Alyssa’s POV
“How could you?” My voice echoed through the room, sharp and unrelenting as I stared Isabella down. The dim light overhead cast shadows across her face, but her expression was a mix of confusion and hurt.
“Alyssa, what are you talking about?” she shot back, her tone defensive but not aggressive.
I took a step closer, the tension between us crackling like a live wire. “Don’t play dumb with me, Isabella. Ethan knows about the alliance. He knows I’m working with the third player, and there’s no way he found out on his own. Someone told him. Someone close.”
Her jaw tightened, her hands clenching at her sides. “You think that someone is me?”
“Who else could it be?” I demanded, my voice rising. “You’re the only one who knew the details, Isabella. The timing lines up too perfectly.”
She took a step back, her eyes narrowing. “I have been nothing but loyal to you, Alyssa. Do you hear me? Loyal. After everything we’ve been through, you think I’d sell you out to Ethan of all people?”
I folded my arms, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I think you’ve got your own agenda, and I think you’d do whatever it takes to protect yourself.”
“That’s rich, coming from you,” she snapped, her voice like a whip. “You’ve been playing both sides since the beginning, Alyssa. Don’t act like you’re some saint. If anything, I’ve put myself in more danger by sticking with you.”
“Then prove it,” I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous calm. “Prove to me that you’re still on my side. Because right now, I don’t trust you.”
Her nostrils flared as she glared at me, but then she exhaled sharply and turned away, running a hand through her hair. “Fine. You want proof? Here’s proof.”
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her jacket pocket and slammed it onto the table between us. I hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and snatched it up. As I unfolded it, my eyes scanned the contents quickly, and my stomach twisted.
It was a list of accounts, transactions, and names-key players in Xavier’s empire. But at the bottom, one line caught my eye: Unauthorized shipments through Elden Harbor.
“Elden Harbor,” I muttered under my breath, my mind racing.
Isabella crossed her arms, watching me carefully. “It’s a weak link in Xavier’s operation. He’s been using it for smuggling, but the security is laughable. If someone-say, the FBI-were to target it, his entire supply chain would crumble. It’s the perfect place to hit him where it hurts.”
I looked up at her, my anger momentarily tempered by curiosity. “How did you get this?”
She shrugged, but there was a flicker of pride in her eyes. “I have my ways. Let’s just say Xavier’s not as invincible as he thinks he is.”
I wanted to believe her. The information was solid, and if what she said was true, it could be the key to bringing Xavier down. But there was still a nagging doubt in the back of my mind.
“You could’ve shown me this sooner,” I said, folding the paper and slipping it into my pocket. “Why wait until now?”
“Because I didn’t think I’d need to defend myself against baseless accusations,” she shot back, her tone biting. “But clearly, I underestimated how paranoid you’ve become.”
“Paranoid?” I stepped closer, my fists clenched. “Do you have any idea what’s at stake here? One wrong move, and I’m dead. So forgive me if I’m a little cautious about who I trust.”
Her gaze softened, and for a moment, the tension between us eased. “Alyssa, I get it. I do. But you need to believe me when I say I’m not your enemy. We’re in this together.”
I studied her face, searching for any sign of deception. But all I saw was sincerity. Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe.
Before I could respond, a sudden crash from the hallway made both of us freeze. The sound of heavy footsteps followed, growing louder and closer.
“Shit,” Isabella hissed, her eyes darting to the door. “Who-”
I didn’t need her to finish the question. I already knew. My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I didn’t bother checking it. There was no time.
The door burst open with a deafening bang, and there he was. Ethan, flanked by two of his men, his face a mask of fury.
“Alyssa,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “We need to talk.”
Isabella moved to step in front of me, but I held up a hand to stop her. “Ethan,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm even as my heart raced. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Save it,” he snapped, taking a step into the room. “I gave you everything, Alyssa. My trust, my protection. And this is how you repay me? By siding with the third player?”
“You don’t understand,” I said quickly, trying to defuse the situation. “I’m not siding with anyone. I’m trying to survive.”
“Survive?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Is that what you call betrayal these days?”
The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with unspoken threats. One of Ethan’s men reached for his gun, and Isabella immediately stepped forward, pulling a weapon of her own from her jacket.
“Don’t,” she warned, her voice steady but firm. “Unless you want this to end badly for all of us.”
Ethan held up a hand, signaling his men to stand down. “I didn’t come here to start a war, Alyssa. But if you force my hand, I won’t hesitate.”
“Then what do you want?” I asked, my voice sharp.
“I want the truth,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “Are you with me or against me?”
The question hung in the air, heavy and damning. I didn’t know how to answer. I didn’t even know what the truth was anymore.
But before I could respond, another sound shattered the silence-a faint but unmistakable beep. I glanced down at my phone, still buzzing in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw the message on the screen:
The FBI is moving in. Get out now.
My blood ran cold. Ethan saw the look on my face and stepped closer, his expression darkening. “What is it?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I turned to Isabella, who was already moving toward the window.
“We need to go,” she said urgently.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell is going on?”
“No time to explain,” I said, shoving the phone back into my pocket. “If you want to live, you’ll follow me. Otherwise, you’re on your own.”
For a moment, Ethan looked like he might argue, but then the sound of sirens in the distance made his decision for him.
“Fine,” he growled. “But this isn’t over, Alyssa. Not by a long shot.”
As we scrambled to escape, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The FBI was closing in, Ethan was furious, and Xavier was still out there, waiting to make his move. But the real question was: who could I trust when everyone seemed to have their own agenda?