Alyssa’s POV
“Are you out of your mind?” Isabella’s voice sliced through the tension like a knife, sharp and accusing. “Leaking parts of the ledger? Do you realize what kind of firestorm you’re about to unleash?”
I leaned against the edge of the kitchen counter, staring at the ledger as though it might combust. The weight of its contents wasn’t just figurative-it felt like I was carrying the collective sins of everyone in my father’s empire.
“It’s the only way,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended but laced with determination. “We can’t let them control the narrative anymore. If we wait, they’ll destroy us.”
“And if you leak it,” Isabella shot back, her blue eyes blazing, “you’ll paint an even bigger target on your back. Not just yours-Ethan’s, mine, anyone connected to you.”
Ethan, seated on the couch with his arm still in a makeshift sling, smirked despite the tension. “She’s got a point. You’re practically gift-wrapping yourself for them.”
“Do either of you have a better idea?” I snapped, rounding on them. “Because if you do, now would be the time to share.”
Isabella crossed her arms, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Alyssa, I understand you want to make a move, but this isn’t some courtroom where you can grandstand your way to a win. These people don’t play by the rules.”
“That’s exactly why we need to do this,” I argued. “Once the media gets ahold of even a piece of this, the public outrage will force the FBI to act. They won’t be able to sweep this under the rug-not when everyone’s watching.”
Ethan let out a low chuckle, drawing my glare.
“What’s so funny?” I demanded.
“You,” he said simply, his dark eyes glinting with a mix of admiration and amusement. “You think outrage is enough to scare these people. Trust me, sweetheart, they’ve survived worse.”
“I’m not naive,” I shot back. “I know this is dangerous. But sitting here and waiting for them to come after us isn’t exactly a winning strategy, either.”
Ethan leaned back, his smirk fading. “Fine. Let’s say you leak it. What happens when they figure out it was you? Because they will, Alyssa. And when they do, it won’t just be your father knocking at your door. It’ll be everyone in that damn ledger who wants to keep their secrets buried.”
“I know the risks,” I said through gritted teeth. “But this ledger is the only leverage we have, and I’m not going to let it rot while we sit here doing nothing.”
Isabella sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Okay, fine. Let’s say we do this your way. How do you plan on getting it out there without leaving a trail back to you?”
I pulled out my laptop, setting it on the table between us. “That’s where you come in,” I said, meeting Isabella’s skeptical gaze. “You have contacts, people who can get this into the right hands anonymously.”
She hesitated, her eyes narrowing. “You’re asking me to put my name on this, Alyssa. To make myself a target, too.”
“I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself,” I said earnestly. “But I need your help. Please.”
Isabella’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might refuse. But then she nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Fine. But if this goes south, you owe me-big time.”
“Deal,” I said, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Ethan, still lounging on the couch, raised an eyebrow. “And what about me? Am I just supposed to sit here and twiddle my thumbs while you two play whistleblower?”
I shot him a look. “You’re still recovering, Ethan. You can’t exactly run point on this.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t help,” he said, his tone challenging. “Or do you really think you’ve got this all figured out on your own?”
Before I could respond, Isabella cut in. “Enough, both of you. We don’t have time for this.” She turned to me. “What part of the ledger are we leaking?”
“The biggest names,” I said without hesitation. “The ones that’ll make the most impact.”
Isabella nodded, pulling out her phone. “Give me an hour. I’ll make some calls.”
As she disappeared into the next room, Ethan’s gaze lingered on me, his expression unreadable.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Alyssa,” he said finally.
“I don’t need you to remind me,” I replied, my voice steady but my hands trembling slightly.
For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension between us thick and heavy.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said quietly, his tone lacking its usual sarcasm.
“So do I,” I admitted.
The next hour passed in a blur. Isabella returned, confirming that the initial leak was in motion. By morning, she said, the first wave of names would hit the media.
I tried to feel relieved, but the knot in my stomach only tightened. We were officially at war, and there was no turning back.
As the night stretched on, I sat by the window, staring out at the darkened streets. The weight of my decisions pressed down on me, suffocating in its intensity.
The sharp ring of my phone shattered the silence, and I jumped, my heart racing as I grabbed it. The number on the screen was blocked.
“Alyssa Morgan,” I answered cautiously.
The voice on the other end sent a chill down my spine.
“Hello, darling,” my father’s smooth, menacing tone filled the line. “I was wondering when you’d decide to cross the line.”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “What do you want?”
“What I’ve always wanted,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “Control. And right now, you’re making that very difficult for me.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” I said, though my voice wavered.
“Oh, but you should be,” he replied, his tone turning icy. “You see, I know what you’ve been up to. The leak, the ledger-it’s cute, really. But it stops now.”
“Or what?” I challenged, though my hands were trembling.
“Or Ethan and Isabella pay the price,” he said coldly. “You have 24 hours to bring me the full ledger, Alyssa. No games, no tricks. Or I’ll make sure you lose the only people you have left.”
The line went dead, leaving me staring at the phone in stunned silence.
“Alyssa?” Ethan’s voice broke through the fog, and I turned to see him watching me, concern etched on his face.
“It’s my father,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “He knows about the ledger. And he’s giving me an ultimatum.”
“What kind of ultimatum?” Ethan asked, his expression darkening.
I swallowed hard, the weight of my father’s words crushing me. “Either I give him the ledger… or he kills you and Isabella.”
The room fell deathly silent, the gravity of the situation settling over us like a storm cloud.
For the first time, I felt truly powerless. And I had no idea what to do next.