can’t protect you. Your uncle’s influence only goes so far.” He leaned closer. “With me, you’ll have everything you need to survive.”
I stared into his cold, calculating eyes. This wasn’t a proposal-it was a threat wrapped in pretty words.
Later, after Xavier left me to “think” about his offer, I paced the length of my room, gripping the phone in my hand. Every nerve screamed for me to run, to get away from him before I was trapped forever. But where would I go? Who could I trust?
I unlocked my phone, my fingers shaking slightly as I dialed Ethan’s number.
He picked up on the second ring. “Alyssa.” His voice was low, familiar, and laced with tension.
I took a breath, forcing my words to come out steady. “He proposed.”
There was silence on the other end, thick and heavy. Then Ethan let out a bitter laugh. “Of course, he did. That bastard.”
“What do I do, Ethan? If I say no-”
“He won’t let you walk away,” Ethan interrupted, his voice sharp. “Xavier never gives up what he thinks belongs to him. You know that.”
I pressed a hand to my forehead, trying to block out the rising panic. “Then what do I do?”
Ethan’s voice softened, but there was urgency behind it. “Meet me tonight. I have a way out. A real one this time.”
I closed my eyes, relief flooding through me. A way out. Maybe, just maybe, I could escape this nightmare.
“Where?” I whispered.
He gave me the address of a safe house, his voice quick and cautious. “Come alone. I’ll explain everything when you get here. And Alyssa… don’t trust anyone. Not even your uncle.”
I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. “I’ll be there.”
The hours dragged by, every second filled with the suffocating fear that Xavier would see through me. I packed lightly-just the essentials-and slipped out of the penthouse unnoticed, heart pounding with every step. All I had to do was get to Ethan, and this nightmare would be over.
Or so I thought.
When I arrived at the address Ethan had given me, the street was eerily quiet. Too quiet. My skin prickled with unease as I approached the front door, my heart hammering in my chest. I knocked twice, my hand trembling slightly.
The door opened-but instead of Ethan, two FBI agents stood there, their expressions grim.
“Alyssa Morgan? We need you to come with us.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, panic rising in my throat.
One of the agents exchanged a glance with his partner. “Ethan Harris has been arrested. We have reason to believe he’s involved in organized crime, and we need to ask you some questions.”
My world tilted on its axis. Ethan-arrested? No, no, this couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I was so close to escaping.
“I… I don’t know anything,” I stammered, trying to back away, but the agents blocked my path.
“Miss Morgan, if you have information, it’s in your best interest to cooperate,” the agent said calmly, but there was steel in his voice.
I forced myself to breathe, my mind racing. Xavier. He must have orchestrated this. It was the only thing that made sense. He had tipped off the FBI to eliminate Ethan from the equation, leaving me vulnerable and without an escape route.
I turned on my heel and ran, ignoring the shouts of the agents behind me. I had to get out of there before it was too late.
I sprinted down the dark streets, adrenaline surging through my veins, until I found a cab idling at a stoplight. I threw open the door and jumped inside.
“Drive! Just drive!” I gasped, slamming the door behind me.
The driver gave me a strange look but pulled away from the curb without question. I leaned back in the seat, my pulse pounding in my ears.
Ethan was gone. I had no way out. And now, I was more vulnerable than ever.
I stared out the window as the city blurred past, my thoughts a chaotic mess. What the hell was I going to do now?
Xavier’s proposal loomed over me like a noose. With Ethan gone, he had won. If I didn’t agree to marry him, he would destroy me-just like he had destroyed my father.
But agreeing to marry him… I’d be trapped. Forever.
The cab dropped me off a few blocks from the penthouse. I slipped inside, my mind numb with fear and frustration. Xavier was waiting for me in the living room, lounging on the couch like a king who had already claimed his prize.
“You were out late,” he said, his voice casual but laced with menace.
I forced a smile, though my hands were trembling. “Just needed some air.”
His gaze pinned me in place, cold and calculating. He knew. He always knew.
“Have you thought about my proposal?” he asked, his tone deceptively smooth.
I swallowed hard, the weight of the envelope from Isabella burning in my pocket. I could expose him. I had the power to bring him down.
But at what cost?
I met his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. “I need more time.”
Xavier’s smile was sharp and dangerous. “Don’t take too long, Alyssa. Time is a luxury you don’t have.”
Just as I turned to leave, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen-and froze.
It was a message from an unknown number. A photo.
My heart stopped when I opened it. It was a picture of me, standing at Ethan’s front door, just minutes before the FBI had arrived.
Beneath it, a message: We’re watching.
My stomach dropped. Someone knew everything. And now, I was truly alone.