I used to think the line between loyalty and betrayal was clear. You stick to your own, protect your family, and deal with enemies swiftly.
But now I’m realizing that in this world-my world-everyone plays for themselves. Every alliance is built on shifting sand, and even family can have knives hidden behind their backs.
My uncle’s empire wasn’t just larger than I imagined; it was a labyrinth of deals, betrayals, and hidden agendas. I’d inherited a world where trust was currency, and everyone was short on it.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Ethan’s voice cut through my thoughts. He stood across the room, arms crossed, his dark eyes scanning my face.
“It’s more like I’ve seen too many ghosts,” I muttered, pacing back and forth.
Ever since we got that warning message about the mole, I’d been trying to piece things together. But the deeper I dug, the more tangled everything became.
I stopped pacing and turned to Ethan. “It doesn’t make sense. My uncle acts like he’s protecting me, offering me control of the empire. But if there’s a mole this close to us, why hasn’t he taken action?”
Ethan gave me a knowing look. “Maybe he’s not as clueless as you think. Maybe he knows exactly what’s happening-and he’s waiting for the right moment to use it to his advantage.”
I hated how plausible that sounded. My uncle had always been a master strategist-never moving until all the pieces were aligned perfectly. But that also meant he could be the one pulling the strings behind my back.
“So you’re saying he might know who the mole is… and just isn’t telling me?” I asked, my voice heavy with disbelief.
Ethan smirked. “Or worse-he’s using the mole to keep you in line.”
A bitter laugh escaped me. “I can’t trust anyone, can I? Not him. Not you. Not anyone.”
Ethan shrugged, unapologetic. “Welcome to the club, sweetheart. The sooner you accept that, the better your chances of surviving.”
I turned away from him, my thoughts racing. I needed to get ahead of the mole before they made their next move-but the problem was, I had no idea who I could rely on.
The criminal world was more complex than I’d ever imagined, with every favor owed and every handshake masking a hidden dagger. And now, the very people I once thought were on my side might be the ones gunning for me.
Hours slipped by as I combed through old messages, transaction logs, and anything else that might point to the mole. I chased shadows-familiar names, unknown numbers, cryptic notes. Nothing fit.
Until one entry caught my eye.
A transfer made from my father’s old offshore account… directly to one of my uncle’s most trusted enforcers.
I stared at the screen, heart pounding. Why would money from my father’s personal account-an account no one was supposed to know about-be sent to one of my uncle’s men?
My mind buzzed with possibilities. Had my uncle been working against my father all along? Or had the mole found a way to access my father’s money, using it to buy loyalty and cover their tracks?
The weight of it pressed down on me. If my uncle wasn’t involved, then someone within his closest circle was betraying us both-and if he was involved, that meant I was already in more danger than I realized.
I pulled out my phone, my thumb hovering over Isabella’s contact. If anyone could help me piece this together, it was her. But just as I was about to call, a strange unease settled over me.
Could I even trust her? Ethan’s warning echoed in my head: Don’t trust anyone-including Isabella.
I bit my lip, my hand clenching around the phone. If Isabella was part of this, calling her could tip my hand too soon. But if I didn’t reach out, I was flying blind.
Before I could make a decision, the lights in the room flickered-and then everything plunged into darkness.
My heart skipped a beat. Power outage? Or something worse?
I stood frozen for a split second, the air thick with silence.
And then I heard it.
The faint click of a lock turning.
Adrenaline surged through me as I grabbed the gun hidden in my nightstand. Whoever was out there wasn’t here by accident. I edged toward the door, my pulse pounding in my ears.
The door swung open violently, and four men burst into the room. Their faces were cold, hard, and merciless. Hitmen.
“Don’t move, Miss Morgan,” one of them said, leveling a gun at me. “We’ve got orders to bring you in alive. But dead works too.”
“Who sent you?” I demanded, raising my own weapon in defiance.
The man smirked. “Let’s just say you made some enemies, sweetheart. Time’s up.”
I didn’t wait for him to finish. The moment he shifted his stance, I pulled the trigger. The shot echoed through the room, hitting him square in the shoulder. He cursed, staggering back, and chaos erupted.
One of the men lunged at me, but I ducked just in time, shoving the nightstand into his path. The small space became a battleground-fists flying, bullets ripping through walls. Somehow, I managed to slip past them, heart hammering in my chest.
I sprinted down the hall, the men hot on my heels. Every step felt like a countdown to my death.
I rounded the corner, almost crashing into Ethan. His eyes widened for a split second before he reacted, shoving me behind him and pulling out his gun.
“Go! Get out of here!” he barked, firing at the hitmen without hesitation.
I didn’t need to be told twice. I bolted down the stairs, adrenaline propelling me forward. I could hear the sound of gunfire behind me-Ethan holding them off as best as he could-but I knew he couldn’t keep them at bay forever.
I burst through the front door and into the night. The cold air hit me like a slap, but I kept running, my breath ragged and my heart in my throat.
I had no idea where I was going-only that I had to get away.
But as I disappeared into the shadows, one thing became terrifyingly clear.
The mole wasn’t just coming after me-they were already here. And if I didn’t find out who it was soon, I wouldn’t live long enough to escape any of them.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I stumbled into an alley, gasping for breath. I pulled it out, expecting another cryptic warning.
Instead, it was a photo.
A picture of me-taken just seconds ago from somewhere nearby.
And underneath it, a message: We see you.