Chapter 12: Torn Between Truths
919 Words
Eva’s heart thudded in her chest as she repeated Alex’s words repeatedly: “Don’t trust anyone. There’s more to this than you know.” She glanced at the documents spread across her coffee table, damning evidence of corporate fraud, with Alex’s name subtly woven through the paper trail. The temptation to run was strong, but she couldn’t—her entire career was on the line, and now, so was Alex’s freedom.
But the new player—the man who had come into her life unannounced and all too conveniently—knew too much. His threats were thinly veiled, yet his offer for help was equally persuasive. His entrance into the game had changed everything. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed answers, and confronting him seemed the only way forward.
Eva arrived at the upscale bar where they had agreed to meet, her stomach in knots. She found him seated at a booth in the back, casually sipping whiskey as if this was all a game to him. His demeanor was calm, and his smile was too easy.
“I see you’ve decided to join me,” he said, looking up as she approached.
Eva sat down across from him, keeping her gaze steady. “Cut the pleasantries,” she said, her voice firm. “You wanted me here. Now, tell me what you know.”
The man—Nathan, he had introduced himself as—leaned forward, a smug grin spreading across his face. “I like your directness, Eva. It’s refreshing. But let’s not pretend like you’re not in over your head. You’re smart, but you can’t even unravel this web without a little help.”
Eva clenched her fists under the table. “I don’t need your help. I want the truth.”
Nathan took a slow sip of his drink, clearly enjoying the tension. “Oh, but you do need my help. You see, Alex isn’t the man you think he is. His family has been involved in unsavory dealings, and this latest scandal is just the tip of the iceberg.”
“I don’t believe you,” Eva said, though doubt gnawed at her insides.
Nathan’s eyes gleamed. “You don’t have to believe me. Just look at the evidence in front of you. Those transactions—those deals—Alex knew exactly what he was doing. He’s been playing you from the start, using you as a pawn in his little game.”
Eva’s chest tightened. She didn’t want to believe it, but the documents she had seen painted a damning picture. Could Alex be involved in something so dark?
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked, her voice trembling with anger and fear.
“Because you’re the key to all of this. You have access to people and information that I don’t. We can bring Alex and his entire operation down if you work with me. But if you don’t…” He trailed off, his meaning clear.
Eva stared at him, her mind spinning. If Nathan was telling the truth, she was way over her head. But something about him felt off. His offer was too convenient, too perfectly timed.
“I need time,” she said, standing up abruptly.
“Of course,” Nathan said smoothly. “But remember, the clock is ticking. And you’re running out of time.”
Back in her apartment, Eva’s thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Could she trust Alex? Nathan’s words played over in her mind, each a seed of doubt that took root more profoundly. She paced her living room, the weight of her decisions pressing down on her.
The knock on her door startled her, and she opened it to find Alex standing there, his eyes filled with worry.
“We need to talk,” he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Eva crossed her arms, trying to steady herself. “I know.”
Alex looked at her, his gaze searching. “What’s going on? You’re pulling away from me.”
“I found something,” Eva said quietly, walking over to the coffee table and picking up the folder. She handed it to him without a word, watching his face as he flipped through the pages.
His expression darkened as he reached the last page. “Where did you get this?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
“That’s not important,” Eva replied. “What matters is whether it’s true.”
Alex’s eyes met hers, filled with a pain she hadn’t seen before. “Eva, I swear, I didn’t know. I didn’t—”
“You didn’t know?” she interrupted, her voice rising. “You expect me to believe that?”
Alex set the folder down and took a step toward her. “I’m being set up. I didn’t know about these deals, which were not like this. My family… they’ve been keeping things from me. I’m trying to fix it, but it’s bigger than I thought.”
Eva shook her head, tears burning in her eyes. “How can I believe you? Everything points to you, Alex. Everything.”
“I don’t care what the papers say,” Alex said, his voice growing desperate. “I care about you. You have to trust me.”
Eva stared at him, torn between her growing feelings for him and the overwhelming evidence against him. Could she trust him? Or was she being used in a game she couldn’t win?
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