Alexander Blackwood never liked being blindsided.
And tonight, someone had dared to make a move against him—in his own territory, no less.
As he stared at the flashing numbers on his phone—whispers of financial instability, a calculated attempt to rattle his investors—he knew one thing for certain: this wasn't Isabella's doing.
And that made it worse.
Because if it wasn't her, then who the hell was it?
Isabella's Suspicions
Across the room, Isabella studied Alexander carefully. He was furious, but not at her. No, this was something else.
Claire's voice crackled in her earpiece. "I pulled up the leak source. It came from a shell company—one with zero public records."
Isabella's heart raced. "Meaning?"
"Meaning someone went through a lot of trouble to stay hidden."
Her mind spun with possibilities. A third player. Someone powerful enough to disrupt Blackwood Enterprises and keep their hands clean.
And if they were targeting him now… how long before they came for her?
A Temporary Alliance
Alexander turned to Isabella, his voice low but controlled. "Walk with me."
She hesitated. Walking away with him meant stepping deeper into whatever this was.
But her instincts told her one thing—whoever had done this wasn't just after him.
They left the main ballroom, stepping onto an empty balcony overlooking the glittering New York skyline. The cold night air was sharp, but the tension between them was sharper.
Alexander turned to her, his jaw tight. "Someone's coming for me. And if they're coming for me, you're next."
She crossed her arms. "And why exactly do you think that?"
He exhaled, looking out over the city. "Because whoever's playing this game isn't after a single win. They want to take us both down."
Her stomach tightened. She had spent months locked in battle with Alexander, certain he was her greatest rival.
But now?
A bigger threat was lurking in the shadows.
She took a deep breath. "So what do you suggest?"
He turned to her, eyes dark and unreadable. "For now? A ceasefire."
She raised an eyebrow. "You want me to trust you?"
His smirk was slow, dangerous. "No. I want you to trust that I hate losing even more than you do."
And just like that, the game changed.
Because Isabella and Alexander weren't just enemies anymore.
They were temporary allies.
And if there was one thing more dangerous than their rivalry—it was them working together.