Emily leaned against the worn leather booth of a dimly lit café, her fingers tapping impatiently against her notebook. Across from her, Daniel skimmed through a folder of documents he had procured from his corporate law contact. The faint aroma of coffee lingered in the air, but Emily's mind was laser-focused on one name Solstice Holdings.
"This company is like a ghost," Daniel muttered, flipping another page. "No physical office, no public records. Just a handful of offshore accounts tied back to Blackwood Enterprises."
Emily's pulse quickened. "Which means it's a front," she said. "Julian's hiding something big."
Daniel glanced up, his expression serious. "You realize if we keep pushing, we could be stepping into dangerous territory. Guys like Julian Blackwood don't play nice when you threaten their empire."
"I'm not scared of him," Emily said, though the memory of Julian's veiled warning still hung in the back of her mind.
Daniel smirked. "You sure about that? Because I saw the way you reacted when his name came up earlier. There's something there."
Emily's jaw tightened. "This is about the truth not whatever you're implying."
"Uh-huh." Daniel leaned back. "Look, I'm with you on this, but you need to decide how far you're willing to go. Once we cross a certain line, there's no coming back."
Emily inhaled deeply, her thoughts tangled in conflict. She wanted to expose the truth but why did Julian Blackwood keep invading her thoughts? There was a side to him that didn't fit the ruthless billionaire narrative, and part of her wanted to understand it.
But understanding him meant risking everything she'd worked for.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes," she finally said, her voice steady. "We follow the money. We find the truth."
Daniel nodded, though the flicker of concern in his eyes remained. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."
As they left the café, Emily's phone buzzed in her pocket. A new message.
Julian Blackwood: You're persistent, Ms. Taylor. But persistence has its price. Let's hope you're prepared to pay it.
Emily swallowed hard.
Julian wasn't just aware of her investigation.
He was watching.