My mysterious billionaire

Chapter eight: The other business

Emily’s POV

As I stepped out of Alexander Blackwood's office, my mind was racing with a whirlwind of emotions. The encounter with him had been intense, to say the least, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye. But I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand: unraveling the mysteries that surrounded his vast empire.

As I made my way back to my apartment, the weight of Victor Sterling's warning was still heavy on my mind. It was clear that I was treading on dangerous ground, and I knew that I couldn't afford to let my guard down, not even for a moment. But despite the risks, I was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what obstacles stood in my way.

Now I had to rest, it was already daytime, and I had spent the last twenty-four hours investigating. My brain needed sleep, and I needed to process everything that I had uncovered. Also, I needed to find new resources, people that could give me the information that I wanted, and so, after a nice rest, I researched ex-employees. Finally, I found a clue, or to say it better, the clue found me, but it was one that would have to wait until tomorrow.

The following day, I set out to meet with an ex-employee of Blackwood Enterprises, someone who had reached out to me with information that could blow the lid off of Alexander's carefully constructed facade. The meeting was set to take place in a rundown diner on the outskirts of the city, far from prying eyes and listening ears.

As I entered the diner, the smell of grease and stale coffee assaulted my senses, but I ignored it, scanning the room for any sign of my contact. And then, I saw him sitting in a dark corner, his face obscured by the shadows. He was trying not to make eye contact with anyone, so he could stay unseen. I ordered a coffee and went to where he was.

Approaching cautiously, I slid into the seat opposite him, keeping my voice low as I greeted him.

"Are you the one who reached out to me?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable with this reunion, so I didn’t want to startle him.

The man nodded, his expression grim as he leaned in closer.

"Yeah, that's me," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I used to work for Blackwood, until I saw what he was really up to." I tried to get a glimpse of how he looked, but he was very careful to not be seen.

I leaned in closer, my heart racing. Was I going to like what he was about to tell me? Maybe not, but even if he told me that Alexander had a corpse under his bed I would have to continue until I finished my article.

"What did you find out?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the chatter of the diner.

The man glanced around nervously before leaning in even closer, his voice barely a whisper as he spoke.

"Blackwood's business dealings are more than just shady, they're downright criminal," he confessed, his eyes darting around the room as if afraid of being overheard. "He's got ties to the mafia, smuggling illegal goods under the disguise of legitimate business transactions."

My heart sank at his words, the gravity of the situation sinking in. If what he said was true, then Alexander Blackwood was even more dangerous than I had ever imagined. But I refused to let fear paralyze me, not when the truth was so close at hand.

“How can I trust you?” He could be providing me with false information. The first rule of being a journalist is to always verify the information that you get. A man’s word was worth nothing, only solid evidence mattered.

“Here you have a folder with different pictures. They show the meetings that Alexander had with several mafia heads. You can check that information yourself. I won’t be helping you more, I want to keep my head attached to my body.” He was scared, that was evident, whatever he saw in there had impacted him greatly.

"Thank you for your help," I said, reaching into my bag to retrieve some cash. "This should cover your expenses."

The man shook his head, pushing the money away.

"I'm not doing this for the money," he insisted, his expression serious. "I'm doing it because someone needs to hold Blackwood accountable for his actions."

After that, the man stood up and left me there. I now had a folder filled with information, and I had to use it wisely.

As I left the diner, my mind was spinning with the bombshell revelation I had just received. Alexander Blackwood's ties to the mafia confirmed my suspicions that there was more to him than met the eye. But now, armed with this new information, I knew that I had to tread even more carefully. If Blackwood had connections to the criminal underworld, then my investigation was more dangerous than I had ever imagined.

As I made my way back to my apartment, my thoughts raced with possibilities. I needed to gather more evidence, to uncover the extent of Blackwood's criminal activities and bring them to light. But I knew that it wouldn't be easy. Blackwood was a powerful man, with resources and influence that stretched far and wide. If I was going to take him down, I needed to be smart, strategic, and above all, careful.

The following days were a blur of interviews, research, and late-night stakeouts as I worked tirelessly to gather evidence against Blackwood. With each new piece of information I uncovered, the puzzle began to take shape, revealing a dark and sinister picture of corruption and deceit.

But as I delved deeper into Blackwood's world, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Paranoia crept in, whispering in the back of my mind that I had to sleep with one eye open. But I refused to give in to fear. I had come too far to turn back now, and no matter what dangers lay ahead, I was determined to see this through to the end.

And then, just as I was beginning to make progress in my investigation, I received a message that sent chills down my spine. It was a warning, a thinly veiled threat from someone who knew far too much about me and my intentions.

Miss Carter,

Sometimes you have to know when to stop. I guess grandma is not going to be so lucky next time she falls.

As I read the message, a cold sense of dread washed over me. My grandma fell a week ago. She was okay, her injuries were minor, but this proved that someone was watching me.

The stakes had just been raised, and I knew that I was running out of time. But I refused to be intimidated. If Blackwood thought he could scare me off, he was sorely mistaken. I would not rest until I had uncovered the truth, no matter what dangers lay ahead.

As the days passed, the weight of the warning message hung heavy over me like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over my every move. Would this make my investigation stop? No it wouldn’t, because this meant that I was getting close, so close that someone wanted to shut my mouth.

I could go to his office to tell him that I knew everything. It was one possibility, but the hard truth was that he could kill me right in the spot and no one would bat an eye if I disappeared.

The other thing I could do was abandon my investigation. I could resign my position at the newspaper and go back to my hometown. My parents would accept me again if I just admitted that I was a failure.

Many ideas came into my mind, but I didn’t want to give up yet. I was ready to confront the darkness that would come from my investigation, because no matter what happened to me, if Alexander was in this kind of business, then it meant that he had hurt a great number of people. I had to see what happened after I finally uncovered his mask.

People thought that he was this handsome and elusive billionaire, but they didn’t know the shady business behind the man. How deep he was in all of this, and how many lives he has destroyed.

Why would they care? The media saw a pretty face. That was it. They say an intelligent and handsome man that had everything a girl could ask for. Everything except morals.

Could this investigation mean the end of my life? Yes, it could be. But I was ready. Ready to confront the darkness head-on, to stare into the abyss and not flinch. Because no matter what lay ahead, I was determined to see this through to the end. For justice, for truth, and for all those who had been victimized by Alexander Blackwood's insatiable greed.