Alyssa’s POV
“You’re too quiet,” Ethan said, his voice cutting through the thick silence in the safe house. He sat across from me, his eyes piercing, though pain etched faint lines into his face. “What are you thinking?”
I dragged my gaze from the chipped edge of the coffee table to meet his. My voice wavered as I answered, “I’m thinking there’s no way out of this.”
“You don’t believe that,” Ethan countered, leaning forward despite the sling immobilizing his arm. “You’ve faced worse odds, Alyssa.”
“No, I haven’t,” I admitted, the weight of his words crashing down on me. “This is different, Ethan. If I give my father the ledger, he wins. He’ll bury every secret in it and tighten his hold on everything-on everyone. But if I don’t…”
I couldn’t finish the thought. The idea of losing him, of losing Isabella, gutted me in ways I couldn’t put into words.
“Hey,” Ethan said softly, his tone a rare blend of gentleness and urgency. “Look at me.”
I forced myself to meet his eyes. They were steady, grounding, as though he could anchor me in the chaos swirling inside my mind.
“We’ll find another way,” he said, his voice firm. “You don’t have to play by their rules.”
“And what happens if I don’t?” I shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. “My father doesn’t make empty threats, Ethan. He’ll kill you. He’ll kill Isabella. And then he’ll come for me. I can’t risk that.”
Ethan shook his head. “You’re underestimating yourself. You’ve outmaneuvered him before-you can do it again.”
“Not this time,” I whispered.
The sharp ping of my phone broke the tension. My heart leapt into my throat as I grabbed it, dread coiling in my stomach.
Blocked number.
Without hesitation, I answered. “What now?”
A voice I hadn’t expected filled the line, cold and dripping with menace.
“Hello, Alyssa,” Xavier drawled, his tone sending a chill down my spine.
“What do you want?” I demanded, my grip tightening on the phone.
“Just thought you’d like an update,” he said, his casual tone belying the threat beneath. “Your little friend Isabella? She’s quite resilient, but everyone breaks eventually.”
My blood turned to ice. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing permanent,” Xavier replied, amusement lacing his words. “Yet. But she’s here with me, and I have to say, she’s not looking her best.”
“Let her go,” I said, my voice trembling with barely contained rage.
“Now, why would I do that?” Xavier chuckled darkly. “You see, Alyssa, I’ve got a vested interest in that ledger of yours. And unlike your father, I’m not giving you the luxury of time.”
“What are you talking about?”
A soft click sounded on the line, and then a video began to play.
My breath hitched as the screen filled with an image of Isabella. She was tied to a chair in a dimly lit room, her face bloodied, her eyes defiant even through the pain.
“Alyssa,” she said, her voice hoarse but unwavering. “Don’t give them anything. Whatever they-”
The video cut off abruptly, leaving only static.
“Oops,” Xavier said, his mocking tone slicing through the silence. “Must’ve hit the wrong button. Anyway, you have until midnight. Bring me the ledger, or she dies. And just so we’re clear, no tricks, no stalling. If you’re even a second late, I’ll send you the video of her last moments. Understand?”
“You bastard,” I hissed.
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, darling,” Xavier replied smoothly. “Midnight. Don’t be late.”
The line went dead, and I stared at the phone, my mind racing.
“What is it?” Ethan demanded, rising from the couch despite his injury.
“Xavier has Isabella,” I said, my voice hollow.
“Damn it,” Ethan muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Did he say what he wants?”
“What do you think?” I snapped, the anger and fear boiling over. “He wants the ledger. Same as my father.”
Ethan paced the room, his frustration evident. “This changes everything. We can’t just sit here and wait for them to come to us.”
“No,” I agreed, my mind already spinning with possibilities. “We can’t.”
For a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of our breathing. Then Ethan stopped, turning to face me.
“Give it to him,” he said, his voice low but resolute.
“What?” I stared at him, incredulous.
“Give him the damn ledger,” Ethan repeated. “If it saves Isabella-”
“You don’t mean that,” I said, cutting him off. “You know what’ll happen if we hand it over. Xavier will destroy it, just like my father would. Everything we’ve worked for-everything we’ve risked-will be for nothing.”
“And what’s the alternative?” Ethan shot back, his voice rising. “We sit here and let her die? Is that what you want?”
“Of course not!” I yelled, the words ripping from my throat. “But there has to be another way!”
“Then find it,” Ethan said, his tone softer now but no less urgent. “Because if you don’t, you’re going to have to live with the consequences.”
His words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. I sank into the nearest chair, my head in my hands, as the enormity of the situation threatened to crush me.
I couldn’t lose Isabella. I couldn’t lose Ethan. But every path I saw led to disaster.
The phone in my hand felt like a lifeline and a noose all at once. Midnight was looming, and I was running out of time.