Chapter 13: The Tides Turn
The car ride back to the mansion was steeped in heavy silence. Evelyn sat beside Alexander, her heart still pounding from the confrontation at Redwood. Despite their narrow escape, she knew this was far from over.
Alexander's jaw was clenched, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. She could feel the storm brewing within him, and it wasn't long before it erupted.
"What were you thinking?" he demanded as soon as they entered the mansion. "You could've been killed, Evelyn!"
"And so could you!" she shot back, refusing to back down. "If I hadn't been there, Damian's men would've gunned you down before you even knew they were there."
Alexander ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room like a caged animal. "This is exactly why I didn't want you involved. Damian doesn't play fair. He'll use anyone and anything to get to me."
"Then stop shutting me out!" she countered, her voice breaking. "I'm not some damsel in distress, Alexander. I'm your wife. If you want me to trust you, you have to let me in."
For a moment, Alexander said nothing. Then he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his emotions.
"You're right," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've spent so long trying to protect you that I didn't see how much I was hurting you."
Evelyn stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "We're stronger together, Alexander. If we're going to beat Damian, we have to do it as a team."
He nodded, a flicker of determination returning to his eyes.
Damian's Retaliation
Meanwhile, Damian sat in his penthouse, nursing a glass of whiskey as he reviewed the aftermath of the failed ambush. His assistant stood nearby, shifting nervously under his cold gaze.
"They were tipped off," Damian said, his voice calm but laced with menace. "Someone betrayed us."
"We don't have confirmation yet," the assistant replied. "But it's possible someone within our ranks—"
"Find them," Damian interrupted, his tone deadly. "And remind the others what happens to traitors."
The assistant nodded quickly, retreating from the room.
Damian turned his attention to a map spread out on the table before him. Alexander's empire was marked in meticulous detail, each location representing a piece of the puzzle Damian was determined to dismantle.
"Alexander thinks he's won," Damian muttered to himself. "But this is far from over."
He picked up his phone and dialed a number.
"It's time," he said. "Activate Plan B."
A United Front
Back at the mansion, Alexander and Evelyn worked late into the night, going over every detail of their strategy. Marcus joined them, bringing updates from their security team.
"We've tightened surveillance on all our properties," Marcus reported. "Damian won't catch us off guard again."
"Good," Alexander said. "But that's not enough. We need to take the fight to him."
Evelyn frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Damian thrives on being one step ahead," Alexander explained. "If we want to beat him, we have to disrupt his plans before he can execute them."
"And how do we do that?" she asked.
Alexander's expression hardened. "By going after his vulnerabilities."
The Plan
Evelyn, Alexander, and Marcus spent hours devising a plan to undermine Damian's operations. They identified key players in his network and devised strategies to turn them against him.
But Evelyn had another idea—a way to strike at Damian on a more personal level.
"What about his family?" she asked cautiously.
Alexander looked at her sharply. "What about them?"
"Does he have anyone close to him? Someone he'd protect at all costs?"
Alexander hesitated before answering. "He has a younger sister, Sophia. She's the only person he seems to care about."
Evelyn nodded, a plan forming in her mind. "Then we use her to draw him out."
Alexander frowned. "I don't like it. Sophia isn't involved in any of this. Bringing her into it feels…wrong."
"She's already involved," Evelyn argued. "Whether she knows it or not, Damian's actions put her at risk. If we can get her to talk to us, we might be able to convince Damian to back down."
Alexander sighed, clearly torn. "It's risky."
"So is everything else we're doing," she pointed out.
After a long pause, Alexander nodded. "Fine. But we do this carefully. I won't have an innocent person caught in the crossfire."
The Cliffhanger
The next day, Evelyn and Alexander began putting their plan into motion. They learned that Sophia was attending a charity gala that evening—a perfect opportunity to approach her without arousing suspicion.
But as they prepared to leave, Alexander received a chilling message on his phone:
"You shouldn't have involved her, Alexander. Now it's my turn. – Damian"
Attached was a photo of Evelyn, taken through the window of their bedroom the night before.